It was a great privilege to participate in the RCST meeting held July 10–12 at the Royal Cliff Hotels Group in Pattaya. Surgeons representing countries around the globe participated, sharing concepts and practices, which benefited all of us who were in attendance. Topics included oncology, trauma, acute care surgery, robotics, patient outcomes, and quality improvement, providing a well-rounded and interactive meeting.
The opening ceremony was hosted by the RCST President Apirak Chuangsuwanich, MD, and Thawatchai Akrawiput, MD, chair of the organizing committee of this 50th Annual Scientific Congress. It was a joyous occasion in which many initiates were joined by their families and colleagues, and honorary membership was conferred to several surgeon leaders from around the globe.
I was honored to participate in the ACS Thailand Chapter Presentation on worldwide surgical education. In my presentation, “ACS Global Perspective on Sustainable Surgical Education,” I emphasized the key role that education plays in the mission of the College. There was a host of complementary presentations from other surgical leaders that highlighted the critical mission of educating the next generation of surgeons.
Lectures were provided by Kerin Fielding, MBBS, immediate past-president of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and Professor Rowan Parks, MD, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. There was a robust discussion on the role that surgeons play in impacting and sustaining the global surgery community.
I also participated in an RCST panel in which I addressed the “Transition to Practice of Young Fellows and Preceptorship for Practicing Surgeons.” This was extremely well attended by surgeons of all career stages, including a host of residents, fellows, and young attendings from Thailand and the region. The panel addressed the need for lifelong learning, evolution, and change in one’s own practice, and the opportunities that exist for surgeons as their careers progress. There was a great deal of discussion about integrating families and other nonsurgical aspects of one’s career.
The social aspect of the meeting was sublime. The president’s dinner included local cuisine with entertainment featuring the Thai culture and arts.
Overall, the meeting was well designed and organized and provided extraordinary educational value to all attendees. The hospitality was welcoming and created a strong environment for both education and interaction with colleagues, new and old.
Dennis H. Kraus, MD, FACS
Second Vice-President
