NPSA Annual Meeting 2026, November 12-14, 2026
2026 Abstract Submission Portal is Now OPEN! Submit your original research, or case study, to be considered for the program.
Submission Deadline: August 3rd at 11:59pm PT
Members,
It is my pleasure to serve you as your 2026 President of the North Pacific Surgical Association. It seems like only yesterday we were in Banff, Canada for our 2025 annual meeting and already, we are making plans for another. For those of you who could not attend, Drs. Chad Ball (President) and Philip Dawe (Program Chair) put on a truly outstanding meeting in beautiful Banff.
It will be tough to top that, but we will try. This year’s meeting is in Seattle and will be at the Lotte Hotel. This gorgeous new hotel is nicely located downtown in Seattle, offering great views and easy access to our new Seattle Waterfront Park (created after removing the aging Alaska Way viaduct). The meeting area will be in the hotel’s “Sanctuary,” the beautifully renovated First Methodist Church, saved from demolition and turned into an iconic event space. The meeting is November 12-14, 2026.
We will have some great speakers and panels (more detail to come) and as usual, thoughtful abstract presentations. With the help of our Program Chair and new member, Dr. Lauren Wancata (an HPB surgeon and my partner at Virginia Mason Medical Center), along with Heather Roderick, and her assistant Fionnuala Gross, we plan to host a meeting you should not miss.
Our abstract submission portal is now open. Please put on your thinking caps and send in your work by August 3rd!
Also, start thinking now about inviting new members to this outstanding surgical organization. As you know, it is a wonderful place for new (or experienced) surgeons to present their work, offering a high likelihood of publication in the American Journal of Surgery.
Again, send in your work and I look forward to seeing you in November!
Tom Biehl
Your 2026 NPSA President
2026 President – Dr. Thomas Biehl
Thomas Biehl, MD, FACS is a board-certified general surgeon with expertise in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, minimally invasive procedures, and adrenal surgery. Dr. Biehl is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a clinical instructor of surgery at the University of Washington and Washington State University, the previous President of the Seattle Surgical Society, and has been named Top Doctor by Seattle Met Magazine every year since 2006. He is currently the Medical Director of Perioperative and Procedural Services at Virginia Mason Medical Center
NPSA History
In the annals of medical history in the Pacific Northwest the foundations of medical meetings is the illustrious North Pacific Surgical Association. Born of collective ambition and shared expertise, its genesis sparkled in the city of Portland on that auspicious day of March 6, 1912. Yet, it was in the vibrant heart of Seattle, on the storied date of May 12 of the same year, where the symphony of organization reached its crescendo.
From those inaugural moments of unity and purpose, the NPSA has unfurled its banner of excellence that traverses the tapestry of the Pacific Northwest. With each passing year, this esteemed assembly rotates gracefully between the urban jewels of the region, enriching the medical landscape and forging bonds that stand as monuments to the relentless pursuit of surgical excellence.
NPSA Council
The office of President rotates through these caucus regions at the time when the annual meeting is in that area. NPSA’s council members represent the caucus regions as described in the bylaws.
President
Chad G. Ball, MD
Clinical Professor of Surgery and Oncology, University of Calgary
Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Surgery and Evidence-Based Reviews in Surgery Program
Past President
Timothy W. Bax, MD
Providence General and Specialty Surgery Spokane, WA
Trauma Medical Director for Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children’s Hospital
President Elect
Thomas Biehl, MD
Virginia Mason Hospital, Seattle, WA
Secretary Treasurer
Flavio Rocha, MD, FACS, FSSO
Professor of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, OHSU School of Medicine
Hugh Hedinger and Georgeina Hedinger Chair of Surgical Oncology, Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, School of Medicine
Recorder
Laszlo N. Kiraly, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Professor of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery
Oregon Health and Sciences University School of Medicine
Vancouver Caucus Leader
Elaine C. McKevitt, BSc MEd MD FRCSC
Clinical Professor Director of Surgical Education, Mount St Joseph Hospital, Vancouver, B.C.