WATCH: Lessons From Five Decades in Surgery — A Conversation With Dr. Barbara Bass

In a wide‑ranging conversation on Houston Methodist's Women in Surgery series, Dr. Barbara L. Bass, Dean of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and Professor of Surgery, reflects on nearly five decades in medicine. Her journey spans academic surgery, physician military service, clinician‑scientist leadership, surgical education and executive leadership at the institutional level.

At Houston Methodist, Dr. Bass became the sixth woman ever to head a major U.S. hospital’s surgery department. She served as Houston Methodist’s chair of surgery from 2005 to 2019 and as president of the American College of Surgeons from 2017 to 2018.

For physicians navigating today’s rapidly evolving clinical, educational and technological landscape, the pioneering Dr. Bass offers both historical perspective and forward‑looking insight into where academic medicine has been — and where it should go next.

An academic surgeon shaped by service and mission

Dr. Bass traces her roots to medical school at the University of Virginia in the mid‑1970s, entering medicine at a time when women in surgery were rare.

Clarity around her purpose has guided decisions throughout her career — including her early choice to remain in Washington, D.C., balancing professional ambition with family priorities. “Maintaining home and family has been an important consideration for me,” she notes, underscoring a theme that remains relevant for physicians today.

For Dr. Bass, the clinician‑scientist identity was not abstract — it was built through deliberate immersion in research environments that pushed the boundaries of surgical science. To secure a premier research position at Walter Reed, she made a decision — she entered the military service.

“So, I joined the Army and was a captain in the Medical Corps," she explains. "It was one of the most outstanding experiences of my life."

She would go on to practice as a general surgeon, as well as spending time in academic surgeon leadership, education of surgical trainees and, today, executive leadership at the institutional level.

How surgery and surgical training has — and hasn't — changed

Few physicians are better positioned than Dr. Bass to compare surgical training across eras. Reflecting on her residency, she notes," having grown up in the open surgery area, I did everything with my fingers." But she's also practiced and trained in the minimally invasive era — defined by image guidance, computer-aided tools and more technology.

“Surgical training has evolved to meet the needs of our surgical patients,” she explains. “It’s not easier or harder—it’s just different.”

One of Dr. Bass’s most enduring contributions has been her leadership in simulation‑based education and physician retooling, particularly through Houston Methodist's MITIE at the Bookout Center. She was the founding executive director of the center.

“To have a place for structured education with real life technology, [with] real life education metrics for a person in practice, that’s a big deal,” she says.

Simulation, she says, is essential — not just for trainees, but for practicing physicians navigating technological disruption.

Leadership, visibility and "stepping through the door"

As one of the first women to ascend to roles such as program director, department chair and dean, Dr. Bass reflects candidly on leadership:

“You’re never gonna go anywhere unless you walk through a door when it opens,” she says. “And sometimes that’s scary.”

Equally important, she emphasizes mentorship and allyship. “I really did benefit from the guidance that I received from people I had never actually worked with,” she notes, highlighting the informal networks that often shape academic advancement.

Visibility, too, matters. “Being at the table is really important,” Dr. Bass says, reflecting on her time leading national organizations such as the American Board of Surgery.

Why academic leadership — and why now

Returning to Washington, D.C. as dean was both personal and purposeful. “There’s a bit of the giving back piece here,” she explains, “and the excitement of doing something new and learning about how to lead an academic medical enterprise.”

Her tenure has not been easy — COVID‑19 reshaped every aspect of academic medicine — but it has reinforced her commitment to core missions: education, research, clinical excellence and community engagement.

“If you can stick to what are your core missions,” she says, “you’re gonna train the next generation… do the research that advances care… [you will] build a cohort that does wonderful clinical care.”

Looking ahead: The future of academic medicine

Despite financial pressures, workforce challenges and accelerating technological change, Dr. Bass remains optimistic.

“The good news in academic medicine is we’re always going to need new physicians,” she says. “We’re always gonna need new scientists.”

The future, she believes, lies in interdisciplinary teams, patient‑centered care and thoughtful integration of innovation. “It’s gonna be different. It’s gonna be exciting,” she says — before acknowledging the pace of change ahead.

“Don’t mention AI and technology,” she laughs, ending with some light humor on how must all be ready to adjust to the changes it will continue to bring.