ACS News

The 2017 American College of Surgeons (ACS) Leadership & Advocacy Summit, May 6–9 in Washington, DC, was a well-attended conference that brought together surgeons from across the U.S. to enhance their leadership skills and to learn about how they can advocate for the advancement of issues important to the field of surgery.

Leadership Summit

More than 450 surgeons and residents participated in the ACS Leadership Summit held May 6–7. The Leadership portion of the Leadership & Advocacy Summit included a series of presentations that provided practical, take-home tips on how to be a better leader. Presentations covered such diverse leadership topics as how to handle difficult conversations, manage difficult people, and lead from behind; how it’s not all about you, and leading by example; volunteering in your own backyard; avoiding burnout and promoting resilience; preparing for leadership positions in medicine; and successfully addressing critical situations in the operating room. PowerPoint presentations shown at the 2017 Leadership Summit are available at facs.org/advocacy/participate/summit/2017-presentations.

In addition, ACS chapter leaders shared success stories. Representatives of the Connecticut Chapter focused on resident engagement, representatives of the North Texas Chapter and South Texas Chapter explained the positive results that can be realized by holding joint chapter meetings, and members of the Georgia Society of the ACS discussed their Stop the Bleed® effort. Participants then convened in state breakout sessions during the lunch hour to identify new strategies and initiatives for implementation at the chapter level. ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, provided an update on ACS activities.

Advocacy Summit

More than 300 surgeons and residents participated in the ACS Advocacy Summit, May 7−9. Participants in the Advocacy Summit portion of the ACS Leadership & Advocacy Summit came to Washington primarily to meet with lawmakers and congressional staff to educate them about key ACS legislative priorities that affect surgical patients, including ensuring an adequate surgical workforce in underserved areas; advancing childhood cancer research and surveillance and providing resources for pediatric cancer survivors; allocating funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides health care coverage to uninsured children from low-income families; improving liability protections for trauma care providers; and providing greater flexibility for providers during implementation of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). The issue briefs presented during the Advocacy Summit are available on the ACS Professional Association website at web4.facs.org/eBusiness/login.aspx?ReturnURL=~/SAML/SSOService.aspx?r=1.

In addition, health care reform was discussed during a few panel sessions. Just days before the Advocacy Summit, the House of Representatives had passed the American Health Care Act by a vote of 217-213. Summit attendees were educated about the College’s concerns with the legislation and were advised that the Senate bill likely would be dramatically different. The College continues to work to ensure that ACS health care reform principles—patient safety and quality, patient access to surgical care, reduction of health care costs and medical liability reform—are included in a revised Senate bill. The full ACS 2017 statement on health care reform was published in the May issue of the Bulletin and is available at bulletin.facs.org/2017/05/american-college-of-surgeons-2017-statement-on-health-care-reform/.

The 2017 American College of Surgeons (ACS) Leadership & Advocacy Summit, May 6–9 in Washington, DC, was a well-attended conference that brought together surgeons from across the U.S. to enhance their leadership skills and to learn about how they can advocate for the advancement of issues important to the field of surgery.

Leadership Summit

More than 450 surgeons and residents participated in the ACS Leadership Summit held May 6–7. The Leadership portion of the Leadership & Advocacy Summit included a series of presentations that provided practical, take-home tips on how to be a better leader. Presentations covered such diverse leadership topics as how to handle difficult conversations, manage difficult people, and lead from behind; how it’s not all about you, and leading by example; volunteering in your own backyard; avoiding burnout and promoting resilience; preparing for leadership positions in medicine; and successfully addressing critical situations in the operating room. PowerPoint presentations shown at the 2017 Leadership Summit are available at facs.org/advocacy/participate/summit/2017-presentations.

In addition, ACS chapter leaders shared success stories. Representatives of the Connecticut Chapter focused on resident engagement, representatives of the North Texas Chapter and South Texas Chapter explained the positive results that can be realized by holding joint chapter meetings, and members of the Georgia Society of the ACS discussed their Stop the Bleed® effort. Participants then convened in state breakout sessions during the lunch hour to identify new strategies and initiatives for implementation at the chapter level. ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, provided an update on ACS activities.

Advocacy Summit

More than 300 surgeons and residents participated in the ACS Advocacy Summit, May 7−9. Participants in the Advocacy Summit portion of the ACS Leadership & Advocacy Summit came to Washington primarily to meet with lawmakers and congressional staff to educate them about key ACS legislative priorities that affect surgical patients, including ensuring an adequate surgical workforce in underserved areas; advancing childhood cancer research and surveillance and providing resources for pediatric cancer survivors; allocating funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides health care coverage to uninsured children from low-income families; improving liability protections for trauma care providers; and providing greater flexibility for providers during implementation of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). The issue briefs presented during the Advocacy Summit are available on the ACS Professional Association website at web4.facs.org/eBusiness/login.aspx?ReturnURL=~/SAML/SSOService.aspx?r=1.

In addition, health care reform was discussed during a few panel sessions. Just days before the Advocacy Summit, the House of Representatives had passed the American Health Care Act by a vote of 217-213. Summit attendees were educated about the College’s concerns with the legislation and were advised that the Senate bill likely would be dramatically different. The College continues to work to ensure that ACS health care reform principles—patient safety and quality, patient access to surgical care, reduction of health care costs and medical liability reform—are included in a revised Senate bill. The full ACS 2017 statement on health care reform was published in the May issue of the Bulletin and is available at bulletin.facs.org/2017/05/american-college-of-surgeons-2017-statement-on-health-care-reform/.

The 2017 American College of Surgeons (ACS) Leadership & Advocacy Summit, May 6–9 in Washington, DC, was a well-attended conference that brought together surgeons from across the U.S. to enhance their leadership skills and to learn about how they can advocate for the advancement of issues important to the field of surgery.

Leadership Summit

More than 450 surgeons and residents participated in the ACS Leadership Summit held May 6–7. The Leadership portion of the Leadership & Advocacy Summit included a series of presentations that provided practical, take-home tips on how to be a better leader. Presentations covered such diverse leadership topics as how to handle difficult conversations, manage difficult people, and lead from behind; how it’s not all about you, and leading by example; volunteering in your own backyard; avoiding burnout and promoting resilience; preparing for leadership positions in medicine; and successfully addressing critical situations in the operating room. PowerPoint presentations shown at the 2017 Leadership Summit are available at facs.org/advocacy/participate/summit/2017-presentations.

In addition, ACS chapter leaders shared success stories. Representatives of the Connecticut Chapter focused on resident engagement, representatives of the North Texas Chapter and South Texas Chapter explained the positive results that can be realized by holding joint chapter meetings, and members of the Georgia Society of the ACS discussed their Stop the Bleed® effort. Participants then convened in state breakout sessions during the lunch hour to identify new strategies and initiatives for implementation at the chapter level. ACS Executive Director David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, provided an update on ACS activities.

Advocacy Summit

More than 300 surgeons and residents participated in the ACS Advocacy Summit, May 7−9. Participants in the Advocacy Summit portion of the ACS Leadership & Advocacy Summit came to Washington primarily to meet with lawmakers and congressional staff to educate them about key ACS legislative priorities that affect surgical patients, including ensuring an adequate surgical workforce in underserved areas; advancing childhood cancer research and surveillance and providing resources for pediatric cancer survivors; allocating funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides health care coverage to uninsured children from low-income families; improving liability protections for trauma care providers; and providing greater flexibility for providers during implementation of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). The issue briefs presented during the Advocacy Summit are available on the ACS Professional Association website at web4.facs.org/eBusiness/login.aspx?ReturnURL=~/SAML/SSOService.aspx?r=1.

In addition, health care reform was discussed during a few panel sessions. Just days before the Advocacy Summit, the House of Representatives had passed the American Health Care Act by a vote of 217-213. Summit attendees were educated about the College’s concerns with the legislation and were advised that the Senate bill likely would be dramatically different. The College continues to work to ensure that ACS health care reform principles—patient safety and quality, patient access to surgical care, reduction of health care costs and medical liability reform—are included in a revised Senate bill. The full ACS 2017 statement on health care reform was published in the May issue of the Bulletin and is available at bulletin.facs.org/2017/05/american-college-of-surgeons-2017-statement-on-health-care-reform/.

The American College of Surgeons Accredited Education Institutes (ACS-AEI) will host a forum June 12 that seeks to mobilize stakeholders to identify best practices and key considerations in simulation training and to build the case for more standardized implementation of simulation training and assessment in early-career surgical education. The forum, called “Training the Next Generation of Surgeons: Making It Stick, Making It Real, Making It Together,” will take place at the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) Institute of Simulation in Healthcare (WISH) at the University of Washington (UW), Seattle. The ultimate goal of the forum will be to begin formulating principles and standards that will maximize the value of simulation and ultimately improve surgeon performance.

Hosting the forum are David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, ACS Executive Director; Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Director, ACS Division of Education; Robert Sweet, MD, FACS, professor of urology, UW, medical director, UW Medicine Kidney Stone Center at Northwest Hospital, and executive director, WISH and Center for Research in Education and Simulation Technologies, UW Medicine; and Carlos A. Pellegrini, MD, FACS, chief medical officer, UW Medicine, vice-president for medical affairs, UW, and Past-President of the ACS.

The forum will include opening remarks from ACS and UW leadership and panel sessions on key topics, including model simulation programs, advances in simulation technologies and tools, and best practices for broadly applying simulation training and assessment. A keynote address centered on the cognitive learning process behind skills acquisition and expert performance, WISH simulation lab tours, and a workshop session on team training will round out the program. To learn more about the forum and to register, visit the ACS-AEI event page at www.facs.org/education/accreditation/aei/next-generation.

The American College of Surgeons Accredited Education Institutes (ACS-AEI) will host a forum June 12 that seeks to mobilize stakeholders to identify best practices and key considerations in simulation training and to build the case for more standardized implementation of simulation training and assessment in early-career surgical education. The forum, called “Training the Next Generation of Surgeons: Making It Stick, Making It Real, Making It Together,” will take place at the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) Institute of Simulation in Healthcare (WISH) at the University of Washington (UW), Seattle. The ultimate goal of the forum will be to begin formulating principles and standards that will maximize the value of simulation and ultimately improve surgeon performance.

Hosting the forum are David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, ACS Executive Director; Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Director, ACS Division of Education; Robert Sweet, MD, FACS, professor of urology, UW, medical director, UW Medicine Kidney Stone Center at Northwest Hospital, and executive director, WISH and Center for Research in Education and Simulation Technologies, UW Medicine; and Carlos A. Pellegrini, MD, FACS, chief medical officer, UW Medicine, vice-president for medical affairs, UW, and Past-President of the ACS.

The forum will include opening remarks from ACS and UW leadership and panel sessions on key topics, including model simulation programs, advances in simulation technologies and tools, and best practices for broadly applying simulation training and assessment. A keynote address centered on the cognitive learning process behind skills acquisition and expert performance, WISH simulation lab tours, and a workshop session on team training will round out the program. To learn more about the forum and to register, visit the ACS-AEI event page at www.facs.org/education/accreditation/aei/next-generation.

The American College of Surgeons Accredited Education Institutes (ACS-AEI) will host a forum June 12 that seeks to mobilize stakeholders to identify best practices and key considerations in simulation training and to build the case for more standardized implementation of simulation training and assessment in early-career surgical education. The forum, called “Training the Next Generation of Surgeons: Making It Stick, Making It Real, Making It Together,” will take place at the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) Institute of Simulation in Healthcare (WISH) at the University of Washington (UW), Seattle. The ultimate goal of the forum will be to begin formulating principles and standards that will maximize the value of simulation and ultimately improve surgeon performance.

Hosting the forum are David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, ACS Executive Director; Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, Director, ACS Division of Education; Robert Sweet, MD, FACS, professor of urology, UW, medical director, UW Medicine Kidney Stone Center at Northwest Hospital, and executive director, WISH and Center for Research in Education and Simulation Technologies, UW Medicine; and Carlos A. Pellegrini, MD, FACS, chief medical officer, UW Medicine, vice-president for medical affairs, UW, and Past-President of the ACS.

The forum will include opening remarks from ACS and UW leadership and panel sessions on key topics, including model simulation programs, advances in simulation technologies and tools, and best practices for broadly applying simulation training and assessment. A keynote address centered on the cognitive learning process behind skills acquisition and expert performance, WISH simulation lab tours, and a workshop session on team training will round out the program. To learn more about the forum and to register, visit the ACS-AEI event page at www.facs.org/education/accreditation/aei/next-generation.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Evidence-Based Decisions in Surgery (EBDS) and Patient Education programs have collaborated to offer established surgical practice guidelines that surgeons can use at the point of care. The modules, which are viewable on all digital platforms, now include relevant patient education information to aid in high-quality care for surgical patients.

The EBDS modules provide peer-reviewed recommendations for surgeons based on clinical practice guidelines promulgated by national and international professional organizations and government agencies. The surgical recommendations are presented along with the strength of the evidence that supports the recommendations. Grading of the evidence is done with the understanding that the contribution of surgical judgment in developing effective and safe treatment strategies is essential for effective care of individual surgical patients. As such, the modules are intended to guide surgical practice but should always take into consideration the needs and preferences of individual patients.

Each EBDS module has a section labeled “Suggested Talking Points for Patient Education,” which covers topics such as who developed the guidelines, recommended actions for patients and physicians, and potential benefits and harms associated with these recommendations. Where applicable, links will now be included in the modules that will lead the user directly to the patient education material that supports the particular topic. For example, the EBDS module for Hemodialysis Access has a link to the Patient Education section of the Central Lines Home Skills Kit. The home page for the Central Lines Home Skills Kit provides a host of information, ranging from a welcome video, to a Central Lines Home Skills booklet, to an evaluation.

At present, 13 EBDS modules have links to patient education material from the ACS. As more modules and patient education materials are developed, more comprehensive offerings will be available to surgeon members. Brochures for patients provide all pre-, peri-, and postoperative information to help patients make informed decisions and fully participate in all aspects of their care for many common surgical procedures. The Home Skills Kit series uses a multimedia approach to explain, demonstrate, and provide directed learning experiences and practice opportunities for patients requiring a lung procedure, an ostomy, feeding tube, central line placement, or complex wound care.

ACS Patient Education resources are based on contemporary principles of evidence-based medicine tailored to the individual patient’s needs, with a focus on health literacy. Patients who are trained to actively participate in their care show improved treatment compliance, decreased complications, and enhanced outcomes and satisfaction.*

With outpatient operations representing a growing share (65 percent, 17.3 million) of all procedures performed in the U.S., patient preparation is essential to the delivery of high-value, safe surgical care.

To learn more and view the modules, go to ebds.facs.org. After logging in with ACS credentials, click on the Topics tab and take note of the modules with a tag labeled “Updated” to find modules that have ACS Patient Education information included. This can be found in the Suggested Talking Points for Patient Education section with links directly to the content available.

Ms. Dalal is Senior Manager, Evidence-Based Decisions in Surgery, ACS Division of Education, Chicago, IL.

Ms. Strand is Manager, ACS Patient Education Program, Division of Education.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Evidence-Based Decisions in Surgery (EBDS) and Patient Education programs have collaborated to offer established surgical practice guidelines that surgeons can use at the point of care. The modules, which are viewable on all digital platforms, now include relevant patient education information to aid in high-quality care for surgical patients.

The EBDS modules provide peer-reviewed recommendations for surgeons based on clinical practice guidelines promulgated by national and international professional organizations and government agencies. The surgical recommendations are presented along with the strength of the evidence that supports the recommendations. Grading of the evidence is done with the understanding that the contribution of surgical judgment in developing effective and safe treatment strategies is essential for effective care of individual surgical patients. As such, the modules are intended to guide surgical practice but should always take into consideration the needs and preferences of individual patients.

Each EBDS module has a section labeled “Suggested Talking Points for Patient Education,” which covers topics such as who developed the guidelines, recommended actions for patients and physicians, and potential benefits and harms associated with these recommendations. Where applicable, links will now be included in the modules that will lead the user directly to the patient education material that supports the particular topic. For example, the EBDS module for Hemodialysis Access has a link to the Patient Education section of the Central Lines Home Skills Kit. The home page for the Central Lines Home Skills Kit provides a host of information, ranging from a welcome video, to a Central Lines Home Skills booklet, to an evaluation.

At present, 13 EBDS modules have links to patient education material from the ACS. As more modules and patient education materials are developed, more comprehensive offerings will be available to surgeon members. Brochures for patients provide all pre-, peri-, and postoperative information to help patients make informed decisions and fully participate in all aspects of their care for many common surgical procedures. The Home Skills Kit series uses a multimedia approach to explain, demonstrate, and provide directed learning experiences and practice opportunities for patients requiring a lung procedure, an ostomy, feeding tube, central line placement, or complex wound care.

ACS Patient Education resources are based on contemporary principles of evidence-based medicine tailored to the individual patient’s needs, with a focus on health literacy. Patients who are trained to actively participate in their care show improved treatment compliance, decreased complications, and enhanced outcomes and satisfaction.*

With outpatient operations representing a growing share (65 percent, 17.3 million) of all procedures performed in the U.S., patient preparation is essential to the delivery of high-value, safe surgical care.

To learn more and view the modules, go to ebds.facs.org. After logging in with ACS credentials, click on the Topics tab and take note of the modules with a tag labeled “Updated” to find modules that have ACS Patient Education information included. This can be found in the Suggested Talking Points for Patient Education section with links directly to the content available.

Ms. Dalal is Senior Manager, Evidence-Based Decisions in Surgery, ACS Division of Education, Chicago, IL.

Ms. Strand is Manager, ACS Patient Education Program, Division of Education.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Evidence-Based Decisions in Surgery (EBDS) and Patient Education programs have collaborated to offer established surgical practice guidelines that surgeons can use at the point of care. The modules, which are viewable on all digital platforms, now include relevant patient education information to aid in high-quality care for surgical patients.

The EBDS modules provide peer-reviewed recommendations for surgeons based on clinical practice guidelines promulgated by national and international professional organizations and government agencies. The surgical recommendations are presented along with the strength of the evidence that supports the recommendations. Grading of the evidence is done with the understanding that the contribution of surgical judgment in developing effective and safe treatment strategies is essential for effective care of individual surgical patients. As such, the modules are intended to guide surgical practice but should always take into consideration the needs and preferences of individual patients.

Each EBDS module has a section labeled “Suggested Talking Points for Patient Education,” which covers topics such as who developed the guidelines, recommended actions for patients and physicians, and potential benefits and harms associated with these recommendations. Where applicable, links will now be included in the modules that will lead the user directly to the patient education material that supports the particular topic. For example, the EBDS module for Hemodialysis Access has a link to the Patient Education section of the Central Lines Home Skills Kit. The home page for the Central Lines Home Skills Kit provides a host of information, ranging from a welcome video, to a Central Lines Home Skills booklet, to an evaluation.

At present, 13 EBDS modules have links to patient education material from the ACS. As more modules and patient education materials are developed, more comprehensive offerings will be available to surgeon members. Brochures for patients provide all pre-, peri-, and postoperative information to help patients make informed decisions and fully participate in all aspects of their care for many common surgical procedures. The Home Skills Kit series uses a multimedia approach to explain, demonstrate, and provide directed learning experiences and practice opportunities for patients requiring a lung procedure, an ostomy, feeding tube, central line placement, or complex wound care.

ACS Patient Education resources are based on contemporary principles of evidence-based medicine tailored to the individual patient’s needs, with a focus on health literacy. Patients who are trained to actively participate in their care show improved treatment compliance, decreased complications, and enhanced outcomes and satisfaction.*

With outpatient operations representing a growing share (65 percent, 17.3 million) of all procedures performed in the U.S., patient preparation is essential to the delivery of high-value, safe surgical care.

To learn more and view the modules, go to ebds.facs.org. After logging in with ACS credentials, click on the Topics tab and take note of the modules with a tag labeled “Updated” to find modules that have ACS Patient Education information included. This can be found in the Suggested Talking Points for Patient Education section with links directly to the content available.

Ms. Dalal is Senior Manager, Evidence-Based Decisions in Surgery, ACS Division of Education, Chicago, IL.

Ms. Strand is Manager, ACS Patient Education Program, Division of Education.

Mark W. Bowyer, MD, FACS, Chair of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma’s Surgical Skills Committee, has been named the 2017 recipient of the Robert Danis Prize.

Mark W. Bowyer, MD, FACS, Chair of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma’s Surgical Skills Committee, has been named the 2017 recipient of the Robert Danis Prize awarded by the International Society of Surgery/Société Internationale de Chirurgie (ISS/SIC). This award is presented to a surgeon who has made important contributions to the fields of trauma, burns, or critical care. Dr. Bowyer was selected for his lifelong commitment and broad contributions to the field of trauma and surgical simulation.

Dr. Bowyer, the Ben Eiseman Professor of Surgery and surgical director of simulation, division of trauma and combat surgery, department of surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS)–Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), Bethesda, MD, spent more than 22 years as an Air Force trauma and combat surgeon. He has taught trauma skills to thousands of medical students and physicians around the world in the last three decades and is one of the chief architects of the Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposures in Trauma course, which has been presented in more than 100 course sites in 11 countries in the last six years. Dr. Bowyer served as the Air Force’s “trauma czar” while serving Iraq, where he directed and coordinated all care provided to combat trauma patients.

In addition, he is the surgical director of the USUHS Val G. Hemming Simulation Center, where he has been on the forefront of using simulators to teach advanced trauma and acute care surgical skills and where he works to develop and validate augmented and virtual reality, as well as trauma, laparoscopic, acute care surgical, triage, and critical care-based simulators. At present, Dr. Bowyer is working on simulation projects to improve patient safety.

Dr. Bowyer will receive the Danis Prize during the ISS/SIC 2017 World Congress of Surgery, August 13−17 in Basel, Switzerland. (Read more about the World Congress of Surgery at www.wcs2017.org/.) Read more about Dr. Bowyer at bit.ly/2qcpETa.

Mark W. Bowyer, MD, FACS, Chair of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma’s Surgical Skills Committee, has been named the 2017 recipient of the Robert Danis Prize.

Mark W. Bowyer, MD, FACS, Chair of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma’s Surgical Skills Committee, has been named the 2017 recipient of the Robert Danis Prize awarded by the International Society of Surgery/Société Internationale de Chirurgie (ISS/SIC). This award is presented to a surgeon who has made important contributions to the fields of trauma, burns, or critical care. Dr. Bowyer was selected for his lifelong commitment and broad contributions to the field of trauma and surgical simulation.

Dr. Bowyer, the Ben Eiseman Professor of Surgery and surgical director of simulation, division of trauma and combat surgery, department of surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS)–Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), Bethesda, MD, spent more than 22 years as an Air Force trauma and combat surgeon. He has taught trauma skills to thousands of medical students and physicians around the world in the last three decades and is one of the chief architects of the Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposures in Trauma course, which has been presented in more than 100 course sites in 11 countries in the last six years. Dr. Bowyer served as the Air Force’s “trauma czar” while serving Iraq, where he directed and coordinated all care provided to combat trauma patients.

In addition, he is the surgical director of the USUHS Val G. Hemming Simulation Center, where he has been on the forefront of using simulators to teach advanced trauma and acute care surgical skills and where he works to develop and validate augmented and virtual reality, as well as trauma, laparoscopic, acute care surgical, triage, and critical care-based simulators. At present, Dr. Bowyer is working on simulation projects to improve patient safety.

Dr. Bowyer will receive the Danis Prize during the ISS/SIC 2017 World Congress of Surgery, August 13−17 in Basel, Switzerland. (Read more about the World Congress of Surgery at www.wcs2017.org/.) Read more about Dr. Bowyer at bit.ly/2qcpETa.

Mark W. Bowyer, MD, FACS, Chair of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma’s Surgical Skills Committee, has been named the 2017 recipient of the Robert Danis Prize.

Mark W. Bowyer, MD, FACS, Chair of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma’s Surgical Skills Committee, has been named the 2017 recipient of the Robert Danis Prize awarded by the International Society of Surgery/Société Internationale de Chirurgie (ISS/SIC). This award is presented to a surgeon who has made important contributions to the fields of trauma, burns, or critical care. Dr. Bowyer was selected for his lifelong commitment and broad contributions to the field of trauma and surgical simulation.

Dr. Bowyer, the Ben Eiseman Professor of Surgery and surgical director of simulation, division of trauma and combat surgery, department of surgery, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS)–Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), Bethesda, MD, spent more than 22 years as an Air Force trauma and combat surgeon. He has taught trauma skills to thousands of medical students and physicians around the world in the last three decades and is one of the chief architects of the Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposures in Trauma course, which has been presented in more than 100 course sites in 11 countries in the last six years. Dr. Bowyer served as the Air Force’s “trauma czar” while serving Iraq, where he directed and coordinated all care provided to combat trauma patients.

In addition, he is the surgical director of the USUHS Val G. Hemming Simulation Center, where he has been on the forefront of using simulators to teach advanced trauma and acute care surgical skills and where he works to develop and validate augmented and virtual reality, as well as trauma, laparoscopic, acute care surgical, triage, and critical care-based simulators. At present, Dr. Bowyer is working on simulation projects to improve patient safety.

Dr. Bowyer will receive the Danis Prize during the ISS/SIC 2017 World Congress of Surgery, August 13−17 in Basel, Switzerland. (Read more about the World Congress of Surgery at www.wcs2017.org/.) Read more about Dr. Bowyer at bit.ly/2qcpETa.

Two international scholarships focused on surgical education and sponsored by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education and the International Relations Committee will offer faculty members from countries outside the U.S. and Canada the opportunity to participate in a variety of faculty development activities. All application materials and supporting documents are due May 1.

The scholars will participate in the Surgical Education: Principles and Practice Course at the Clinical Congress 2017, October 22–26 in San Diego, CA. In addition, the scholars will attend plenary sessions and courses that address surgical education and training across the continuum of professional development. The scholars, in turn, will use the knowledge and skills they acquire to improve surgical education and training in their home institutions and countries. The scholarships include a stipend of $10,000 to cover travel, per diem expenses, and the cost of Clinical Congress courses. The registration cost for Clinical Congress and fees for the surgical education courses will be provided free to the scholars.

View the scholarship requirements and access the application on the ACS website at facs.org/member-services/scholarships/international/issurged. Direct questions to the ACS International Liaison at kearly@facs.org.

Two international scholarships focused on surgical education and sponsored by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education and the International Relations Committee will offer faculty members from countries outside the U.S. and Canada the opportunity to participate in a variety of faculty development activities. All application materials and supporting documents are due May 1.

The scholars will participate in the Surgical Education: Principles and Practice Course at the Clinical Congress 2017, October 22–26 in San Diego, CA. In addition, the scholars will attend plenary sessions and courses that address surgical education and training across the continuum of professional development. The scholars, in turn, will use the knowledge and skills they acquire to improve surgical education and training in their home institutions and countries. The scholarships include a stipend of $10,000 to cover travel, per diem expenses, and the cost of Clinical Congress courses. The registration cost for Clinical Congress and fees for the surgical education courses will be provided free to the scholars.

View the scholarship requirements and access the application on the ACS website at facs.org/member-services/scholarships/international/issurged. Direct questions to the ACS International Liaison at kearly@facs.org.

Two international scholarships focused on surgical education and sponsored by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education and the International Relations Committee will offer faculty members from countries outside the U.S. and Canada the opportunity to participate in a variety of faculty development activities. All application materials and supporting documents are due May 1.

The scholars will participate in the Surgical Education: Principles and Practice Course at the Clinical Congress 2017, October 22–26 in San Diego, CA. In addition, the scholars will attend plenary sessions and courses that address surgical education and training across the continuum of professional development. The scholars, in turn, will use the knowledge and skills they acquire to improve surgical education and training in their home institutions and countries. The scholarships include a stipend of $10,000 to cover travel, per diem expenses, and the cost of Clinical Congress courses. The registration cost for Clinical Congress and fees for the surgical education courses will be provided free to the scholars.

View the scholarship requirements and access the application on the ACS website at facs.org/member-services/scholarships/international/issurged. Direct questions to the ACS International Liaison at kearly@facs.org.

The family and friends of the late Dr. Claude H. Organ, Jr., established an endowment through the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Foundation to provide funding for an annual fellowship to be awarded to an outstanding young surgeon from the Society of Black Academic Surgeons, the Association of Women Surgeons, or the Surgical Section of the National Medical Association.

The fellowship, in the amount of $5,000, enables a U.S. or Canadian Fellow or Associate Fellow under age 45 who is a member of one of the above societies to attend an educational meeting or make an extended visit to an institution of his or her choice, tailored to his or her research interests.

Past awardees have used their fellowships to develop their careers in creative ways. The 2016 fellow, Stephanie Bonne, MD, is researching a successful hospital-based violence program in San Francisco in order to develop one at her home institution.

View the full requirements for the Claude H. Organ Traveling Fellowship at facs.org/member-services/scholarships/special/organ. The deadline for receipt of all application materials is June 1, with decisions to be made by August 2017. Questions and application materials should be submitted to the attention of the ACS Scholarships Administrator at kearly@facs.org.
 

The family and friends of the late Dr. Claude H. Organ, Jr., established an endowment through the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Foundation to provide funding for an annual fellowship to be awarded to an outstanding young surgeon from the Society of Black Academic Surgeons, the Association of Women Surgeons, or the Surgical Section of the National Medical Association.

The fellowship, in the amount of $5,000, enables a U.S. or Canadian Fellow or Associate Fellow under age 45 who is a member of one of the above societies to attend an educational meeting or make an extended visit to an institution of his or her choice, tailored to his or her research interests.

Past awardees have used their fellowships to develop their careers in creative ways. The 2016 fellow, Stephanie Bonne, MD, is researching a successful hospital-based violence program in San Francisco in order to develop one at her home institution.

View the full requirements for the Claude H. Organ Traveling Fellowship at facs.org/member-services/scholarships/special/organ. The deadline for receipt of all application materials is June 1, with decisions to be made by August 2017. Questions and application materials should be submitted to the attention of the ACS Scholarships Administrator at kearly@facs.org.
 

The family and friends of the late Dr. Claude H. Organ, Jr., established an endowment through the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Foundation to provide funding for an annual fellowship to be awarded to an outstanding young surgeon from the Society of Black Academic Surgeons, the Association of Women Surgeons, or the Surgical Section of the National Medical Association.

The fellowship, in the amount of $5,000, enables a U.S. or Canadian Fellow or Associate Fellow under age 45 who is a member of one of the above societies to attend an educational meeting or make an extended visit to an institution of his or her choice, tailored to his or her research interests.

Past awardees have used their fellowships to develop their careers in creative ways. The 2016 fellow, Stephanie Bonne, MD, is researching a successful hospital-based violence program in San Francisco in order to develop one at her home institution.

View the full requirements for the Claude H. Organ Traveling Fellowship at facs.org/member-services/scholarships/special/organ. The deadline for receipt of all application materials is June 1, with decisions to be made by August 2017. Questions and application materials should be submitted to the attention of the ACS Scholarships Administrator at kearly@facs.org.
 

Personal and professional well-being are vital to the success of members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and your patients. Many health care professionals experience periods of distress, yet few physicians seek help. In an effort to provide relief to interested surgeons, the ACS has compiled several resources to support surgeons and residents as they confront the challenges associated with surgical care.

Personal and professional well-being are vital to the success of members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and your patients. Many health care professionals experience periods of distress, yet few physicians seek help. In an effort to provide relief to interested surgeons, the ACS has compiled several resources to support surgeons and residents as they confront the challenges associated with surgical care.

Personal and professional well-being are vital to the success of members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and your patients. Many health care professionals experience periods of distress, yet few physicians seek help. In an effort to provide relief to interested surgeons, the ACS has compiled several resources to support surgeons and residents as they confront the challenges associated with surgical care.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the launch of the new Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR), hosted by QuintilesIMS. The new SSR is set to go live in this spring. The latest version of the registry will have several enhanced features, including improved reporting capabilities, delegate-level access to enter data, and the ability to add custom fields for additional relevant variables.

To help you prepare for this transition, the SSR team will host several educational webinars to demonstrate the new system’s capabilities and features. The ACS encourages both current and potential users to participate. To view the available times and register for one of the upcoming webinars, visit the SSR News and Updates web page at facs.org/quality-programs/ssr/news.

Contact SSR@facs.org if you have any questions.
 

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the launch of the new Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR), hosted by QuintilesIMS. The new SSR is set to go live in this spring. The latest version of the registry will have several enhanced features, including improved reporting capabilities, delegate-level access to enter data, and the ability to add custom fields for additional relevant variables.

To help you prepare for this transition, the SSR team will host several educational webinars to demonstrate the new system’s capabilities and features. The ACS encourages both current and potential users to participate. To view the available times and register for one of the upcoming webinars, visit the SSR News and Updates web page at facs.org/quality-programs/ssr/news.

Contact SSR@facs.org if you have any questions.
 

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the launch of the new Surgeon Specific Registry (SSR), hosted by QuintilesIMS. The new SSR is set to go live in this spring. The latest version of the registry will have several enhanced features, including improved reporting capabilities, delegate-level access to enter data, and the ability to add custom fields for additional relevant variables.

To help you prepare for this transition, the SSR team will host several educational webinars to demonstrate the new system’s capabilities and features. The ACS encourages both current and potential users to participate. To view the available times and register for one of the upcoming webinars, visit the SSR News and Updates web page at facs.org/quality-programs/ssr/news.

Contact SSR@facs.org if you have any questions.
 

Applications for 2018 Alliance Scholar Awards Accepted through June 30

The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Foundation is accepting applications for the 2018 Alliance Scholar Awards. Applications must be submitted by 12:00 midnight (CST) on June 30.

Alliance Scholar Award applicants must be oncology junior faculty at Alliance institutions within five years of training (rank below associate professor) and have completed training in an oncology clinical specialty (medical, surgical, radiation, gynecologic, and so on). Additionally, proposals must include a letter of support from the appropriate Alliance Scientific Committee Chair to ensure the proposal is closely tied to the Alliance’s research agenda of the Alliance.

Alliance Scholar Award recipients will receive a two-year, non-renewable cancer research grant of $40,000 in direct costs per year, plus 10 percent in indirect costs for each of the two years. Successful applicants will be announced at the plenary session at the 2017 Alliance Fall Group Meeting held in Chicago, IL, November 2–4. Funding will begin approximately January 1, 2018. For application requirements and the link to the online submission portal, visit the Alliance Scholar Awards page on the Alliance website at http://bit.ly/1JMXkwS.

The Alliance/American College of Surgeons Clinical Research Program offers opportunities for surgeons to become involved in the research and development of evidence-based practices in surgical oncology. If you would like to participate in oncology clinical research or oncology-related projects, contact clinicalresearchprogram@facs.org.

Applications for 2018 Alliance Scholar Awards Accepted through June 30

The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Foundation is accepting applications for the 2018 Alliance Scholar Awards. Applications must be submitted by 12:00 midnight (CST) on June 30.

Alliance Scholar Award applicants must be oncology junior faculty at Alliance institutions within five years of training (rank below associate professor) and have completed training in an oncology clinical specialty (medical, surgical, radiation, gynecologic, and so on). Additionally, proposals must include a letter of support from the appropriate Alliance Scientific Committee Chair to ensure the proposal is closely tied to the Alliance’s research agenda of the Alliance.

Alliance Scholar Award recipients will receive a two-year, non-renewable cancer research grant of $40,000 in direct costs per year, plus 10 percent in indirect costs for each of the two years. Successful applicants will be announced at the plenary session at the 2017 Alliance Fall Group Meeting held in Chicago, IL, November 2–4. Funding will begin approximately January 1, 2018. For application requirements and the link to the online submission portal, visit the Alliance Scholar Awards page on the Alliance website at http://bit.ly/1JMXkwS.

The Alliance/American College of Surgeons Clinical Research Program offers opportunities for surgeons to become involved in the research and development of evidence-based practices in surgical oncology. If you would like to participate in oncology clinical research or oncology-related projects, contact clinicalresearchprogram@facs.org.

Applications for 2018 Alliance Scholar Awards Accepted through June 30

The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Foundation is accepting applications for the 2018 Alliance Scholar Awards. Applications must be submitted by 12:00 midnight (CST) on June 30.

Alliance Scholar Award applicants must be oncology junior faculty at Alliance institutions within five years of training (rank below associate professor) and have completed training in an oncology clinical specialty (medical, surgical, radiation, gynecologic, and so on). Additionally, proposals must include a letter of support from the appropriate Alliance Scientific Committee Chair to ensure the proposal is closely tied to the Alliance’s research agenda of the Alliance.

Alliance Scholar Award recipients will receive a two-year, non-renewable cancer research grant of $40,000 in direct costs per year, plus 10 percent in indirect costs for each of the two years. Successful applicants will be announced at the plenary session at the 2017 Alliance Fall Group Meeting held in Chicago, IL, November 2–4. Funding will begin approximately January 1, 2018. For application requirements and the link to the online submission portal, visit the Alliance Scholar Awards page on the Alliance website at http://bit.ly/1JMXkwS.

The Alliance/American College of Surgeons Clinical Research Program offers opportunities for surgeons to become involved in the research and development of evidence-based practices in surgical oncology. If you would like to participate in oncology clinical research or oncology-related projects, contact clinicalresearchprogram@facs.org.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Women in Surgery Committee (WiSC) is accepting nominations for the second annual Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Inspiring Women in Surgery Award, which will be presented at Clinical Congress 2017 in San Diego, CA. The award will be accorded in recognition of an individual’s significant contributions to the advancement of women in the field of surgery. Nominations are due April 30.

The award honors Dr. Mary Edwards Walker for the example she set for future generations as the first woman surgeon to serve as a U.S. Army physician and the only woman to ever receive the U.S. Armed Forces Medal of Honor for bravery.

Courtesy Library of Congress

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Women in Surgery Committee (WiSC) is accepting nominations for the second annual Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Inspiring Women in Surgery Award, which will be presented at Clinical Congress 2017 in San Diego, CA. The award will be accorded in recognition of an individual’s significant contributions to the advancement of women in the field of surgery. Nominations are due April 30.

The award honors Dr. Mary Edwards Walker for the example she set for future generations as the first woman surgeon to serve as a U.S. Army physician and the only woman to ever receive the U.S. Armed Forces Medal of Honor for bravery.

Courtesy Library of Congress

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Women in Surgery Committee (WiSC) is accepting nominations for the second annual Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Inspiring Women in Surgery Award, which will be presented at Clinical Congress 2017 in San Diego, CA. The award will be accorded in recognition of an individual’s significant contributions to the advancement of women in the field of surgery. Nominations are due April 30.

The award honors Dr. Mary Edwards Walker for the example she set for future generations as the first woman surgeon to serve as a U.S. Army physician and the only woman to ever receive the U.S. Armed Forces Medal of Honor for bravery.

Courtesy Library of Congress