David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS
This year’s Clinical Congress, October 6–10, in Washington, DC, promises to be extraordinary. As always, the Program Committee, chaired by Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, and staff in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education, led by Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCS(C), have put together a diverse program that should appeal to surgeons, surgical trainees, and allied health care professionals in all specialties. The program includes an array of Panel Sessions, Named Lectures, Postgraduate Courses, Scientific Paper and Surgical Forum Sessions, Scientific Poster Presentations, Video-Based Education Presentations, Meet-the-Expert Luncheons, and interactive Town Hall Meetings.
However, what will really set this year’s Clinical Congress apart are the programs that spotlight the organization’s 100 years of Inspiring Quality. I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the key events that may be of interest to ACS members.
Historian David McCullough
We are thrilled to have renowned historian David McCullough deliver this year’s Martin Memorial Lecture, sponsored by the American Urological Association. The title of Mr. McCullough’s presentation is Something New, Something Old, With Renewed Force: The Role of History and Innovation in Medicine, and the College’s leadership anticipates that he will bring his gift for storytelling and for vividly recounting historical events to the podium.
Mr. McCullough has received numerous writing awards as well as the 2006 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor accorded in the U.S. His first book, The Johnstown Flood, was published in 1968 to critical acclaim. His third book, The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870–1914, published in 1977, won the National Book Award in History, the Francis Parkman Prize, the Samuel Eliot Morison Award, and the Cornelius Ryan Award. Mornings on Horseback, a 1981 biography of the early part of President Theodore Roosevelt’s life, also won the National Book Award, and biographies of two other U.S. Presidents—Harry Truman and John Adams—were awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 and 2002, respectively. Mr. McCullough also has narrated several documentaries and the film Seabiscuit. He hosted the PBS television show American Experience for 12 years. I can’t think of a better way to honor the College’s Centennial than to have this distinguished historian offer his perspectives on the developments that have occurred in our profession.
The Martin Memorial Lecture will be presented immediately after the Clinical Congress Opening Ceremony at 8:30 am, Monday, October 7, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The Opening Ceremony will include a number of special features to commemorate this occasion, and our new President, Carlos Pellegrini, MD, FACS, FRCS(I)(Hon), will serve as the Presiding Officer. Dr. Pellegrini, The Henry N. Harkins Professor and Chair, department of surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, will be installed as President during the Convocation ceremonies at 6:00 pm, Sunday, October 6. Dr. Pellegrini’s theme for the coming year is “The Surgeon of the Future: Anchoring Innovation and Science with Moral Values.”
Other sessions of interest
Several other Centennial-related educational sessions will take place throughout the Clinical Congress, including:
Monday, October 7
Advances to the Care of Surgical Patients through Contributions of JACS and the BJS Centennial Report: JACS Editor-in-Chief Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, FACS, will moderate this session featuring several distinguished speakers from the U.S. and the U.K., who will discuss the role of the journals in improving patient care and the importance of international collaboration in surgery.
Symposium on the Legacy of Frank H. Netter, MD: Francine Mary Netter will offer personal reflections on her father’s life and career as a surgeon and medical illustrator; and William C. DeVries, MD, FACS, the cardiothoracic surgeon known for implanting the first total artificial heart, and Basil A. Pruitt, Jr., MD, FACS, FCCM, a critical care and burn surgeon, will reflect on their experiences working with Dr. Netter.
Tuesday, October 8
100 Years of Rural Surgery: Past Accomplishments, Future Challenges: Sponsored by the ACS Advisory Council for Rural Surgery, this panel will explore the past, present, and future of rural surgery, as well as the College’s recent initiatives to support and improve rural surgical care.
Subject-Oriented Symposium II: 100 Years of Surgery: This Video-Based Education program will focus on some of the giants in surgery, including Franklin H. Martin, Edward Martin, Alfred Blalock, Robert Zollinger, H. William Scott, James D. Hardy, G. Thomas Shires, W. Dean Warren, and LaSalle D. Leffall, Jr.—all Fellows of the College.
Advances in Periocular and Orbital Surgery: The Past 25 Years: Sponsored by the Advisory Council for Ophthalmic Surgery, this panel will review the progress that has occurred in the management of conditions of the periocular adnexa and orbit.
Surgical Heroes of the Next 100 Years: Will They Be Different?: This session will focus on contemporary challenges in surgery, some of which may be best addressed by surgeons who have skills that extend to global communication, advocacy, technology, business, and mentorship.
Wednesday, October 9
A Century of Canadian Contributions to the ACS and Surgical Science: This panel will highlight selected areas of surgery in which Canadian surgeons have made significant advances.
Looking Back and Moving Forward: 100 Years of Surgical Research: Building on 100 years of contributions in the field, panelists will envision the next century of surgical research in transplantation and tissue engineering, trauma, and cancer treatment.
A toast
To further commemorate this historic occasion, an interactive exhibit featuring a timeline of milestones in surgery and the history of the ACS will be set up in the registration area once again this year, and various custom-designed items featuring the ACS seal, including an iridescent glass and crystal decorative object and pen-and-ink drawings, will be available for purchase.
Finally, I would like to invite you to join the College’s leadership for a champagne toast celebrating the College’s past and looking forward to the next 100 years. This event will take place Tuesday at 8:30 pm at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Salon 1. I look forward to observing the College’s 100th birthday with you.
