American College of Surgeons

Join the ACS Women in Surgery Committee Mentorship Program. 🤝 Women surgeons are invited to apply as mentors or mentees to build meaningful professional relationships, exchange insights, and support long-term career development. 🗓️ Applications close May 1. Apply today: https://brnw.ch/21wZNnX

In December 2025, ACS Fellow Dr. David Chew successfully completed the first Barostim implantation for heart failure at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center. 🫀 This milestone highlights the power of multidisciplinary collaboration and reflects how ACS Fellows continue to advance cardiovascular care and improve quality of life for patients. Join us in congratulating the team! 👏

Abstract submissions are now open for #QSCC26! Healthcare and quality professionals are invited to submit original research on surgical quality, safety, and cancer care. 🗓 Submission deadline: March 9 📍 Join us July 30–August 2 in Orlando, FL. https://brnw.ch/21wZKK8

With over 70% of U.S. cancer cases treated at CoC-accredited hospitals, understanding how Operative Standards affect surgical quality is critical. 📊 The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has funded the Assessing the Effectiveness and Significance of the Operative Standards Program (AESOP) study. The AESOP study is evaluating compliance with these standards, barriers to implementation, and their impact on oncologic outcomes to guide future cancer surgery quality improvement efforts. 🔗 Learn more: https://brnw.ch/21wZJzo

Help us recognize and celebrate the women shaping the future of surgery. 🤩 The ACS Women in Surgery Committee is now accepting nominations for the Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Inspiring Women in Surgery Award, which will be presented at #ACSCC26 in Washington, DC. This award honors surgeons who have made significant contributions to advancing women in surgery and celebrates the legacy of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, the first woman surgeon to serve in the U.S. Army and the only woman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. 🗓 Nomination deadline: Friday, May 1 🔗 Learn more: https://brnw.ch/21wZEBh

What drives outcomes disparity between rural and urban patients in colon cancer resection? Rural populations face higher colon cancer mortality and more postoperative complications. In a recent Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) article, Dr. Sarah Myers examines the factors driving these disparities and highlights an important finding: improving access to minimally invasive surgery may help reduce outcome gaps between rural and urban patients. ▶️ Watch Dr. Myers discuss the research, its implications for surgical equity, and what health systems can do to improve access and outcomes for rural patients: https://brnw.ch/21wZCrn

The ACS is transforming the ways we collect and use surgical quality data. 📊 We’re strengthening engagement with more than 2,000 hospitals participating in ACS Quality Programs by reducing data entry time, improving usability, and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to automate data analysis. These advancements will make the value of our Quality Programs more accessible to hospitals, surgeons, and ultimately, better outcomes for patients. 👉 Learn more about our goals and next steps: https://brnw.ch/21wZBkD

In the demanding world of surgery, time often feels like a scarce resource. Between clinical responsibilities, administrative work, and personal commitments, it’s easy to slip into a cycle of overwork and burnout. That’s why effective time management and boundary setting are essential for sustaining a surgical career. There are practical strategies surgeons can use to support a healthier balance: ✍️ Prioritize with purpose: Identify your top three priorities each day and use time-blocking to protect focus. ✋ Set clear boundaries: Communicate availability and protect personal time as intentionally as OR time. 🤝 Leverage delegation: Trust your team and delegate non-essential tasks so you can focus where you add the most value. 🧘 Schedule recovery: Rest isn’t optional—it’s a professional responsibility. Build downtime into your calendar. Boundaries and time management aren’t signs of weakness—they’re strategies for excellence. By protecting your time, you protect your patients, your practice, and yourself. Learn more: https://brnw.ch/21wZyZJ

Curious what your surgeon colleagues read most in 2025? Explore the top most read ACS Bulletin articles, covering healthcare system challenges, coding updates, surgeon shortages, and other topics shaping surgical practice. 📖 Access now: https://brnw.ch/21wZxU4

The Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2026, aims to study and define a general surgery workforce shortage area and collect data on the adequacy of access to surgical services. 📊 Determining where patients lack access to surgical services and designating a formal surgical shortage area would provide a valuable new tool for increasing access to a full spectrum of high-quality healthcare services. "In light of growing evidence demonstrating a maldistribution of general surgeons, the ACS believes that additional research is necessary to better understand where critical shortage areas exist,” said Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS. 📢 Urge your representatives to support this legislation. https://brnw.ch/21wZxnu