Susan Kaweski, MD CSPS President

I am truly and humbly honored to represent the plastic surgeons of California as your president.

Unity of our members is key in these tumultuous times. Not a day goes by in which I don’t hear about dermatologists performing facelifts and blepharoplasties, ob gyn doing mastopexies, radiologists performing liposuction or the fake cosmetic surgeons performing the gamut of plastic surgery with suboptimal results or complications. In November of 2022, there will be an assault on MICRA (Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act). This will obliterate MICRA as we know of it with an increase of the cap on noneconomic damages to 1.2 million plus with no cap on damages and no limit on attorney’s fees. Integrated advocacy is critical to our success. We must work together to a common good. Contributing to our PAC is important because it represents the model of what we must do to meet our objectives. We cannot depend on the CMA, ASPS, and AASPS to represent our needs. I am truly and humbly honored to represent the plastic surgeons of California as your president.

CSPS makes sure our surgeons have information, opportunities, educational resources and discounts. Advocacy skills are provided to help our legislative, legal, membership, and communications agenda. But we have to participate to make it work. Remember, “individually we are one drop but together we are an ocean”. I am truly and humbly honored to represent the plastic surgeons of California as your president.

Our society began in 1951 with 20-30 members and elected Dr. George Pearce from San Francisco as their president. Today we have 284 active members. There are 778 active ASPS members in this state and we need to remind these members that CSPS also works for them! So we need more members to survive. Our society has benefitted from the leadership of many good presidents, among them our immediate past president, Terry. He guided us through a year when all aspects of our personal and professional lives were upended by the pandemic. His steady hand put our society moving forward during that time. He closed our El Sobrante office, brought in new administration, revised our bylaws and placed our investments in better hands. None of these endeavors was easy and Terry’s countless hours dedicated to the improvement of our Society this past year cannot be overemphasized. I am truly and humbly honored to represent the plastic surgeons of California as your president.

My hope for the coming year is that we work together to make this society the best and strongest in the nation. We cannot afford to be second best! I am truly and humbly honored to represent the plastic surgeons of California as your president.

Next year, our meeting will be in San Diego at the Hilton at Torrey Pines May 19-22. This is a world class destination resort right on the world famous Torrey Pines south golf course. We aim to have activities for spouses and children with trips to San Diego zoo which houses over 12,000 animals of more than 650 species, the amazing Sea World, Birch Aquarium, shopping trips to La Jolla and Seaport Village, visits to the USS Midway, the longest serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century, and Star of India, the world’s oldest active sailing ship plus much more. Some of the best seafood restaurants are located nearby with one located in a chic setting with waves crashing against the windows at high tide. Amber Leis and Samuel Lance are our program chairs for next year’s meeting and are already working on a Class A program. So we hope to see you there!

Susan Kaweski, MD
CSPS President