Carlos Pellegrini, MD.
“How did I get here?” and “Where am I going?” These are questions that physicians will bring to surgical leader Carlos Pellegrini, MD in his new incarnation as a medical executive coach. I wanted to talk with Dr. Pellegrini about what a coach is and does and why he gravitated to this after serving for more than two decades as chairman of the Department of Surgery at The University of Washington and then three years as the first Chief Medical Officer in the UW health system. What unfolded in our conversation is a journey that spans generations, several continents, and a step-wise professional passage in which he was both guided and a guide. I have been acquainted with Dr. Pellegrini and his work, yet our conversation was like falling into the treasure trove of an unexplored Egyptian tomb. It reminded me how little we physicians actually know about our colleagues and how our attention and memory bias often tricks us into thinking that Rome was built in a day. In this way we can underestimate ourselves, our achievements, and each other. By the end of our conversation, I found myself envying those who will get to chart their course with Dr. Pellegrini as a coach. I decided to include as a bonus our interchange at the conclusion of the recording when he asked me about my own path because it seemed like a tiny preview of the kind of conversation one might find behind the coach's door.
CARLOS A. PELLEGRINI, M.D., FACS, FRCSI (Hon), FRCS (Hon), FRSCEd (Hon), FWACS (Hon)
Dr. Pellegrini is a surgeon with expertise on surgical education, simulation, professionalism, and leadership. He is a pioneer in the development of technological surgical advancements and a world leader in minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery. The son of two physicians, Dr. Pellegrini spent his childhood years in rural Argentina. He attended the University of Rosario Medical School and remained there for surgical training until 1975 when he emigrated to the U.S. and completed a second surgical residency at the University of Chicago. In 1979, he was appointed to the faculty of the University of California, San Francisco. He remained there until 1993 when he moved to the University of Washington in Seattle, WA to become Chair of the Department of Surgery. In his 23 years as department chair, he assumed many leadership roles in the highest decision-making bodies across UW Medicine and chaired many committees overseeing a vast array of work, including continuous professionalism improvement, diversity, and multidisciplinary practices.
In 2015, Dr. Pellegrini was appointed as the first Chief Medical Officer of UW Medicine and as Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Washington to provide senior leadership for clinical practice standards across all UW Medicine sites of practice, a position he held until December 2018. As he retired from UW Medicine Dr. Pellegrini decided to apply his experience of more than 4 decades as a mentor, teacher, advisor and trusted colleague, to help healthcare providers develop to their full potential, with particular emphasis on leadership skills. To that end he obtained additional training at SeattleCoach and became an executive coach who focuses on coaching/mentoring healthcare executives.
Dr. Pellegrini is a Past-President of the ACS and the American Surgical Association. He participates in the highest leadership roles in regional, national, and international surgical societies. His bibliography lists more than 400 peer-reviewed articles, chapters, editorials, and books. He is a board member of The Joint Commission.
If anyone is interested in my services as a coach or wishes to explore how an executive coach can help develop leadership and deal with change, you can write to me directly at my e mail address : carlos.pellegrini@marquisleadership.com
Carlos Pellegrini MD, FACS
Executive Coach | Organizational Consultant | Keynote
Marquis Leadership
Office 425-654-1826 x 502
Mobile: 206.979.4283
