The meeting was held at the historic Kohler Resort, with strong attendance by surgeons in all career stages. Multiple sessions and presentations, including the ACS Update, had some degree of focus on the needs of rural surgeons and their patients. Wisconsin surgeons face particular challenges due to the combination of long geographic distances and episodes of extreme weather.
On Friday, there were strong sessions that included oral presentations of clinical research and case report videos of interesting cases. A Community Lecture Panel focused on difficult cases managed by surgeons in practice.
I presented the ACS Update, which included information on the anticipated efforts to streamline the ACS application process for surgeons of all disciplines, the Rural Trauma Initiative of the Committee on Trauma, and the Commission on Cancer efforts to modify standards and expand options for accreditation of rural cancer programs.
On Friday afternoon, the Beaumont Lecture, “Who Will Be the Last Doctor Standing? An Updated Primer in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Surgeons,” was presented by Michael McGee, MD, FACS, chief of the Division of Colorectal Surgery at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. This was an insightful discussion on the realistic potential of AI developments that may affect surgeons’ productivity and relevance.
A highlight of Friday afternoon was the Presidential Address of Elise Lawson, MD, MSHS, FACS, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in which she chronicled her professional development and experience.
The day concluded with the Top Gun competition, which had categories for residents and for practicing surgeons, and the chapter dinner, held at the Kohler Design Center, provided an opportunity for relaxed communication between attendees.
Saturday morning’s session featured practicing surgeons from academic, private group, and employed settings—spanning rural and urban environments—who answered questions relevant to young surgeons preparing to choose their career path.
There was also an update on the Surgical Collaborative of Wisconsin, a surgeon-led initiative that works with multiple Wisconsin institutions, including academic centers, hospitals, and community and rural practices, to improve surgical quality through data sharing and collaborative learning. The meeting concluded with an ACS advocacy update.
Beth H. Sutton, MD, FACS
Immediate Past President
