The American College of Surgeons (ACS) will host the eighth annual Leadership & Advocacy Summit March 30–April 2 at the Renaissance Washington, DC, Downtown Hotel. The Summit is a dual meeting offering comprehensive and specialized sessions that provide ACS members and advocates with the skills and tools necessary to be effective surgeon leaders. Registration for the
2019 Summit is now open.
Leadership Summit
The Leadership Summit will offer compelling speakers and panels addressing key topics in surgical leadership. The Summit provides a venue for members to network with ACS leaders, attend professional development sessions, and engage with colleagues to determine new and innovative ways to face challenges and enhance their leadership skills. It begins Saturday, March 30, with a welcome reception open to all registrants, followed by a full day of programming Sunday, March 31.
More than 400 ACS leaders and members are expected to participate in the Leadership Summit. Sessions will focus on honing the communication and strategic thinking skills necessary for effective leadership in and out of the operating room. Speakers will address key topics, including getting to the C-suite, raising performance through coaching, refining negotiation skills, executing and implementing innovative and impactful ideas, and more. In addition, a portion of the event will be dedicated to sharing ACS chapter success stories and working to identify strategies to enhance and strengthen chapters.
Your leadership makes a difference. For more information about the Leadership Summit, contact Brian Frankel, ACS Manager, International Chapter Services and Special Initiatives, at bfrankel@facs.org or 312-202-5361.
Advocacy Summit
The Advocacy Summit provides a unique opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to become a more effective surgeon advocate. With several health policy priorities for the 116th Congress to consider, surgeons are encouraged to travel to Washington to learn more and participate.
Since last year’s Summit, the Division of Advocacy and Health Policy (DAHP) has been focused on an extensive list of federal legislative priorities, including reducing administrative burdens and regulations, modifying and implementing Medicare physician payment reform, improving electronic health record and health information technology interoperability, addressing the opioid epidemic, increasing funding for trauma system development, enhancing cancer care and accreditation, providing Children’s Health Insurance Program funding, and more. ACS staff will educate members and attendees about future legislative challenges, particularly navigating the recent transition to a Democratic majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Advocacy Summit will follow the Leadership Summit on Sunday, March 31, with a dinner and keynote address. Past speakers have included political commentators Nicolle Wallace and Chris Matthews, television journalist Chuck Todd, U.S. Army Gen. (Retired) Stanley A. McChrystal, author Thomas Goetz, and journalists Bob Woodward and George Will.
Sessions planned for Monday, April 1, will highlight the political environment in Washington, and speakers will outline important health care issues that affect surgeons’ ability to provide quality patient care. Attendees will then apply this knowledge in face-to-face meetings with their elected officials and congressional staff Tuesday, April 2. This portion of the program provides College members an opportunity to demonstrate surgery’s strength on Capitol Hill.
During this three-day conference, participants can expect to receive extensive advocacy training, including learning how to use these skills at home, not just in Washington. The Advocacy Summit is a great place to interact and share ideas with other surgeon advocates; meet face-to-face with key health care policymakers and legislators; and, perhaps most importantly, become the constituents their legislators know and trust to offer advice on surgical issues.
In addition to raising funds to elect and re-elect congressional candidates who are willing to advocate for the College’s legislative priorities, the ACS Professional Association political action committee (ACSPA-SurgeonsPAC) sponsors various events for members and SurgeonsPAC contributors. These events provide contributors with unique networking opportunities and advanced educational sessions aimed at providing an insider’s perspective on how College members can remain active participants in the political process.
Other SurgeonsPAC-sponsored events include an annual drawing, a political luncheon featuring a special guest speaker, and presentation of the 2018 PAC awards. Resident engagement opportunities also are provided. In addition, the SurgeonsPAC information booth will provide attendees with a venue to meet DAHP staff and learn more about the College’s advocacy and political efforts.
For more information about the Advocacy Summit, contact Michael Carmody, ACS Congressional Affairs Coordinator, at mcarmody@facs.org or 202-672-1511. To learn more about SurgeonsPAC activities, e-mail surgeonspac@facs.org or call 202-672-1520.
