We invite you to connect with ACS H.O.P.E. during Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, DC, September 26–29. Throughout the meeting, join us for a variety of sessions highlighting global surgery, volunteerism, advocacy, and humanitarian engagement.
Featured sessions and events include:
PS108: Humanitarian Surgical Outreach at Home and Abroad: Reports of the 2026 ACS-Pfizer Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Award Winners
September 27: 12:45 pm ET
This plenary session showcases the 2026 ACS-Pfizer Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Award winners who will share insights into their motivation, accomplishments, and lessons learned related to surgical outreach. As innovators and leaders in surgical outreach, the honorees' stories will create a robust portrayal of this complex work. Together, they will form the basis for a lively question-and-answer segment at the conclusion of the session.
PS216: Global Engagement
September 28: 9:45 am ET
The Global Engagement Panel Session will feature invited speakers exploring timely topics in global surgery, innovation, and technology. The session will also include presentations from the 2025 ACS H.O.P.E. Resident Research Scholars, who will share insights from their work in Hawassa, Ethiopia, and Lusaka, Zambia. Attendees will receive updates on ACS H.O.P.E. programs and initiatives and learn about opportunities to engage in the organization's global surgery efforts.
PS231: Beyond Burnout: Restoring Purpose, Autonomy, and Joy in Surgical Practice
September 28: 2:30 pm ET
Surgeons are facing unprecedented levels of burnout fueled by moral injury, reduced autonomy, bureaucratic overload, and the challenges of navigating corporate health care systems. This panel brings together diverse perspectives to explore actionable strategies for restoring meaning, autonomy, and joy in surgical practice. Topics will include minimizing moral injury throughout a surgical career, the role of volunteerism as a tool for personal and professional renewal, the growing appeal of locum tenens as a flexible practice model, and ways for surgeons to assert their value in a system increasingly driven by metrics. The session will highlight both individual and institutional solutions that can promote well-being, career longevity, and a renewed sense of purpose in surgery.
ACS H.O.P.E. Reception
September 28: 6:00–7:30 pm ET
The ACS H.O.P.E. Reception is an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and build new relationships with the global surgery community. Join volunteers, peers, mentors, scholars, and friends of ACS H.O.P.E. for an evening of networking, conversation, and celebration. The reception will also feature reflections from the recipients of the ACS-Pfizer Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Awards, recognizing their contributions to improving surgical care around the world.
Whether you are a longtime volunteer or exploring opportunities to get involved, we encourage you to attend these events, connect with colleagues, and learn more about how you can support global surgical care. We look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC.
