Phelan, assistant professor of surgery, received a medical doctorate degree in 1997 from University of Texas-Houston and is currently practicing trauma surgery at the University of South Alabama Medical Center. In 2004, Dr. Phelan attained board certification from the American Board of Surgery in General Surgery and Trauma/Critical Care. Phelan has a strong professional interest in trauma surgery and emergency general surgery.  He holds membership in other professional societies, including Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, the Association for Academic Surgery, and the Mobile Medical Society.

By meeting the College’s stringent membership requirements, fellows of the College have earned the distinguished right to use the designation of “F.A.C.S.” (Fellow, American College of Surgeons) after their names.

Applicants for fellowship must be graduates of an approved medical school; must have completed advanced training in one of the 14 surgical specialties recognized by the College; must possess certification by an American surgical specialty and must have been in practice in the same geographic location for at least one year prior to application. Before admission into fellowship, surgeons must further demonstrate ethical fitness and professional proficiency, and be approved by three-fourths of the College’s Board of Regents.

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. The College has more than 70,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.