Renowned University of Chicago Medicine trauma surgeon Selwyn O. Rogers Jr., MD, MPH, has been named an associate editor of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), effective March 16.
Credit: UChicago Medicine
Renowned University of Chicago Medicine trauma surgeon Selwyn O. Rogers Jr., MD, MPH, has been named an associate editor of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), effective March 16.
The founding director of the UChicago Medicine Trauma Center, Rogers is a Professor of Surgery at UChicago and Chief of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at its 1,296-bed academic health system based on Chicago’s South Side.
A leading public health expert whose research focuses on the healthcare needs of underserved populations — particularly those impacted by intentional violence — he is the first surgeon in more than a decade to serve as an associate editor at NEJM, which is one of the world’s preeminent medical journals.
“I am thrilled to welcome Selwyn Rogers as an associate editor,” said Eric Rubin, MD, PhD, editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine. “His experience and perspective as a trauma surgeon will be invaluable in our editorial process and help further research that can reduce healthcare inequities.”
First issued in 1812, NEJM is the oldest continuously published medical periodical in the world. Rogers has been a member of the NEJM editorial board since January 2020 and has contributed as a writer, recently penning essays on the impact of gun violence and encountering everyday racism as a Black surgeon.
He is now one of nine associate editors who play central roles in managing NEJM’s peer review process. Associate editors also help make decisions to accept or decline manuscripts for publication.
“I look forward serving in this new role at such an influential publication,” Rogers said. “I am proud of what we’ve accomplished at UChicago Medicine since we opened our Level 1 adult trauma center in 2018. I believe the work we do on Chicago’s South Side can guide clinicians across the country, and help healthcare institutions become more equitable for the communities they serve.”
NEJM associate editors hold full-time positions at academic medical centers and are selected for their expertise in major areas of medicine. With more than two decades of trauma care experience, Rogers has published extensively on health disparities and the impact of race and ethnicity on surgical outcomes.
At UChicago Medicine, Rogers has built an interdisciplinary team of specialists to treat patients who suffer life-threatening injuries. UChicago Medicine’s trauma teams have cared for more than 20,300 patients since launching comprehensive trauma services nearly five years ago. Caring for both adults and children, it is one of the busiest Level 1 trauma centers in the state.
Beyond his clinical and scholarly work, Rogers has also worked with civic leaders and local organizations to address trauma and gun violence as a systemic healthcare crisis.