Our story
The truism, “necessity is the mother of invention” applies to Surgical Modeling Solutions. Our Founder, owner and Chief Executive Officer, Malcolm (Kip) Mackenzie. M.D., recognized the need for better, more realistic, surgical models while learning new laparoscopic surgery techniques in the 1990s. With a fellowship in surgical/medical education, Dr. Mackenzie recognized that the level of simulation model fidelity is proportional to surgeon engagement. Models needed to look and feel real in order to provide optimal surgeon engagement and provide for valuable hands-on learning opportunities. Motivated to improve surgeon training, Mackenzie developed Real Tissue Models™ enthusiastically endorsed by both physicians and the surgical industry alike. As the business grew, SMS’s models evolved to include the breadth of surgical and procedural specialties, as well as customized pathology to challenge and engage the surgical learner.
Beyond providing outstanding surgical training platforms for surgical education, our models are now used by the surgical industry over the entirety of the technology pipeline: from early tech development and validation to end-user training and market penetration.
Learn about our innovative models here.
Leadership team
Malcolm “Kip” Mackenzie, MD
Founder & CEO
Following graduation from Harvard University, Malcolm “Kip” Mackenzie taught at both the Junior and High school levels. His medical training was at Dartmouth Medical School graduating AOA in 1990. He completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Maine Medical Center and then had a year of Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Engaged in the practice of ObGyn for 35 years, he has made unerring commitment to teaching – his patients, his students and his colleagues.
With additional fellowship training in Medical Education, he is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, currently holding academic appointment at Harvard Medical School. He teaches at surgical training courses throughout the country.
Skilled in vaginal, laparoscopic, robotic and hysteroscopic surgery, his clinical focus is on endometriosis care: with curative results. He performs radical wide-field excision of classic, atypical and deep infiltrating disease of pelvis, bladder, bowel and diaphragm, tackling the most complex and challenging of endometriosis presentations.
As a practicing surgeon, Dr. Mackenzie recognized in the accelerative change of surgical technique and technology the necessity that practicing surgeons pursue ongoing skill development and hands-on exposure to new technology. As an educator he knew that surgical training should be skill-focused, hands-on and closely proctored. This creates for surgeons the opportunity for the most effective of learning through supervised deliberate practice. Identifying that there was no opportunity for intensive and robust hands-on learning he invented Real Tissue Model™ high fidelity surgical simulation to provide for full surgeon engagement….in learning new technique and new technology.
Daniel Simon
Director of Operations
Daniel is Surgical Modeling Solutions Director of Operations with 11 years of experience bringing surgical learners and surgical industry together around the shared commitment to improve the quality of surgical care.
Specializing in operations management, Daniel oversees and organizes the entirety of SMS processes from procurement to onsite help for training programs.
When he’s not assisting clients and spreading the word about SMS’s innovative models, Daniel is an avid golfer. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife, Johanna and their two children.
