Stephen M. Kavic

Stephen M. Kavic serves as Professor of Surgery, Vice Chair of Education, and Program Director for the General Surgery Residency at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. His clinical practice focuses on minimally invasive abdominal surgery, gastrointestinal tract procedures, endoscopy, and hernia repair. He maintains active leadership roles in the Association for Surgical Education, Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, Association for Academic Surgery, and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons.

Education:

• Medical School: Yale University School of Medicine (1997)
• Residency: Yale-New Haven Hospital (2004)
• Fellowship: University of Maryland Medical Center - Minimally Invasive Surgery (2006)

Dr. Kavic's research centers on surgical education innovation, clinical outcomes measurement, and quality-of-life assessment in surgical patients. His recent work analyzes ABSITE performance predictors, fellowship application trends, and AI applications in residency selection. He has pioneered studies on program director workload, formative feedback systems, and ethical considerations in the match process, establishing himself as a national thought leader in surgical training methodology. His clinical research bridges minimally invasive techniques with patient-centered outcomes.

Current publication trends reveal intense focus on AI-driven residency selection tools, ABSITE performance analytics, and longitudinal analysis of surgical training pathways. The 2024-2025 output shows 60% dedicated to surgical education systems, 25% to minimally invasive surgical techniques, and 15% to surgical ethics and workforce analysis, with increasing integration of machine learning approaches.

Scientific Recognition:

• Campbell and Jeanette Plugge Endowed Professorship in Surgery
• Baltimore magazine "Top Doctor" in General/Minimally Invasive Surgery (10 consecutive years)
• American Board of Surgery Certification (2005)

As Program Director, Dr. Kavic oversees all aspects of the General Surgery Residency including curriculum development, resident evaluation, and ABSITE preparation. His structured remediation program has demonstrably improved resident performance on in-training exams. He actively collaborates with national organizations including the Association for Surgical Education on competency-based assessment frameworks and has led multi-institutional studies on clerkship learning environments and resident well-being metrics.