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AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS TO HOST
LOCAL MINORITY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

CHICAGO: In acknowledgement of the underrepresentation of African Americans and Hispanic Americans in the surgical profession, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) will host high school students from the Chicago area during an event that is part of its 95th annual Clinical Congress, being held this week at the McCormick Place West Convention Center.  Students from Sullivan, Julian, Williams Prep, Richards, and Manley High Schools will participate in the program, which is intended to encourage diversity in the surgical profession.  The Clinical Congress is one of the largest meetings of surgeons in the world and features hundreds of scientific presentations highlighting research in progress in all surgical specialties. 

As part of the ACS High School Student Mentoring Program, A Day with the American College of Surgeons will take place on Wednesday, October 14, at McCormick Place West.  The program was developed to introduce academically talented African American and Hispanic American high school students to careers in medicine and surgery at a point in their lives when they are formulating plans for the future.  Currently, African Americans and Hispanic Americans make up only a small number of the physicians and surgeons in the United States—approximately five percent and four percent, respectively.  The event will provide students with an opportunity to interact with surgeon mentors and learn more about the profession, including what motivated their mentors to become surgeons and how people from a variety of backgrounds can achieve successful careers in surgery.

A keynote address by nationally recognized laparoscopic surgeon, James “Butch” Rosser, MD, FACS, will be a highlight of the Day at ACS program.  The press are welcome to attend the session featuring Dr. Rosser’s “top gun” demonstration and to interview students and surgeon mentors about their experiences as participants in the Day at ACS program.

About James “Butch” Rosser, MD, FACS
Dr. Rosser is a general surgeon from Spring, TX.  Through both his professional research and his non-profit organization, Modern Day Miracle, Dr. Rosser has sought ways to include disenfranchised segments of society in cutting-edge science and technology-related activities.  For over a decade, he has used his Top Gun Laparoscopic Skills and Suturing program to train surgeons to operate without opening the patient (laparoscopic surgery is done with long instruments and a camera inserted into the abdomen through specialized ports, while the surgeon looks at a video monitor on which the intra-abdominal image is displayed).  Recently, Dr. Rosser and his research team conducted a study that found a direct correlation between video game skill and laparoscopic surgical skill among surgeons.

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient.  The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery.  Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients.  The College has more than 75,000 members and it is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.  For more information, visit: www.facs.org.

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A Day with the American College of Surgeons Program

A DAY WITH THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS PROGRAM SCHEDULE
McCormick Place Convention Center – West Building
Level 1, Room W-190 AB
Wednesday, October 14, 2009

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