Congressional Leaders Meet with Surgeons during ACSLAS23

More than 500 ACS members participated in this year’s ACS Leadership & Advocacy Summit—both in person and online—engaging in a series of inspirational talks about leadership and getting tips on successful advocacy from Congressional leaders themselves.

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) urged surgeons to form meaningful connections with their elected representatives. He said one way to make a lasting impression is to invite them to watch an operation, as “It will change their lives.” He also encouraged attendees to introduce lawmakers to the entire healthcare team so that they can get a better understanding of what it takes to care for the surgical patient.

“The American College of Surgeons plays a significant role in discussions about this country’s healthcare system,” said ACS Executive Director & CEO Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS. “The presence of Speaker McCarthy at our Leadership & Advocacy Summit underscores the fact that we have a voice that seeks to emphasize quality, patient care, and support for the practicing surgeon.”

Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (R-IA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Susan Wild (D-PA), and Drew Ferguson (R-GA) also offered their encouragement as attendees prepared for Hill visits today.

The Summit began on Saturday with seminars on negotiations and use of social media, following by a series of talks on leadership development, surgeon burnout, ACS Chapter success stories, several networking events, and a resident poster competition.

See the day-by-day highlights or view Tweets using the hashtag #ACSLAS23.

 A recap of the Summit will be available in the May edition of the Bulletin.