Surgical Skills Competition: So You Think You Can Operate?

Sunday, October 22, 2023, Boston, MA

So, You Think You Can Operate? is an interactive skills competition designed to pit teams of residents against one another for the educational benefit of all attendees. Stations will mimic everyday surgical situations and tasks to test surgical trainees' skills and teamwork.

Multiple stations of various surgical tasks are set up, with each station assigned a cohort of judges (committee residents and senior College representatives). Junior-senior teams from eight institutions will rotate through stations lasting approximately 10 minutes and be scored based on station-specific criteria. The team with the highest cumulative score will win institutional glory and bragging rights.

Program directors and ACS chapter leaders are invited to submit teams using the form below. Note: teams must be submitted by program directors or chapter leaders to guarantee support for travel and participation.

Teams are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to teams from ACS Chapters and teams that have not previously competed. Due to time constraints for the length of the competition, a maximum of 8 teams will be accepted. Both team members must be able to travel to the Clinical Congress. ACS does not pay for the travel or accommodation for contestants. The deadline to apply is Friday, July 14. 

Selected teams will be notified in July.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with RASnews@facs.org with any specific questions.