UAB Department of Surgery Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery Assistant Professor Lily Gutnik, M.D., has been selected to participate in the 2026 Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) Presidential Scholars Program, a prestigious initiative that recognizes early-career surgical oncologists demonstrating exceptional promise in academic leadership, mentorship, and research.
The SSO Presidential Scholars Program provides opportunities for selected participants to engage with national leaders in surgical oncology, fostering mentorship relationships and professional development through structured educational activities. The two-year program begins at the SSO 2026 Annual Meeting, which will be held in Phoenix, Arizona in March of 2026. Each scholar will be paired with a mentor who will facilitate his or her personal and professional growth through guidance, support, and knowledge transfer.
Gutnik is actively involved in the SSO and currently serves on the international committee. At UAB, she serves as the associate vice chair of global surgery equity and as the assistant program director for global surgery for the UAB General Surgery Residency Program.
Her academic and research efforts focus on global breast cancer control and implementation science in resource-limited settings. She has ongoing collaborations in Tanzania, Kenya, and Cameroon, where she leads initiatives aimed at improving early detection and access to cancer care for women.
“I’d like to learn how to balance effectively all dimensions of work life and life outside of work, while also learning how to do well in research that can benefit patients on a global scale,” said Gutnik. “I am deeply committed to building sustainable cancer care systems globally, and I hope to bring those lessons back to strengthen our collective efforts here at UAB and beyond.”
About the Society of Society of Surgical Oncology Presidential Scholars Program
The Society of Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) Presidential Scholars Program focuses on pairing early career surgical oncologists, those within five years of their first faculty/staff appointment, with distinguished leaders in the field of surgical oncology.