Florida chapters: ACS Florida chapter leaders, from left: Jaime H. Membreno, MD, FACS, President, Florida Chapter; Juan Paramo, MD, FACS, President, South Florida Chapter; and Joseph T. Gallagher, MD, FACS, President-Elect, Florida Chapter.
Three Florida chapters host reception at Clinical Congress
A combined reception for members of the three American College of Surgeons (ACS) Florida chapters took place Monday, October 5, 2015, at the Hilton Chicago at Clinical Congress. The Florida Chapter organized the event, and two other chapters in the state—the South Florida Chapter and the Jacksonville Chapter of the ACS—cohosted. Other cohosts included the University of Florida, Gainesville; the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine; and the University of Florida College of Medicine–Jacksonville. In addition, all new ACS Initiates from Florida were invited to attend. The 125 attendees had the opportunity to network with other ACS members from the state, officers of the three chapters, and faculty from Florida’s academic institutions.
Also representing the state of Florida at Clinical Congress was Andrew Gratzon, MD, from the Orlando Health general surgery residency program. Dr. Gratzon was the 2015 winner of the Commission on Cancer (CoC) Resident Paper Competition held at the Florida Chapter meeting last May. He was subsequently invited to present his paper to an audience of 300 Clinical Congress attendees at the CoC Annual Meeting Sunday, October 4. The topic of Dr. Gratzon’s paper, for which he received an honorarium, was Vascularized Lymph Node Transfers for Treatment of Upper Extremity Lymphedema after Breast Cancer Therapy.
Massachusetts Chapter: ACS Massachusetts Chapter 2015 Top Gun Competition winners are congratulated by Heena P. Santry, MD, FACS, ACS Governor (far right). From left: John J. Kelly, MD, FACS, chief, division of general and minimally invasive surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Memorial Medical Center, Boston; Top Gun Competition contestants Drs. Fullington, Hetherman, and Scurlock; and Anthony L. McCluney, MD, FACS, a general surgeon at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center.
62nd annual Massachusetts Chapter meeting features resident skills competition
The Massachusetts Chapter of the College (MCACS) hosted its 62nd Annual Meeting December 5, 2015, at the Westin Copley Place in Boston. More than 150 medical professionals, including 81 residents, attended the meeting.
The meeting opened with a Breakfast at the Debates Symposium hosted by the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. Led by Karim Alavi, MD, a resident at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, the symposium included two debates: What is the Best Approach When Dissecting in the Lowest Part of the Pelvis and Why? and Is Robotic Surgery for Pancreatic Disease Appropriate?
Michael T. Jaklitsch, MD, FACS, Chapter President, offered opening remarks, and Andrew L. Warshaw, MD, FACS, Immediate Past-President of the ACS, spoke on Appropriate Care for the Surgical Patient. The chapter presented the third Basic Science Oral Presentation Award in memory of the late Joseph E. Murray, MD, FACS, who conducted the world’s first successful organ transplant and received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1990.
The day-long Massachusetts meeting program also included a Poster Competition, Resident Paper Competition, and the chapter’s fifth annual Resident Top Gun Competition. In this contest, residents from general surgery programs in Massachusetts and invited guests from New Hampshire were timed and graded on their laparoscopic skills. Top Gun teams consisted of three residents from each of 10 participating institutions. Contestants showcased their abilities on intracorporeal knot tying, transfer of objects from one hand to another, and pattern cutting. The winning team included Nora Fullington, MD; Dan Hetherman, MD; and Josh Scurlock, MD, all residents at the University of Massassachusetts Memorial Medical Center. The chapter’s Top Gun Competition trophy will be showcased at Memorial Medical Center for one year.
The MCACS looks forward to its 63rd Annual Meeting, December 3 at the Westin Copley Place. More details and a complete program of the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Chapter are available on the chapter archives pages.
Minnesota Surgical Society: Participant teams in the first MSS Resident Surgical Jeopardy Competition, from left: John Spratt, MD, and Dr. Muratore, research residents at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; and the winning team of Adam C. Krajewski, MD, and Moustafa El-Khatib, MD, both residents at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester.
Traveling scholar tells of experiences in Tanzania at MSS Fall Conference
The Minnesota Surgical Society (MSS), a chapter of the ACS, hosted its Fall Conference October 23–24, 2015, at Fitger’s Inn in Duluth. In attendance at the meeting were 28 residents, research trainees, and medical students who shared their research in the areas of trauma, cancer, and general surgery. Other highlights of the meeting included a presentation titled Tricks of the Trade: 1,000 Whipple Procedures and Still Counting with guest speaker Michael B. Farnell, MD, FACS, who shared a review of his career and insights gathered from caring for more than 1,000 patients who have undergone Whipple procedures.
Each year since 2009, the MSS has budgeted up to $2,000 for a Humanitarian Scholarship, awarded to those residents who are interested in participating in an international surgical elective in a resource-poor setting. Eligible participants must be general surgery residents or medical students on a surgical track and must be from Minnesota’s Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis; the University of Minnesota; or the Mayo Clinic.
In 2015, the MSS awarded $1,500 to Arthur T. Johnson, MD, a postgraduate year-four (PGY-4) resident from Hennepin County Medical Center. Dr. Johnson used the award to travel to the United Republic of Tanzania to work in the Arusha Lutheran Medical Center. In Tanzania, 68 percent of the population lives below the poverty level, with high infant mortality rates and a general lack of physicians. Dr. Johnson shared his experiences while working in Tanzania in the spring of 2015, relaying to the audience that his experience there was life-changing and clarified for him the many needs of the people in that country. Dr. Johnson said he returned home after finishing his residency in Tanzania with a greater appreciation for the resources and education available in the U.S.
The 2016 MSS Humanitarian Scholarship will go to Sydne Muratore, a PGY-4 resident from the University of Minnesota, to support her travel to and residency at Holy Family Surgery Center (HFSC), El Rancho Santa Fe, Honduras. HFSC is an ambulatory surgery center on the grounds of the Nuestros Pequenos Hermonas Honduras Home.
Connecticut Chapter: Local residents compete in the Connecticut Chapter 2015 Surgical Skills Competition.
Connecticut Chapter meeting offers special session on patient-centered care
The Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Surgeons Professional Association, Inc. hosted its annual meeting November 6, 2015, at the Marriot in Farmington, CT. The meeting was attended by 200 and had strong support from industry partners. The meeting agenda was revamped this year to include a morning session devoted entirely to attending physicians, with an afternoon session focused on residents and medical students.
The meeting began with two lectures on enhancing surgical quality. Alan K. Meinke, MD, FACS, a general surgeon in Westport, CT, presented CT Surgical Quality Collaborative: Driving Value for All Surgeons. This engaging session was developed to educate Fellows about the work of the Connecticut Surgical Quality Collaborative (CtSQC), an ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-based collaborative, which recently rolled out statewide protocols for enhanced recovery after surgical procedures. Thomas Heleotis, MD, CPE, a thoracic surgeon from Long Beach, NJ, presented The Importance of Post-Operative Pain Management: Its Impact on Future Surgical Reimbursement. Dr. Heleotis spoke about the importance of managing pain, particularly using non-opioid strategies, and its impact on Medicare’s value-based purchasing equation. Following these sessions, the local Committee on Trauma and CoC and the chapter’s Young and Senior Surgeons Committees met.
The chapter recognized Kathleen A. LaVorgna, MD, FACS, with its Distinguished Service Award in honor of her contributions to surgical patient care and the art and science of medicine in Connecticut. Dr. LaVorgna is a Past-President of both the Connecticut Chapter of the ACS and the Connecticut State Medical Society. U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) was honored with the chapter’s Legislator of the Year Award for her commitment to the legislative concerns of surgeons in Connecticut.
In the James Foster Memorial Lecture, John Torello, the parent of an infant who was left severely disabled due to a medical error that led to untreated jaundice, offered a patient’s perspective on patient-centered care. Mr. Torello’s inspiring and informative talk was followed by the chapter resident paper competitions, resident lectures on Choosing Your Fellowship, and the annual chapter Surgical Skills Competition. Once again, St. Mary’s Hospital of Waterbury, CT, took first place.
Keystone Chapter: Participants at the chapter meeting included (from left) Dr. Coppola; Jeopardy Tournament Winners Dr. Iqbal and Dr. Efiong; Dr. Bannon; Dr. Arbutina; and Chapter President Matthew Indeck, MD, FACS.
Keystone Chapter offers full spectrum of activities at annual meeting
The Keystone Chapter of the ACS (KCACS) hosted its Annual Scientific Meeting November 6 at The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) in Scranton, PA. President and dean of TCMC, Steven J. Scheinman, MD, welcomed attendees to a full day of educational sessions on issues ranging from pancreatic cancer treatment and robotic surgery to the aging surgeon. A chapter poster contest also was featured, and oral abstracts were presented throughout the day. A total of 75 surgeons and other health care professionals attended the meeting, along with 13 exhibitors.
The highlight of the event was the Annual Jeopardy Tournament. Teams representing seven different medical programs from around the chapter area vied for the chapter trophy. David R. Arbutina, MD, FACS, Past-President of the KCACS and Past-ACS Governor, served as master of ceremonies. Judges included KCACS Past-President and present ACS Governor for Pennsylvania Joseph P. Bannon, MD, FACS, and KCACS Past-President Christopher P. Coppola, MD, FACS. At the end of the competition, the 50 Cells of Grey team, including Naureen Iqbal, MB, BS, a PGY-5 resident, and Enobong Efiong, MD, a PGY-3 resident, from Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA, won the trophy, which will be displayed at Geisinger Medical Center for one year.
Metropolitan Philadelphia Chapter: Winners of the Metro Philadelphia Chapter’s first annual Surgical Jeopardy Tournament, from Drexel University in Philadelphia (from left): Eric Unger, MD, PGY-5; Amanda Teichman, MD, PGY-3; Gabriel Mekel Nakhal, MD; Mohammad A. Shaikh, MD, PGY-3; Tyler Chan, MD, PGY-5; Andrew Raissis, MD, PGY-5; Elizabeth Gleeson, MD, research resident; and Alvaro Galvez, MD, PGY-2.
Metropolitan Philadelphia Chapter presents first Surgical Jeopardy Tournament
The Metropolitan Philadelphia Chapter hosted its first annual young surgeons Surgical Jeopardy Tournament November 12 at the Barbuzzo Restaurant in Philadelphia, PA. A total of 70 residents, faculty, and Metro Philadelphia Fellows participated in the event aimed at improving young surgeon engagement in chapter and College activities. The chapter received a Resident Surgical Jeopardy toolkit via the pilot program sponsored by the Resident and Associate Society (RAS-ACS) Education Committee. Metro Philadelphia Chapter Vice-President Jeffrey L. Butcher, MD, FACS, was master of ceremonies for the competition, and volunteer judges included chapter Council Members Sameer A. Patel, MD, FACS, and Jeffrey M. Farma, MD, FACS.
Resident participants from Drexel University displayed their incisive surgical knowledge during the proceedings and were awarded the Surgical Jeopardy Tournament trophy. Drexel will hold the trophy at their institution for the next year. Six other teams representing universities and hospitals in the Philadelphia area participated in the successful tournament. The chapter looks forward to hosting future Jeopardy tournaments. Additional photos of the event may be seen on the Metropolitan Philadelphia Chapter website.
ACS Massachusetts Chapter joins ACS Italy Chapter annual meeting in Milan
Representatives of the Massachusetts Chapter of the ACS were guests at the 29th Annual Italy Chapter meeting October 25, 2015, in Milan. Approximately one year ago, the two chapters created a partnership via the ACS Chapter Partner Program to collaborate and share ideas. Representatives of the Massachusetts Chapter in attendance included Michael T. Jaklitsch, MD, FACS, Chapter President; Terry Buchmiller, MD, FACS, Past-President of the chapter and present Governor for Massachusetts; Cristina R. Ferrone, MD, FACS, chapter member; P. Marco Fisichella, MD, FACS; and Beatrice Dionigi, MD, a PGY-4 resident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston. Ronald V. Maier, ACS First Vice-President, also attended. Each of these individuals delivered presentations at a special international session. Laura F. Goodman, MD, a PGY-4 general surgery resident at University of California-Davis, also participated in the proceedings via an ACS International Exchange Program award. Dr. Goodman spoke on global surgery.
Italy Chapter: Participants at the chapter meeting included (from left): Corradino A. Campisi, MD, PhD, FACS, Italy Chapter President-Elect; Francesco Puccio, MD, FACS, Italy Chapter President; Dr. Dionigi; Dr. Buchmiller; Antonio Di Cataldo, MD, FACS, ACS Governor for Italy; Giuseppe R. Nigri, MD, FACS, Italy Chapter Treasurer; Dr. Fisichella, Massachusetts Chapter member; Dr. Jaklitsch; Franco Mosca, MD, FACS, Italy Chapter member; Giammauro Berardi, MD, Resident Member, Italy Chapter; Alessio Vinci, MD, Resident Member, Italy Chapter; and Silvia Quaresima, MD, Resident Member, Italy Chapter.
For the first time, the Italy Chapter featured a Resident Surgical Jeopardy contest using the toolkit provided by the RAS-ACS. Residents from three surgical programs in Italy participated in the competition. Winning team members each received free subscriptions to minimally invasive surgery courses provided by the Advanced International Mini-Invasive Surgery Academy of Milan.
Also in attendance at the Italy Chapter meeting as a special guest was then-ACS Governor for Spain and former ACS Chair of the Governors’ Chapter Activities International Workgroup Miguel A. Cainzos, MD, FACS. Dr. Cainzo’s participation in the meeting was due in part to the organization of chapters into International Regions 14–17 via the International Workgroup. Chapters in the same region are encouraged to offer joint meetings or to participate in the meetings of other local chapters. Italy and Spain are both members of the International Workgroup’s Region 15.
Virginia residents gather for Jeopardy competition
Residents from all of the surgical training programs in Virginia participated in a Resident Jeopardy Competition at a combined meeting of the Virginia Chapter and the Metropolitan Washington, DC, Chapter last May at the Richmond Hilton, VA.
New Mexico Chapter welcomes keynote speaker Dr. Mattox
Special guest and keynote speaker Kenneth L. Mattox, MD, FACS, Past Second Vice-President of the ACS, is welcomed by chapter leaders at the 2015 New Mexico Chapter meeting September 19, 2015, at the Crown Plaza, Albuquerque. Participants at the meeting included (from left, all MD, FACS): Anthony R. Vigil, former ACS Governor for New Mexico; Stephen W. Lu, Committee on Trauma State Liaison; Michael P. Keller, Chapter Councilor; Bridget N. Fahy, Chapter Councilor; Katherine T. Morris, Chapter Councilor; Melania Yeats, Chapter President; Dr. Mattox; Albert Man-Chung Kwan, Chapter Secretary-Treasurer; Jean D. Remillard, Chapter Vice-President; and Ashwani Rajput, MD, FACS, CoC State Chair.
