Alice Paul Merit Award: Nate Evans ’94 Recognized for Accomplishments and Service in Medicine

Nathaniel Evans III, M.D. was awarded the Alice Stokes Paul Award at the Dinner Among Friends on Alumni Weekend in recognition for his accomplishments as a thoracic surgeon, his commitment to training the next generation of surgeons and physicians, and for a career that models critical thinking, empathy, and respecting the importance of every individual in a community.

Nate started at MFS in 1980. He attended Princeton University, earning a degree in Molecular Biology in 1998. He received his M.D. from Stanford University School of Medicine in 2002. At the Dinner Among Friends, he told a story about how his mother and father chose MFS for him: “They were focused on finding a place where your child learns their self-concept, who they are,” said Nate. “Being here for so long, with my friends, and being supported by my own family made me feel comfortable in my own skin. The thing I learned the most from MFS was that all of us were responsible for our own environment and able to do as much as or little as we wanted to do, and I don’t think that can be overstated.”

Today, at Jefferson Health, Nate is Professor of Surgery; Director of Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery; Chief of Cancer Services at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Center City; and Associate Director for Surgical Services at the Jane and Leonard Korman Respiratory Institute. During his time at Jefferson, Nate has led and participated in numerous multidisciplinary efforts to improve the lives of Jefferson patients. He leads a research team at Jefferson focused on early detection and treatment of lung cancer and the improvement of outcomes and patient experience after lung surgery and esophageal surgery. Their research has also been dedicated to identifying and alleviating disparities in care.

Nate began his surgical training at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2002. After an internship and residency in general surgery, he completed a fellowship in thoracic surgery at Massachusetts General. During that time, he spent several months as a visiting fellow at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where he focused on minimally invasive esophageal surgery, and at Memorial Sloane Kettering, where he focused on thoracic oncologic surgery.

In 2010, he joined Jefferson’s Section of Thoracic and Foregut Surgery as an Assistant Professor of Surgery. In 2013, he assumed leadership of the section and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014. In 2017, he became the inaugural Division Director of the new Division of Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery within the Department of Surgery at Sidney Kimmel Medical College. In 2020, he received the Outstanding Clinician Award for Surgical Specialties and was promoted to Professor of Surgery. Within the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, he was appointed Chief of Cancer Services for the Center City division in 2020. He also serves as the clinical lead for the lung cancer program and multidisciplinary clinic. Within the Jane and Leonard Korman Respiratory Institute, he serves as Associate Director for Surgical Services and has led the development of a standard for excellence across Jefferson Health for thoracic surgical care. Nate was the recipient of the 2022 Achievement in Medicine Award from Jefferson Health.