The History and Archives Committee (HAC) of the American College of Surgeons, formerly known as the Surgical History Group, was organized at a breakfast meeting at Clinical Congress 2013. The group was formed with the conviction that an awareness of how surgeons and surgery have evolved can add richness to our lives and serve as a guide to the future.
One of the group’s initial goals was to make surgical history an integral part of Clinical Congress by sponsoring events such as a poster competition, a breakfast presentation, and a panel session.
The History and Archives Committee supports research in surgical history through an annual Archives Fellowship. A $2,000 stipend is awarded to support research that capitalizes on the archival resources of the ACS, which includes the records of the College in Chicago and/or the Orr Collection in Omaha, NE.
Full Session with Archives Fellowship Presentation by Julia Chavez presenting a "History of Surgical Ethics" and the keynote address by Charles J. Yeo, MD, FACS presenting "Thomas Eakins’ Materpiece: The Gross Clinic."
Full session with keynote address by Don K. Nakayama, MD, FACS, presenting "Race and Surgery in America."
Full session with keynote address by David S. Jones, MD, PhD, presenting “When Surgery Is an Experiment: Lessons from the History of Surgical Treatments for Coronary Artery Disease.”
Full session with 2019-2020 Archives Fellowship presentation by Cynthia L. Tang, MSc, MA, presenting "“Seeking Control of the “Laparoscopic Revolution,” 1989-1995” and keynote address by Craig A. Miller, MD FACS, presenting "“Through a Distant Lens: Images of the Life of Dr Michael DeBakey”.
Full session with keynote address by Peter J. Kernahan, MD, FACS, presenting “William J. Mayo and the Rise of American Surgery”
Full session with keynote address by John L. Cameron, MD, FACS, presenting “JMT Finney—First President of the American College of Surgeons”
Full session with keynote address by David L. Nahrwold, MD, FACS, presenting "The Impact of the College on Our Healthcare System"
Keynote address by John A. Weigelt, MD, DVM, FACS, presenting "History of the Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program (SESAP)"
The ACS History and Archives Committee has compiled educational resources on the history of surgery that is specifically designed for medical students and residents in training. Resources include discussions, videos, presentations, and more.
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The 2022 History of Surgery poster session is now closed.
The History of Surgery Poster Session, sponsored by the History and Archives Committee of the American College of Surgeons, offers surgical history enthusiasts the opportunity to present on their subject of interest relating to the diseases, techniques, technology, events or personalities of particular importance to the field of surgery and its subspecialties.
Photos and presenter information from prior years are listed on the web pages for the Poster Competition.
The History and Archives Committee is again offering a Young Surgeons Essay Competition intended to recognize and support young surgeons who are interested in the historical roots of our profession, and are dedicated to studying it. The objective is to produce a scholarly manuscript for publication using original historical research that will advance our knowledge of the past, thus promoting both young surgeon historians and the history of surgery itself.
Young surgeons are invited to submit an essay on a historical topic of their choosing. Up to three winners will be invited to publish his/her paper in Annals of Surgery Open, with publication costs covered.
Entries are invited from young surgeons who must be the first and primary author.
Young Surgeons are defined as:
*Fellows above 45 years of age may serve as additional or senior authors.
Submissions are due by January 8, 2024. Review the Competition Guidelines or contact Michael Beesley at mbeesley@facs.org.