Research
Dr. Schwed is a trauma surgeon and surgical intensivist at Harbor-UCLA with a particular interest in resident and fellow education. He serves as the Program Director for the General Surgery Residency at Harbor-UCLA, working closely with residents on a daily basis. His academic interests include surgical education research, with a focus on strategies to retain residents and faculty and to mitigate trainee attrition.
In addition to his work in surgical education, Dr. Schwed is dedicated to improving the care of trauma patients and those in the Surgical ICU. His research explores methods to prevent and treat surgical infections, enhance compliance with venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis guidelines, and examine trauma patient outcomes—particularly in cases involving thoracic injury and traumatic brain injury.
Dr. Schwed considers himself fortunate to collaborate with many committed and passionate colleagues, as well as research residents within the program, and takes great pride in serving as a research mentor for young surgeons-in-training.
Biography
In addition to his clinical research activities, Dr. Alexander C. Schwed serves on several regional and national surgical society boards, where he leverages his expertise in education, training, surgical research, and clinical practice. He currently holds the position of Secretary of the Associate Membership of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST), where he also serves on the Patient Assessment Committee.
Dr. Schwed is the Chair of the Membership Recruitment and Retention Committee of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST), where he plays an active role in recruiting and retaining members at all levels of training—from medical students to senior professors—as well as non-surgeon physicians.
He is a frequent participant in local, regional, and national meetings as a presenter, discussant, and moderator. Dr. Schwed has presented his research at numerous professional gatherings, including the AAST Annual Meeting, the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, the Pacific Coast Surgical Association Annual Meeting, and the Southern California Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, among others.