Last month, the ACS hosted the 2023 Leadership & Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC, drawing more than 600 surgeons to engaging sessions and activities that furthered their skills.
“The 2023 Leadership & Advocacy Summit was truly exceptional, bringing together ACS leaders and members and leaving us inspired, motivated, and equipped with invaluable leadership and advocacy knowledge and skills,” said Michael J. Sutherland, MD, MBA, FACS, Director of the ACS Division of Member Services. “The engaging sessions and thought-provoking panels were a testament to the power of collective wisdom and shared experiences, while reminding us of the limitless potential of effective leadership and influential advocacy.”
Leadership Summit
At the Leadership Summit—the content of which is available on-demand with FREE registration for ACS Members—experts discussed how to define your personal missions statement, leading in times of crisis, growing as a leader, ACS chapter success stories, and much more. A preconference seminar focused on negotiation practice and principles taught attendees how to get what they deserve in their careers by explaining how they are unique.
In her Executive Director’s Update, Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS, ACS Executive Director and CEO, provided an overview of the College’s achievements in the last year and a look ahead at future plans. In addition, she discussed the priority of making the ACS the true House of Surgery.
“We have learners in medical school and up to and through retirement, so when we think about what is on the cutting edge, we are thoughtful and make sure we know what you need as members and that we bring you the education that will help you in your day-to-day practice,” said Dr. Turner. “We need to be the gold standard... the arbiter of all things surgery.”
Advocacy Summit
For the first time since 2019, the Advocacy Summit included in-person visits to Capitol Hill.
In preparation for the visits, attendees engaged in several lively panels and educational sessions to better understand the College’s legislative priorities and what information to present when meeting with elected officials and their staff members.
“We’re not just talking about problems. We’re also talking about solutions and bringing those solutions forward,” said Christian Shalgian, Director of the ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy. “Those solutions are a critical component of what makes us unique and are an important part of this conversation.”
Advocacy Summit sessions focused on exploring the nuances of the contributions surgeons make to healthcare, a discussion on equity, quality, and health outcomes with a representative from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the importance of transparency in sharing outcomes data, and more.
Members of the ACS DC office trained Advocacy Summit attendees on discussing the ACS’s congressional asks before for their visits, including:
- Stop cuts to Medicare physician payment
- Support legislation banning non-compete agreements
- Ensure access to general surgery
Read a full recap of the 2023 Leadership & Advocacy Summit from the May Bulletin, published online ahead of the issue.
