Dr. Serene Perkins Thursday began serving as Mid-Columbia Medical Center’s chief medical officer.  Prior to joining MCMC, Dr. Perkins served multiple roles at Legacy Health in Portland, including director of Surgical and Clinical Research at Legacy Research Institute, co-director of the institute’s Cancer Research Initiative, director of the Legacy Institute for Surgical Education and Innovation, and program director of the Legacy Tumor Bank.  Dr. Perkins is also the founder and director of the Surgeon’s Consortium for the Advancement of Leadership, Peace and Education through Laparoscopy, or SCALPEL, a nonprofit that promotes international collaboration in surgical education.  Board certified in general surgery, Dr. Perkins received her M.D. at The Chicago Medical School and completed her residency in general surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and Fairview Hospital/Cleveland Clinic Health Systems.  She completed fellowships in molecular genetics and cell and tissue transplantation at A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children, and hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgical oncology and organ transplantation at the University of Toronto.