Karim Alavi, MD, MPH, FACS, FASCRS

Dr. Karim Alavi is the program director of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA, and an assistant professor of surgery in the Department of Surgery. Karim was born in Tehran, Iran, and received a BS and MD degree from George Washington University, Washington, DC. His residency in general surgery was conducted at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, and included 2 years of research in pediatric surgery at the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. After this training, Karim completed a residency in colon and rectal surgery at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

Dr. Alavi then started his academic career as a clinical instructor in surgery and as a staff colorectal surgeon in the Department of Surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, MN. In 2007, he moved to Boston, MA, and joined the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA, as an assistant professor of surgery in the Department of Surgery and progressed to his current positions. During this period, he also completed a Masters in Public Health at the Harvard University School of Public Health. He, also, participated in the Junior Faculty Development Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery.

Karim remains an active clinician and educator. He interacts with students and surgical trainees on a daily basis. He is also an active participant in multiple surgical societies including the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and currently serves on the Program Committee, Association for Academic Surgery and Association of Program Directors for Colon and Rectal Surgery. Karim's contributions to the medical literature include 23 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 3 book chapters. He is a reviewer for multiple journals and has made multiple presentations at national meetings.

Karim, his wife Shirin, and children, Parsa and Radeen, live in Southborough, MA. When not working, Karim enjoys running, swimming, basketball, tennis, and watching Washington Redskins football.

All of us have participated in educational activities, initially on the receiving end and many now also spend a major portion of their professional lives as faculty in training programs. Unfortunately, few of us have had the benefit of formal training as educators. In this issue of Clinics of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Dr. Alavi has compiled a distinguished group of academics who have presented a comprehensive review of important aspects of the educational process. It should be required reading for all surgeons considering becoming an educator or currently participating in training our future physicians and surgeons. On behalf of the readers and staff of Clinics of Colon and Rectal Surgery, I sincerely thank Dr. Alavi for serving as the guest editor for this significant issue on faculty development in surgery.