SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/15/13 -- Clinical Professor of Surgery and world-renowned pioneer in cancer research, Sarah Blair, MD, has been appointed head of UC San Diego's Women in Surgery Lectureship. In 2010, the program was established by the Department of Surgery at UC San Diego Health System with a mission to support the professional development of women surgeons and raise gender awareness. The program consists of a lecture series that aims to educate surgeons, instrument manufacturers, and the general public. As the program's director, Dr. Blair will set up and direct the lectureships and be heavily involved in the program's fundraising efforts with the ultimate goal of setting up a mentoring program for female physicians.

"Female residents represent nearly half of our general surgery program and about a third of general surgery applicants, however, women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions," said Dr. Blair. "As the program director I am excited to head an initiative that provides avenues and opportunities for women in medicine to lead. We need to break down the remaining barriers and create a supportive environment to help female surgeons thrive at all levels of their careers."

Women are no longer greatly outnumbered by men in medical school, and there are a growing number of women surgeons in leadership roles to seek for mentorship. Dr. Blair and her team strive to promote recruitment and retention among women surgeons by ensuring the challenges faced by women surgeons are balanced with opportunities for leadership, scholarship, and personal growth.

For more information on UC San Diego's Women in Surgery program, please visit www.surgery.ucsd.edu/about/women-in-surgery.

About Sarah Blair, MD
Sarah Blair, MD is a Clinical Professor of Surgery in the UCSD Department of Surgical Oncology and is a specialist in oncology surgery with a strong background and many years of experience in treating patients with cancer. Dr. Blair is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and has been in practice for more than ten years. Dr. Blair graduated alpha omega alpha from the State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse. She completed a fellowship in Surgical Oncology at City of Hope National Medical Center, where she was honored as the Terrell McElligot Surgical Oncology Fellow.

For more information on Dr. Blair, please contact Melissa Holden at (619) 683-3700 or email melissa@spearhall.com.