Committee on Young Surgeons

Guidelines and Responsibilities

Background: The Committee on Young Surgeons (CYS) was established as an ad hoc committee in 1969 and as a standing committee in 1973. Initially, the committee was charged with establishing closer relationships between the College and surgical residents, Associate Fellows, and young Fellows of the College; promoting active participation of young surgeons in College affairs, including at the Chapter level; and making College activities meaningful to young surgeons in all specialties. Since its inception, the CYS has presented an education program for Initiates at the Clinical Congress annually, and has served as College representatives during visits to Capital Hill in Washington, DC. In addition, members of the CYS serve as Liaisons to:

• The Board of Regents
• Six standing committees of the Board of Governors
• Seven standing College committees, including the Program Committee and the Resident-Associate Society
• The AMA Young Physicians' Section

Mission: The CYS represents the interests and concerns of the young surgeons of the College. The CYS promotes active participation and input from young surgeons to support College activities.

Vision: The CYS exists to mentor those younger, advise those older, and advocate for our peers within the College. The CYS will act as consultants to the College regarding the needs specific to the young surgeon.

Goals:

1. Education: Provide opportunities for young surgeons to learn those aspects of surgical practice specific to us, and to promote educational opportunities for our peers and future surgeons.
2. Research and Optimal Patient Care: Provide opportunities to explore the dynamic practice of surgery focused on the needs of young surgeons and patients.
3. Advocacy and Health Policy: Represent the interests of the young surgeon and their patients. Educate the College and public of the concerns specific to all surgeons.
4. Member Services: Develop methods of providing services needed by the young surgeon and endeavor to include all young surgeons under the umbrella of the College.

1. Education:
   • Present the annual Initiates program
   • Co-host the yearly CYS/Chapter Leadership meeting
   • Sponsor the practice management Web site
   • Mentor medical students, residents, CAS members, and young surgeons
   • Formulate new programs to educate young and future surgeons about developments and issues in the College
   • Act as a consultant to College governing bodies about the issues concerning young surgeons
2. Research and Optimal Patient Care:
   • Promote scholarship opportunities offered by the College
   • Provide a forum for patient care issues
   • Facilitate involvement in research
   • Pilot innovative programs sponsored by the College
   • Support efforts to enhance the Surgical Forum
3. Advocacy and Health Policy:
   • Promote and participate in the annual Capitol Hill visit to advocate on behalf of all surgeons
   • Work with the College to focus on the needs of young surgeons and to help advocate on behalf of all surgeons
   • Educate members of Congress with regard to the needs of surgical patients and their surgeons
   • To serve as a resource to health policy makers in the public and private sectors
   • Promote active participation by all young surgeons in the legislative process
   • Support initiatives to improve the safety of the surgical patient and access to surgical care
4. Membership:
   • Support the efforts of the College to provide value and "branding" of FACS
   • Work to increase membership at all levels
   • Improve communications between young surgeons and the College
   • Serve as young-surgeon liaisons to all College governing bodies
   • Work with medical students, Residents, and Associates to improve membership value
   • Consult with the Resident-Associate Society to help them achieve their goals
   • Develop future leaders of the College
   • Support the formation of an ACS medical student section
   • Support initiatives to make surgery an attractive career option for women and minorities
   • Support local chapters' efforts to increase membership among young surgeons

Composition: The CYS is composed of 15 Fellows and Associate Fellows, who are age 45 or younger. The CYS strives to seek diversity in its membership by recommending young surgeons from all types of practice settings, e.g., academic, community, research, and administration; from all surgical specialties; from a variety of geographical locations; and from women and minorities, which may be under-represented populations of the Fellowship.

Meetings: The CYS meets annually, during the Clinical Congress. In addition, the CYS meets in conjunction with the annual leadership conference for ACS chapters, which is developed and staffed by the College's Division of Member Services. Finally, the CYS Executive Committee may conduct an additional meeting each year, if appropriate.

Minutes and Reports: The CYS minutes, reports, hearings, and so forth, may not be distributed outside of the CYS, duly appointed committee chairs, the College staff, the Board of Regents and Officers, without the approval of the Regents.

Active Members: The size of the CYS may not exceed 15 Active Members. Active Members are Fellows and Associate Fellows who are age 45 or younger.

Terms: Active Members who are under age 45 may serve a three-year term, or until they reach age 45. Active Members under age 45 may be eligible to be re-appointed to an additional, three-year term. Active Members must attend at least two CYS Annual Meetings during their first term, otherwise, re-appointment to a second, three-year term will not be considered.

Nominations: The CYS will have a Nominating Committee that will be responsible for identifying potential nominees. The Nominating Committee will consist of three Executive Committee members, and two CYS members. The Chair will appoint the Nominating Committee.

The Nominating Committee will (1) identify the CYS needs, based on specialty and geographic location; (2) solicit input from the Regents, the Advisory Councils, the surgical specialty societies, the chapters, the current CYS members, and the specialty societies that represent under-represented groups. The nominees that are identified will be requested to submit a paragraph outlining the contributions that they would like to make as a member of the CYS. The CYS Nominating Committee will review the information received from the nominees, and subsequently, a final slate will be prepared for the CYS Chair and Executive Committee for approval.

The Board of Regents must approve all nominations for Active Members.

Special Members: A class of special membership may be established by the CYS at the discretion of the CYS, with Regental approval. Special Members may serve for a limited time–usually not more than two years–in order to lend expertise to an ongoing CYS project, or to remain involved in an activity that requires their attention. Special Members may serve on subcommittees, but they may not vote or hold office.

Liaison and Consultant Members: A class of liaison membership for committee members from other organizations may be established by the CYS, with Regental approval. Liaison Members will be nominated by the parent organization, approved by the vote of the CYS Executive Committee, and appointed by the Board of Regents. They will not vote or hold office, unless the so-named Liaison Member is a Fellow or an Associate Fellow of the College. If so, they may vote but not hold office. Liaison Members may be appointed for a three-year term, and may be eligible to serve a second term.

Consultant Members may be proposed by the CYS. Consultant Members are individuals not representing other organizations or agencies, and who possess certain special qualifications of value to the committee. Consultant Members shall be selected and approved by the same procedure used for appointing Active and Liaison Members. Consultant Members have the same prerogatives within the CYS that are available to Liaison Members.

Chair: The Board of Regents shall elect the CYS Chair. The CYS, through its Executive Committee, will forward nominations for the Chair to the Board of Regents. The Chair is elected for a term of two years, and shall be eligible for re-election to a second, two-year term. The Chair's Active Membership on the CYS will be continued during the term as Chair.

Vice-Chair: The CYS Vice Chair shall be nominated from among the CYS Active Members by the CYS Chair, approved by the Executive Committee, and appointed by the Board of Regents. The Vice Chair shall serve a one-year term and may be re-elected.

Vice Chair-Elect: The CYS Vice Chair-Elect shall be nominated from among the CYS Active Members by the CYS Chair, approved by the Executive Committee, and appointed by the Board of Regents. The Vice Chair-Elect shall serve a one-year term and may be re-elected.

Executive Committee: The CYS Executive Committee consists of the Chair, the Vice Chair, the Vice Chair-Elect, and two CYS Active Members. The two CYS Active Members are nominated by the CYS Chair, approved by the CYS Executive Committee, and appointed by the Board of Regents. The two Active Members of the Executive Committee Member shall serve a three-year term, and may not be re-elected.

Subcommittees: The formation of CYS subcommittees involving CYS Active Members may be created by the CYS, with prior approval from the Executive Director. When individuals other than CYS Members or other than Fellows or Associate Fellows of the College are to be appointed to the subcommittees, they must have prior approval of the Board of Regents.

Online October 12, 2005

About the Committee on Young Surgeons

 Committee on Young Surgeons