On April 9, I was invited to dinner with the president of the US Section of the ICS, the ICS world president, the executive director of the ICS, and other ICS leaders. The discussion was animated, and everyone was enthusiastic about the activities of both the ICS and the ACS.
Just before the meeting, a workshop on vascular anastomosis was offered.
The meeting’s opening ceremony was April 10, and Sharique Nazir, MD, FICS, FACS, president of the US section of the ICS, was the primary moderator. Highlights of the afternoon included the lecture "Management of Strictures of Bilioenteric Anastomosis" from ICS World President Guido Parquet Villagra, MD, FICS, of Paraguay, and the ICS Honorary Fellow (2024) Lecture "Plotting Your Course" from Patricia J. Numann, MD, FACS. The Az-Zahrawi Memorial Lecture was an excellent historical presentation by Mahmood Hai, MD, titled "Foundations of Modern Surgery: Insights from Medieval Surgeons."
That evening, there was a series of four presentations about surgical publishing, which covered the publishing process—from planning, to writing, and to actual publication. The sessions also detailed the benefits for surgeon authors and their colleagues when participating in publishing books and manuscripts.
Sessions on the third day focused on topics such as global surgery, robotics and technology, surgery in conflict zones, artificial intelligence in medicine, transplant, and rural surgery. The day also included the annual Research Scholarship Competition for medical students and residents.
Friday night was the President's Dinner, at which Dr. Nazir presided and presented several awards.
The final day began with the Bariatric Surgery Forum and the Vijay Mittal Lecture, "Building International Consensus for Common Surgical Issues—Lessons Learned." Additional sessions examined the healthcare journey of India, the resurgence of Harlem Hospital in New York City, and the status of robotic surgery. My presentation focused on ACS programs and initiatives, and I encouraged membership in the ACS for surgeons at all levels of training and all disciplines.
I was honored to participate in the Convocation Ceremony, and 20 attendees were conferred ICS fellowship.
That afternoon, there were sessions on trauma, surgical oncology, new developments in surgical patient care, healthcare advocacy, and global robotic education.
The meeting underscored the ICS’s commitment to advancing surgical excellence worldwide, and it was a privilege to take part in this event and share the mission and ongoing work of the ACS.
Beth H. Sutton, MD, FACS
President
