Muller-Jones Surgical Society records

The William H. Muller, Jr. Surgical Society was founded in 1968 largely at the instigation of Drs. Peter Hairston, John Vansant, and Gardner W. Smith. The society was formed to honor Dr. Muller, the S. Hurt Watts Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of Virginia from 1954 to 1982; provide a means for the social and scientific reunion of former surgical residents who served under Dr. Muller; to provide a forum for presentations of the members of the Society; and to promote a spirit of common purpose and camaraderie among the members of the society. The first meeting was held in Charleston, South Carolina, in the spring of 1969. Subsequent meetings have occurred every two years. The society was originally open to all who had completed General, Thoracic and Thoracic-Cardiiovascular Surgical Residencies at the University of Virginia under Dr. Muller who first came to the University in 1954.

In 1971 the name was amended to the Muller Surgical Society. By the time of Dr. Muller's resignation as Department Chair, the decision was made to continue to offer membership to those completing surgical residencies at the University of Virginia. In 1985 the members of the Society formally established a Muller Surgical Society Eminent Scholars Program Professorship in Surgery. By 2003 the Society had changed its name to the Muller-Jones Surgical Society to include Rayford Scott Jones, Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Virginia from 1981 to 2001.

In 2009 the constitution was amended to reflect the change in name to the Muller-Jones Surgical Society and the purpose was amended to stipulate that the Society was to operated exclusively for charitable, scientific and educational purposes with the goal or honoring both Dr. Muller and Dr. Jones. In addition to former surgical residents, all current or former surgical faculty members were officially offered the opportunity to participate.