It is with respect and heartfelt sympathy that I share the news of the passing of Frederic C. Chang, M.D., Department of Surgery professor emeritus and former interim dean, who died Jan. 16, 2026, in Wichita.

Dr. Chang joined the Department of Surgery on July 1, 1975, and devoted more than three decades to service, leadership and education at our institution including serving as associate dean for academic and student affairs. Although he formally retired in March 2002, he returned the following month to serve as associate dean of graduate medical education, a role he embraced until his second retirement in January 2006. In September 2008, Dr. Chang was selected as interim dean following the departure of Dean S. Edwards Dismuke and served in that capacity until June 2009, when Dean H. David Wilson was appointed. He was also a member of the 4-Wichita Board from its inception in 2010 to 2020. During his tenure, he served on the development committee.

Dr. Chang earned his Bachelor of Medical Science degree from Dartmouth Medical School and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School in 1959. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Utah College of Medicine. Following his medical training, he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Augsburg, Germany, where he served as chief of surgery for the 30th Field Hospital. After his military service, he worked as a surgeon and educator at the University of Utah Medical Center.

Recruited to Wichita and KU School of Medicine-Wichita by Dr. Jim Farha, a former residency colleague, Dr. Chang played an instrumental role in helping develop the curriculum for the then-new KUSM-W. He also practiced at Wichita Surgical Specialists, where he was a respected colleague and mentor.

Dr. Chang received numerous prestigious teaching awards, including the KU School of Medicine Ruth Bohan Teaching Professor Award, the Thor Jager Award, the Jayhawker M.D. Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Surgical Education. He also was named 2009 Honorary Medical Alumnus by the KU Medical Alumni Association.

He shared his expertise beyond the walls of our school. He was a founding member of the American Trauma Society; president of the Western Trauma Association, Southwestern Surgical Congress and the Kansas Chapter of the American College of Surgeons; a fellow of the American College of Surgeons; and chair of the Kansas State Committee on Trauma.

Dr. Chang’s lasting impact on graduate medical education was recognized through the naming of the Frederic C. Chang Clinic for Primary and Specialty Care at Ascension Via Christi. The outpatient clinic, located on the campus of Ascension Via Christi Hospital St. Francis, was dedicated in 2005 in honor of his many contributions.

Dr. Chang will be remembered for his commitment to education, leadership, and service, and for the many student and patient lives he touched throughout his distinguished career. We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and all who had the privilege of working with and learning from him.

Dr. Chang’s obituary is available online.

Regards,

Laura Tatpati, M.D., dean of KU School of Medicine-Wichita