Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits
Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.
Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits
Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.
Get ready for one of the most popular surgical education events of the year.
Clinical Congress 2023 will be held October 22–25, in Boston, Massachusetts—one of the nation’s oldest municipalities and global home to renowned medical institutions.
This year’s Sunday-through-Wednesday meeting footprint is designed to give you all the learning and networking you need in a more compacted timeframe. In addition, this hybrid event will again offer select content in a virtual, on-demand format, which will remain available for access until May 1, 2024.
Registration is now open—and the deadline to receive the discount early bird registration rate is August 28. Residents and medical students may register for free through October 11. Visit facs.org/clincon2023 to register today.
A Singular Event
Clinical Congress annually brings together distinguished experts in the clinical practice of surgery, as well as leaders in surgical education, research, and technology. It is a meeting that is truly open to and impactful for surgeons of all disciplines.
“What distinguishes Clinical Congress from other meetings is that it truly represents the House of Surgery for all surgeons,” said ACS Executive Director & CEO Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS. “There is content at our Clinical Congress that is relevant to every one of us, no matter the stage of our career, no matter our practice type or situation, no matter our discipline. We are inclusive of all surgeons. The ACS is mindful of all the things that come together to support us in our profession, and we aim to deliver it to you in an efficient package.”
In addition to a broad range of outstanding hands-on and didactic learning opportunities and timely discourse on relevant surgical topics, attendees will have unparalleled access to peers. There is a strength that comes from engaging with colleagues who have a shared experience.
“What is always exciting about attending Clinical Congress is the camaraderie. It’s the ability to network with so many friends, it’s seeing people you haven’t seen in years or decades—people who went through residency with you,” said ACS President-Elect Henri R. Ford, MD, MHA, FACS, FRCS, FAAP, MAMSE. “And whether it’s at the Scientific Forum, whether it’s a Panel Session, or perhaps at one of the department of surgery receptions, there is no better forum in the field of surgery to network with like-minded people.”
Clinical Congress also provides an impressive slate of more casual networking opportunities, and the event that closes the meeting is Taste of the City, which will showcase Boston’s unique cuisine and provide impressive entertainment. “It’s an opportunity to bring your family and be casual that day, really celebrating with one another and bringing the meeting to an end,” Dr. Turner said.
This year’s theme is “Surgeons United,” reflecting the various pathways that surgeons have traveled during their careers and the reaffirmation of shared values that include quality, integrity, and professionalism.
“Whether you’re a general surgeon, a neurosurgeon, orthopaedic surgeon, OB-GYN, or a surgeon in any specialty, we want you to join us at this year’s Clinical Congress where we will come together, be united, and carry on the mission of the College to ‘Heal All with Skill and Trust,’” said ACS President E. Christopher Ellison, MD, FACS, MAMSE.
New Fellows
A highlight of the annual Clinical Congress is the Convocation Ceremony, which confers Fellowship upon surgeons who have successfully met the College’s requirements and standards and who are committed to the ACS mission and values.
The ceremony on Sunday evening also will include recognition of Honorary Fellows, presentation of the Distinguished Service Award, installation of ACS Officers and Officers-Elect, and the Presidential Address.
“To me, one of the most important aspects of the Clinical Congress is the Convocation, where we recognize our new Initiates, our Honorary Fellows, and other Fellows who come to this assembly of surgeons from all over the world,” Dr. Ellison said. “It’s an amazing event, and I’m looking forward to participating in the avowal to support the College’s activities and mission going forward.”
A Robust Scientific and Clinical Program
The defining feature of Clinical Congress is the unbeatable scientific and clinical education program, which has several new, exciting features in 2023, in addition to returning core elements.
“The Program Committee has worked very hard to create an outstanding clinical program, and it has also made changes that have been dictated by feedback from Fellows,” said Fabrizio Michelassi, MD, FACS, MAMSE, ACS Regent and Chair of the Clinical Congress Program Committee.
Some of the most popular scientific events include more than 100 Panel Sessions, with several dedicated to core general surgery topics. This year will include the latest on:
Diverticulitis
Appendicitis, including surgical versus non-surgical treatment
Anastomotic leaks
Hernia repair
Cholecystectomy
A returning conference favorite is the 10 Hot Topics in General Surgery session, in which Dr. Ellison and Regent Kenneth W. Sharp, MD, FACS, MAMSE, will moderate a wide-ranging, rapid-fire event that highlights important topics for general surgeons, including clinical advances, practice management, career growth, and more.
Timely topics such as the role of predictive tools and artificial intelligence in surgery and postoperative outcomes, caring for transgender patients, and more also will be explored, along with a broad selection of surgical discipline-specific content, including trauma, cancer, and rural surgery.
In addition, Panel Sessions will feature dozens of nonclinical but significant subjects such as management of post-Roe obstetric and gynecologic emergencies; greening the OR; de-stigmatizing and supporting surgeons with disabilities; shifting surgeon culture to support work-life balance, career satisfaction, and retention; and family planning for surgeons.
And there is much more to be excited about with this year’s program, according to Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, MAMSE, Director of the ACS Division of Education.
“We have Postgraduate Courses, Meet-the-Expert Sessions, and Town Halls, and each are contemporary in their approach this year and cover important topics for all the professionals, whether they are surgeons in practice, residents, members of surgical teams, or even administrators,” Dr. Sachdeva said.
“The new features that we are really excited about include a pro/con debate for the first time, which is going to be lively and will present different opinions of the experts,” he said.
This debate will cover two common topics faced by general surgeons: the first will debate percutaneous cholecystostomy versus cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis, and the second will cover open versus minimally invasive surgery repair for inguinal hernia.
“We also have some interdisciplinary sessions as part of a new Multidisciplinary Track,” he said, which will include sessions on care of the advanced melanoma patient, rectal cancer, and critical head and neck injuries.
Dr. Telford
Renowned Named Lecturers
A popular feature of Clinical Congress is the series of Named Lectures, and this year’s 11 lectures will provide attendees with an opportunity to hear internationally known surgeons and figures in healthcare share their perspectives and insights on medicine and surgery.
The Martin Memorial Lecture, delivered immediately after the Opening Ceremony on Monday, will be given by Gordon L. Telford, MD, FACS, MAMSE, professor emeritus at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
In his lecture, Dr. Telford will discuss the path from rural boyhood to distinguished surgeon of Franklin H. Martin, MD, FACS, the College’s founder.
“It is a great honor to be asked by the College to present the annual Martin Memorial Lecture and have that presentation be about Dr. Martin and his highly accomplished career,” Dr. Telford said. “Like Dr. Martin, I come from a farm background and that makes the opportunity to give this presentation all the more special to me. It is my belief that Dr. Martin became a great leader, not in spite of his rural background but because of it. He is a great example of the reason why an organization needs members from all backgrounds to flourish.”
The Martin Memorial Lecture will be presented in person and livestreamed. All lectures will be recorded and made available for on-demand viewing within an hour after the live presentations.
Spotlight on the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators
Special Sessions on timely topics of interest to ACS members have become a foundational element of Clinical Congress in recent meetings. This year will include a Special Session from the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators® on Acquisition of New Surgical Skills by Practicing Surgeons.
Over the course of decades of surgical practice, surgeons acquire skills to perform new procedures and use new technologies to provide the best care to patients. Unlike the period of structured surgical training, practicing surgeons participate in self-directed and self-regulated learning based primarily on their own efforts. In this session, education experts will discuss how to assess the appropriate time to acquire new surgical skills, seek out effective education programs to acquire the new skills, and safely transfer the new skills to surgical practice.
Scientific Forum and More
The expansive Scientific Forum offers the opportunity to learn about the latest high-quality, in-progress scientific and academic surgery reports, including updates on late-breaking clinical trials.
From research presentations to ePosters, the Scientific Forum offers researchers of all experience levels—from medical students to ACS Fellows—the opportunity to share their promising results at one of the largest surgical meetings in the world.
Scientific Forum sessions take place throughout the conference and are arranged in a discipline-specific format (e.g., cardiac surgery, pediatric surgery).
In addition, Video-Based Education Sessions will showcase detailed surgical procedures, while Meet-the-Expert Sessions and Town Hall Meetings will provide more informal learning experiences that will allow you to engage in conversations with surgeon thought leaders and other colleagues.
In recognition of the ACS’s commitment to surgeons at all stages of their careers, the Surgery Resident Program and the Medical Student Program will return this year with information, education, and faculty tailored to meet the unique needs of these young cohorts.
Plan Your Conference and Stay on Schedule
With hundreds of sessions, it can seem daunting to plan your tailored conference experience. But the College is offering several options to help you create your Clinical Congress schedule and find where and when you need to go.
“We all know that Clinical Congress offers a bountiful opportunity for lectures, panels, and educational offerings over 3 days, and it can be difficult to decide where to go when you’re onsite,” Dr. Michelassi said. “The online interactive platform and mobile app can help you construct your educational experience. Take advantage of these tools.”
The online Clinical Congress Program Planner is available now at bit.ly/3HY9lnL, and the mobile app will launch this fall.
Check out the Exhibit Hall
Throughout the conference, attendees will be able to visit ACS Central and the Technical Exhibition, where more than 125 companies will display their products, innovations, and services. The exhibition provides an opportunity to explore the surgical marketplace by comparing products firsthand and planning purchases.
In addition, returning this year are two popular educational exhibits—the ACS Surgical Metrics Project and the Surgical Ergonomics Hands-On Clinic.
“Our Committee on Surgical Ergonomics and Division of Education worked together to create this clinic, which allows surgeons to come into a protected space where they can practice certain techniques. Surgeons can learn tips and implement them in their own practices so they can address some positioning issues,” Dr. Sachdeva said. “Last year, we had a huge number of people who came in; interest in the clinic was overwhelming. We expect the same in Boston this year.”
More information on Clinical Congress 2023 will be available in the coming months. Continue to check ACS communications channels, including facs.org/clincon2023.
Meet your credentialing and board certification/recertification requirements:
For in-person registrants, up to 222 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are available for attending live and on-demand sessions by May 1, 2024.
For virtual registrants, up to 182.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are available for viewing streaming and on-demand sessions by May 1, 2024.
20 sessions are designated as Credit to Address State Regulatory Mandates.
More than 30 sessions are designated as Credit to Address Accreditation/Verification Requirements.
More than 25 ticketed sessions offer Self-Assessment Credit.
Matthew Fox is the Digital Managing Editor in the ACS Division of Integrated Communications in Chicago, IL.
