Milestone Achievement for Francisca Velcek, MD FACS FAAP MAMSE
Jun 25, 2024
The SUNY Downstate Department of Surgery is proud to share the exciting news of Francisca Tolete-Velcek MD FACS FAAP MAMSE, Director of Pediatric Surgery Division and Professor of Surgery, being elected as a Fellow of the American Surgical Association (ASA) this past April.
This esteemed recognition stands as a testament to Dr. Tolete-Velcek's unwavering dedication and substantial contributions to the field of surgery. As an ASA Fellow, she will have the honor of engaging with distinguished peers and contributing to the continuous advancement of surgical practices. The ASA 145th Annual Meeting is scheduled to take place from April 24-26, 2025, at the Intercontinental San Diego in San Diego, CA, where Dr. Tolete-Velcek will be officially inducted into the association.
The American Surgical Association (ASA) was established in 1880 and is renowned as the oldest and most esteemed surgical
organization in the United States. Its members include distinguished surgeons from
top academic medical institutions and esteemed surgeons from all over the world. In
order to be eligible for Fellowship, a candidate should have a notable reputation
as a surgeon through their work as a practitioner, author, teacher, and/or original
investigator, and must be recommended by the Council. The nominee's merits and accomplishments
are considered individually. Nominees must have strong academic credentials, demonstrate
national leadership roles in major surgical organizations, and display ethical and
professional conduct. The rigorous membership cycle can take at least one year. A
primary sponsor and five other sponsors are required, and all six sponsor letters
must be submitted by March 31. The nominee's name is read at the Annual Meeting in
April, and then their name is sent out to members in the nominee's region and specialty
to gather opinions on their suitability for membership. The Advisory Membership Committee
meets in October to review all applications, score and rank the nominees, and then
makes a recommendation to the ASA Council. The Council reviews the list of recommended
nominees, and the general membership votes on the submitted list. If a nominee is
not elected to membership, sponsors must submit a new nomination each year, and they
are notified in January of the following year if the nominee was not chosen to be
on the ballot at the Annual Meeting. The final ballot will be presented for vote at the Annual Business Meeting April of
the following year.
Dr. Tolete-Velcek has been a significant influence on many medical students and residents, inspiring them to pursue careers in academic pediatric surgery. She obtained her medical education at the University of Philippines College of Medicine in 1966 and completed a general surgical residency at St. Clare's Hospital Medical Center in New York City in 1971. Following this, she completed a pediatric surgery fellowship under the leadership and mentorship of Dr. Peter K. Kottmeier at the Downstate Health Sciences University / Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. Dr. Tolete-Velcek fondly remembers her Dr. Kottmeier who served as a crucial influence in her surgical career.
Dr. Tolete-Velcek was both the first female resident and pediatric surgery fellow.
Upon completing her fellowship training, she became the first woman member of the
surgical faculty at Downstate in 1975, appointed by Dr. Samuel Kountz, the previous Chair of the Department of Surgery. Dr. Tolete-Velcek is board certified
in general surgery, with special certification in Pediatric Surgery and surgical critical
care. She has achieved the rank of full Professor in 1991 and has made significant
contributions to the field, with over 47 scientific articles published in national
and international peer-reviewed journals and over 160 invited lectureships in national
and international meetings. 
In addition to her academic and clinical work, she has also served as President of the Society of Philippine Surgeons in America and is currently a member of the Executive Council of the New York Surgical Society. Furthermore, Dr. Tolete-Velcek served in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and was awarded the Distinguished Service medal from the US Army along with the commendation medal for services rendered. She retired from the US Army as a Lieutenant Colonel of the US Army Reserve Medical Corps. Dr. Tolete- Velcek's guidance and influence has had a positive impact on numerous residents, some of whom have gone on to hold leadership positions in the field of pediatric surgery.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Tolete-Velcek on this remarkable achievement and appreciate her over 50 years of excellence at Downstate!
Tags: Department of Surgery, SUNY Downstate, pediatric surgery, Leadership