Jon van Heerden, M.D., Named an Icon of Surgery by the American College of Surgeons

The Department of Surgery at MUSC is proud to announce that Jon van Heerden, M.D., internationally renowned endocrine surgeon, educator, and researcher, has been named an Icon of Surgery by the American College of Surgeons (ACS)—one of the most prestigious honors bestowed by the ACS in recognition of extraordinary contributions to surgical education, practice, and mentorship.

He will be formally recognized at the 2025 ACS Clinical Congress, on Monday, October 6, from 1:15 – 2:15 CT, during the Clinical Congress 2025, which will be held in Chicago, IL. We hope to see you at Dr. van Heerden’s Icon Session! To learn more about this year’s Clinical Congress, please visit the Clinical Congress 2025 homepage. This page includes a link to their Interactive Program Planner, which details all sessions that will be presented at this year’s meeting.

Dr. van Heerden was selected for this prestigious recognition due to his significant contributions to the field of endocrine surgery, including playing an essential role in the establishment of endocrine surgery as a recognized specialty, the education/training of countless trainees, his commitment to mentorship and advancing our collective understanding of endocrine surgery disorders.

Dr. van Heerden’s career in academic surgery has spanned decades and continents, beginning with his nearly 40-year tenure at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, where he trained hundreds of residents in both general and endocrine surgery. Known for his meticulous and compassionate patient care, his legacy at Mayo was honored with the establishment of the Jon A. van Heerden Award, presented annually to the general surgery resident who delivers the most meticulous patient care.

After retiring to South Carolina in 2004, Dr. van Heerden’s legendary reputation quickly caught the attention of MUSC surgical leadership. Just days after his arrival, he was invited to dinner by Fred Crawford, M.D., then-Chair of the Department of Surgery, alongside David J. Cole, M.D., and David B. Adams, M.D. That evening marked a pivotal moment: Dr. van Heerden was invited to join MUSC as an educator and mentor, reigniting what would become a second chapter of purpose and profound impact.

Dr. van Heerden went on to serve as the Department of Surgery’s first Vice Chair of Education, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the academic culture for trainees. He was instrumental in establishing the annual Surgery Resident Research Recognition Day and served for ten years as Associate Director of the Postgraduate Course in Surgery, one of MUSC’s hallmark educational events. In recognition of his enduring contributions, the van Heerden Lecture now opens this three-day conference each year.

Even in retirement, Dr. van Heerden remains deeply engaged with MUSC learners. He currently serves as an adjunct professor, teaching and mentoring third-year medical students during their surgery clerkship—continuing a lifelong commitment to education and excellence in patient care.

In a remarkable act of generosity and foresight, Dr. van Heerden also created the Jon van Heerden Fund for General Surgery Loupes, a perpetual gift that ensures no general surgery resident at MUSC will ever have to purchase their own loupes.

“We are so fortunate to have Dr. van Heerden actively engaged in our educational programs,” said Prabhakar Baliga, M.D., Chair of the MUSC Department of Surgery. “His educational impact goes far beyond surgery in ensuring that the next generation has the appropriate life values of patient centeredness, faith, humility and gratitude. He has been my personal role model for the last two decades.”

Reflecting on his journey, Dr. van Heerden shared, “The offer to teach and mentor at MUSC has enriched my life in more ways than I could have imagined. It gave me a new purpose in retirement—and the opportunity to continue doing what I love: helping to shape the future of surgery.”

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Jon van Heerden on this well-deserved honor, and in celebrating a life and career defined by service, leadership, and lasting impact.

ABOUT THE ICONS OF SURGERY PROGRAM

The Icons in Surgery program was developed and launched in 2014 to honor the giants of American surgery whose legacy made an indelible impact on the house of surgery. The goal is to create enduring materials capturing the stories, struggles as well as triumphs of these pioneers who have made these remarkable contributions to our profession. This has been supported by the American College of Surgeons and has been made part of the regular Clinical Congress sessions through the efforts of David Hoyt, then Executive Director of the ACS.