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P r e s i d e n t s M e s s a g eDr. Herb Chen
I hope that all o you have had a wonderul summer. It is hard to believe that summer is almost over, b
all wil l bring many exciting AAS activities and initiatives.
Arrangements are complete or the 4 a C dvopm Co on October 10 and 11,
in San Francisco, Caliornia. Te Course Co-Chairs, Drs. Eric Kimchi and Peter Nelson, have recruite
o spectacular speakers, including the Keynote speaker, Dr. Keith Lillemoe, Chairman o the Depart
o Surgery at Indiana University. Te 19 a Fm of sc rc Co, ru
concurrently with the Career Development Course, has been enhanced on the basis o eedback we
received rom the attendees o previous courses and rom the membership. Course director Dr. Anees ChPast President Dr. Fiemu Nwariaku, and the Co-Chairs o the AAS Education Committee, Drs. Lillian
and Carla Pugh, have assembled a group o talented speakers, including Dr. Selwyn Vickers, Chairman
Department o Surgery at the University o Minnesota, who will deliver the Keynote Address.
Te AAS Issues Committee, under the leadership o Co-Chairs Drs. Carlton Barnett and Aldo D
has drated the application or AAS members who are interested in applying or one o our many
aas io V Pofop aw. We have established programs in Australia
Zealand, aiwan, and Nigeria, with other countries soon to ollow.
Te new AAS Inormation and echnology (I) Committee Chair, Dr. Gretchen Purcell, has revise
committees mission. She will tell you about current I Committee initiatives, including the orthco
ifomo tcooy rvw that will inorm members about several technological innov
that can improve our daily work eciency.
I am proud to announce that the AAS has ormalized a
working relationship with the socy of Bck acmc
so (SBAS). Dr. Malcolm Brock, an SBAS ocer,
was recently appointed the rst AAS representative to the
SBAS. He will inorm you about ongoing collaborations
between the two associations.
As a noteworthy preview, the AAS Councilors
(Drs. David Gerber, Joe Hines, Ai-Xuan Holterman, Hong
Jin Kim, Cli Ko, Rebecca Minter, Leila Mureebe, Alex
Parikh, im Pawlik, Scott Pinchot, and George Sarosi) are
currently working on revising our grant awards and election
processes, important improvements that Dr. Minter will
summarize in the all edition o this newsletter.
Lastly, at the AAS strategic retreat in June, we introduced the new AAS -shirt (see photos). Te Exec
Council members were the rst to wear this attractive attire. Te shirts will be given to AAS award w
and will be available to all A AS members or purchase.
I look orward to seeing each o you at the AAS Fall Courses in October in San Francisco and a
4th Annual Academic Surgical Congress (ASC) at Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa, Fort Myers, Flori
February 2009!
Herb
i n t h i s i s s u e
Presidents Message
12009 ASC MeetingCall or Abstracts
2
Secretarys ReportAAS Award Opportunities
2
Issues Committee Update
3
normation & echnologyCommittee Initiatives
5
AAS & the Society oBlack Academic Surgeons
5
AAS Fall Courses 2008
6
AssociAtion for AcAdemic surgery summer 2
N
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D. Dn Al
Act ubmswil i uni
Agut 25, 2008.
a B s t r a C t s u B M i s s i On W e B s i t eO Pe n F O r 2 0 0 9 a s C M e e t i n gDr. Daniel Albo, AAS Recorder & Program Committee Chair
On the heels o the highly-successul 3 a asCwith its record number o abstract present
and record number o attendeesthe AAS and the Society o University Surgeons (SUS) are looking o
to an even more successul 4 a asC on February 3-6, 2009, at the Sanibel Harbour Res
Fort Myers, Florida.
Te joint AAS/SUS website or electronic abstract submissions will remain open until August 25, In anticipation o the large turnout or the 4th ASC, we have allocated more time and space or present
Tereore, we anticipate a very high acceptance rate or high-quality abstracts.
Ater a very successul introduction during last years meeting, we again will be eaturing Oral Quick-
presentations. Tese are mini-oral paper presentations that consist o a 3-minute oral presentation w
slides maximum, ollowed by 2 minutes o discussion. With the exception o the traditional AAS and
plenary sessions, which will remain separate, all oral sessions will be integrated so as to include both
and SUS presentations. Tis year, or the rst time, we have incorporated the use o keywords in the ab
submission site. Tis is being done to help organize the dierent scientic sessions into thematic units a
oster interaction and networking among the attendees.
We strongly encourage medical students to submit abstracts or oral presentations. Te abstracts w
allocated to the appropriate type o session (plenary, parallel, or quick-shot) on the basis o abstract s
ogether with all other abstracts submitted or the ASC, these abstracts will be reviewed in a blinded
by the Program Committee. At a minimum, a quick-shot oral presentation will be GUARANEE
abstracts submitted by AAS Medical Students to ensure their participation in the program. In add
the 10 top-scoring abstracts will be re-presented by the medical students as quick-shots during a s
AAS Outstanding Medical Students session, where the students will compete or an award that incl
certicate, a $250 check, and a special mention in next years ASC program. Te AAS leadership will
attendance during this special session. I you want to be considered or this session, please be sure to che
AAS option on the Society/Association page and the AAS Medical Student option on the Add/Edit an A
page o the Additional Inormation section when you submit your abstract.
We hope that each o you plans to attend the 4th Annual ASC. For more inormation about the me
please visitwww.cmccco.o.
s e C r e t a r Y s r e P O rt:a a s a Wa r d O P P Or t u n i t i e s
Dr. Scott LeMaire
Te AAS is pleased to announce the award opportunities described below. Applications or and
inormation about all awards can be ound on the Web at www..o/w.m.
aas student researCh aWards
Applications dueSeptember 1, 2008Te intent o this award is to recognize outstanding research eorts by medical students and to enco
student interest in pursuing careers in academic surgery. Applicants must submit a summary o their re
project, along with a letter rom their mentor describing the students contributions to the project. Aw
will receive an award certicate, ree medical student membership in the AAS or 1 year, and recognit
the program o the Annual Meeting. Te top ve winners will be invited to present their work at the A
Fort Myers, Florida, in February 2009, or which they will receive complimentary registration; the to
awardees will also receive a $500 travel stipend to deray the costs o attending the meeting. Te deadli
RECEIP o applications is 11:59 pm CS on September 1, 2008.
D. Sco LMi
the 4thannual asC!
FeBruarY 3-6, 2009sb hbo ro
Fo My, Fo
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aas student traVel grant
Applications dueNovember 1, 2008
As part o our mission to increase diversity in our membership, the AAS is pleased to oer the 3rd
AAS Student ravel Grant. Tis award is presented to a medical student rom an underrepresented min
Tis award will include a $500 stipend, hotel accommodations, and registration or the ASC in Fort M
Florida. We are soliciting nominations rom department chairs and clerkship directors. Eligible cand
should submit an essay and a letter o support rom their chairperson or clerkship director. Te essay s
be no more than 300 words in length and ocus on the candidates commitment to becoming a lea
academic surgery. Te deadline or RECEIP o applications is 11:59 pm CS on November 1, 2008.
JOel J. rOslYn, Md, FaCultY researCh aWard
Applications dueNovember 1, 2008
Tis award, aimed at eligible aculty members who are within 5 years o completing surgical training, pr
the winner with 2 years o support or clinical or basic laboratory research. Applicants must be active
members who have not received a previous career development award. Te award o $35,000 per year
years is to be used or the direct-cost expenditures o the research and may not be used or salary suppo
award is to be expended solely or the purpose o the sponsored research. Funding or the award will
March 1, 2009. Te deadline or RECEIP o applications is 11:59 pm CS on November 1, 2008. Fi
will be invited or interviews at the 2009 ASC in Fort Myers, Florida.
aas researCh FellOWshiP aWard
Applications dueDecember 1, 2008Tis award, which is aimed at eligible residents or ellows who have completed at least 2 years o postgr
training in a surgical discipline, is intended to give the winner the opportunity to spend 2 years in ul
research or clinical studies with an AAS member. Applicants must be candidate members or active me
o the AAS, and the mentor must be an active member o the AAS. Te award o $15,000 per year or 2
may be used or salary support or or the direct-cost expenditures o the research. Te award is to be exp
solely or the purpose o the sponsored research. Funding or the award will begin July 1, 2009. Te de
or RECEIP o applications is 11:59 pm CS on December 1, 2008. Finalists will be invited or inte
at the 2009 ASC in Fort Myers, Florida.
i s s u e s C O M M i t t e e u P d at eDrs. Cataldo Doria & Carlton Barnett, Jr., Co-Chairs o the Issues Committee
Building on the solid oundation created by last years committee, the AAS Issues Committee is cur
pursuing several exciting agenda items o interest to the membership.
eduCatiOnal deBt: a MaJOr PrOBleM FOr aCadeMiC surgeOns
Last year, under the leadership o Dr. Melina Kibbe and in collaboration with the SUS Committee on
and Legislative Issues, the AAS Issue Committee began eorts to address the impact o educational d
academic surgeons. We conducted a novel study to assess indebtedness among academic surgeons a
repercussions on personal nances, quality o lie, and career choices. Ater IRB approval was obtai
Web-based survey consisting o 52 questions was designed to assess respondent demographics, educa
and consumer indebtedness, and the various consequences o educational debt. Many o you will recall this survey, which was sent out on two occasions last year. Tere were 555 respondents (20.6% respons
o whom approximately hal reported having educational debt. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, indiv
with educational debt had higher consumer debt. Somewhat surprisingly, individuals with no educa
debt actually had higher salaries than those with debt. Overall, the majority o respondents with educa
debt reported that they would nevertheless make the same career choices again; however, just over one
o respondents with educational debt acknowledged that this debt had strained their relationships with
signicant others, and nearly hal elt that debt had infuenced their choice o living accommodations.
and perhaps most tellingly, more than one third said that they would not recommend a career in aca
surgery to their children because o the educational debt involved.
D. Cl Be, J.
D. C Dra
Aplcn fd in
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h W tWWW.aasurg.Org/
aWards.htM
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Te results o the study were presented at the highly successul Issues Committee Session at the 2008
Tis well-attended luncheon seminar eatured insightul discussion rom Dr. Paul Jolly, Senior Associat
President o the Association o American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Although Dr. Jolly acknowledge
reported on the skyrocketing rate o tuitions, he pointed out that the earning capacity o surgeons ac
exceeds that o our perceived peers in law or business. Ater the ensuing heated discussion, which inc
many provocative anecdotes, Dr. Margaret Schwarze spoke well or the committee when she recomm
that we as academic surgeons need to advocate or ourselves to conront the issue o educational debt,
than depending on government agencies to intercede on our behal.
We encourage all members to read this work when it is published. We are indebted to Dr. Kibbe and the
members o last years committee or starting this seminal work, and we look orward to ollowing up o
work in the next year.
uPCOMing internatiOnal Visiting PrOFessOrshiP aWards
Although the problems related to educational debt generated plenty o emotional discussion duri
luncheon Issues Committee Session at the ASC, Dr. Fiemu Nwariaku rapidly and appropriately brought
into proper perspective with his subsequent Presidential Address, Mind the Gap: Workorce Dispariti
Global Health, in which he detailed the signicant surgical needs o West Arica. Particularly strikin
the severe lack o practicing surgeons in countries such as Sierra Leone. Te presentation made it clea
there is much to learn about surgical care in other countries and that there are many opportunities to ex
the AASs involvement in the global eort to improve the human condition. o this end, the AAS is p
to oer International Visiting Proessorship Awards that will support travel to attend meetings in Naiwan, and Australia in the coming year. Each site oers its own special opportunities, because the ne
each region are dierent. Applications will be open to active members with a history o strong involvem
the organization. Please stay tuned or orthcoming details regarding the application process.
Plans FOr the 2009 asC issues COMMittee sessiOn
Te Issues Committee Session at the4 a asC in Fort Myers, Florida, will be led by the SUS Com
on Social and Legislative Issues. Dr. Rebecca Minter has organized a state-o-the-art panel session on
important topic o great interest to many academic surgeons: how to partner with industry in bringing
discovery into the clinical arena. It is well known that this process can be raught with pitalls that migh
to the investigators discovery being ignored or marginalized. Tis will be a highly practical session ocu
what makes a discovery marketable and how one negotiates and orms relationships with companies torom initial discovery to clinical trials. Dr. Minter has invited a group o our well-recognized proess
rom a wide range o backgrounds to represent the viewpoints o key players involved in this proces
Jerey Platt, Proessor o Surgery and Proessor o Microbiology and Immunology at University o Mic
will discuss the ramications o commercialization in academia; Dr. Mitch Fink, President and C
Logical Terapeutics, Inc., will explain how to plan and conduct a research program to yield pate
inventions; Dr. Bruce Gingles, Vice President o Cook Medical, will discuss models or the commerciali
o discoveries; and Dr. Ida Deichaite, rom the oce o Industry Relations o the Moores Cancer Center
University o Caliornia, San Diego, will discuss how to initially approach and then negotiate with ind
We are sure that this session will be extremely inormative, and we hope to see all o you there.
Lt , u hhi
D. Mlia Ki di cl wi
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inFOrM atiOn & teChnOlOgY COMMittei n i t i a t i V e s F O r 2 0 08
Dr. Gretchen Purcell, Chair o the Inormation & Technology Committee
Te AAS I Committee has sought to update and generalize our mission statement to embrace
current and uture technologies and to remove limiting reerences to particular orums or technologie
committee is committed to identiying and evaluating inormation and technologies relevant to the pr
o academic surgery; introducing new and emerging inormation and technologies to the membership
AAS; developing and enhancing the use o established and emerging technologies to acilitate communi
among the AAS, its membership, and the community; and ostering links between developers o technologies and the membership o AAS. In pursuit o this mission, the I Committee is currently w
on three important initiatives.
First, we are expanding the o vby of aas co m. Slides rom the 2007 AA
Courses have been converted to Web-based fash presentations that are now available on the AAS website
reviewing these materials, the committee members unanimously agreed that the slides would be substa
more valuable i accompanied by recordings o the lectures. Tereore, we are exploring options or obt
audio content rom the 2008 AAS Fall Courses.
Second, we are exploring options to om ppo aas co poc. We plan to impl
updated technologies to create streamlined systems or submitting nominations and or voting.
Tird, to achieve our mission o introducing new and emerging technologies to the AAS membership, w
developing a series oifomo tcooy rvw that will describe resources, equipmen
innovative technologies to support the practice o academic surgery. Reviews may address very basic th
such as choosing whether to use a Blackberry, reo, or iPhone, or more advanced topics such as u
SharePoint server or data and document sharing among members o a research team. Please look or ou
review in the next newsletter.
a a s & t h e s O C i e t Y O F B l a C K a C a d e M is u r g e O n s J O i n F O r C e s
Dr. Malcolm Brock, Representative to the SBAS
With the changing demographics o the US, the AAS realizes that surgeons increasingly care or d
populations, but the diversity o our membership has not kept pace with the diversity o the nation. Acco
to recent data rom the AAMC, only 3% o all U.S. medical school aculty members are Black, 1.6
Hispanic, and 0.1% are Native American. Te AAS has joined orces with the SBAS to encourag
support the proessional development o young, minority surgical residents and aculty. Te SBAS
academic group committed to promoting diversity in the eld o surgery. In act, the late Dr. Claude O
a past president o the American College o Surgeons who was instrumental in the ounding o the
charged the organization with this mandate at its inaugural meeting, which was hosted in April 19
Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Currently, SBAS boasts large institutional support, as wa burgeoning membership o more than 200 academic surgeons. Tis year, SBAS marked its 18th A
Symposium, where there were 20 oral scientic presentations and 38 posters presented by surgical
members, residents, and medical students rom across the nation. Authors o all scientic abstracts were
the option to submit their work or publication in theAmerican Journal o Surgery. Te SBASs emphaboth mentoring young surgeons and stimulating academic excellence among its members makes the a
with the AAS especially enticing.
D. Mcl Bck
D. Gch Pucl
W ih nli ibiliy
AAS cu
rl.
W wil k h upt h
vnt u, miriyuc n
d fculy.
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Association for Academic Surgery
2008 Fall CoursesOctober 10 & 11, 2008 San Francisco, CAPreceding the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress
FUNDAMENTALS OF
SURGICAL RESEARCH
COURSECourse Chairs: Fiemu Nwariaku, MD,FACS, FWACS; Anees Chagpar, MD
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
ose in eir First Year of ResearchMedical Students
Residents
FellowsNew Faculty
WHAT WILL BE TAUGHT?
is course provides the foundationfor a successful basic or clinical science researchexperience, including advice and practical tips.
Topics include:
Planning a Career in Surgical Research
Abstract Writing
Researching and Writing a Scientific Manuscript
Grant Writing ...and many more.
CAREER
DEVELOPMENT
COURSECourse Chairs: Eric Kimchi, MD;
Peter R. Nelson, MD
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Residents
Fellows
Junior Faculty
WHAT WILL BE TAUGHT?
How to
Choose the right job and negotiatefor what you will need to succeed.
Choose the right mentors.
Achieve balance between career and family life.
Write effective grant applications.
Plan an effective strategy for getting promoted.
REGISTRATION FOR THESE COURSES IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Register through the AAS web site atWWW.AASURG.ORG
Association for Academic Surgery 11300 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 600 Los Angeles, CA 90064
Phone: 310-437-1606 Fax: 310-437-0585 Email: [email protected]