Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, the meeting reaffirmed the ACS Georgia Chapter’s vital role as a source of education, mentorship, and advocacy for the surgical community. The meeting was very family-focused, and had 158 attendees, including 44 trainees.
The Obesity Day program opened Friday with ASMBS Chapter President Jamil Stetler, MD, FACS, offering a warm welcome and a call to embrace collaboration and innovation. The day’s emphasis on bariatric surgery reflected the rapid evolution of the field in the era of GLP-1 therapies. Dr. Jamil Stetler, Charles Kenneth Mitchell Jr., MD, FACS, and L. Renee Hilton-Rowe, MD, FACS, led a session on how surgeons can adapt and thrive amid these changes, offering practical perspectives for comprehensive bariatric patient care. This was followed by a lively and highly relevant panel on complications in metabolic and bariatric surgery, in which Eric Velazquez, MD, MBA, FACS, Larry Hobson, MD, FACS, Micah Mabe, MD, Mobola Oyefule, MD, FACS, and Oliver C. Whipple, MD, FACS, shared real-world insights into managing surgical challenges.
Later in the morning, the Resident and Fellow Bariatric Top Video Competition, moderated by Aaron Bolduc, MD, and Ankit Patel, MD, FACS, highlighted the creativity and technical expertise of the next generation of surgeons. A session on medical obesity management, led by Chelsea Yost, MD, Danny Vaughn, MD, FACS, and Shruthi Chandrashekhar, MD, emphasized the importance of multidisciplinary approaches, while poster presentations and exhibitor visits provided valuable opportunities for interaction.
Afternoon panels on inclusive health care and quality improvement underscored the ASMBS’s commitment to equity and patient safety. Simultaneously, the Committee on Trauma Abstract Competition, moderated by GS-ACS President Benjie Christie, MD, FACS, and the Cancer Abstract Competition, led by Danny Yakoub, MD, showcased student and trainee research. The day concluded with a welcome reception, where members reconnected and celebrated the start of the meeting.
Saturday began with breakfast and exhibitor visits, followed by Dr. Christie’s presidential address, “The Readiness of a Chapter.” His remarks reflected on the resilience and progress of the chapter, integrating his recent extraordinary experiences in Ukraine providing trauma surgery training to Ukrainian surgeon.
I provided an update on ACS activities, including the ACS mobile app rollout. The popular “Stump the Chair” panel featured Dennis Ashley, MD, FACS, John Stewart IV, MD, FACS, John Sweeney, MD, FACS, Dr. Whipple, and William Jordan Jr., MD, FACS, who tackled complex cases with both humor and wisdom.
Alicia Register, MD, FACS, and Roberto Cortez, MD, then reported on the ACS Leadership & Advocacy Summit, underscoring the importance of surgeon involvement in health policy. The focus on trainees continued in the General Surgery Abstract Competition, moderated by Dr. Vaughn.
The afternoon sessions continued the momentum with an excellent panel on emergency general surgery, led by Andrew Nunn, MD, FACS, and Lucas Neff, MD, FACS, included the presentations “LCBDE for the Acute Care Surgeon” and “Making Common Bile Duct Exploration Common.” The surgeons followed this with a hands-on workshop on common bile duct exploration.
A forward-looking session on the future of anesthesiology in Georgia, led by Dr. Register and William Robert Lane, MD, detailed both the history of the development of anesthesia and the economic and professional challenges anesthesiologists currently face. Claudia Emami, MD, closed the educational program with an ACS advocacy update, reminding members of the importance of advocacy in protecting patients and the profession. The day concluded with an outdoor family reception.
Sunday opened with the Barbara K. Pettitt Annual Women Surgeons Breakfast, a well-loved tradition that fosters mentorship, connection, and support for women in surgery. I shared an update on the ACS cancer quality programs, including incorporation of the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers into the Commission on Cancer and rollout of the rural oncology accreditation option.
Dr. Neff followed with “Forward Deployed: Navigating Pediatric Care in Rural and Resource-Limited Settings,” in which he provided tips, tricks and guidance for triage, transfer, and balancing risk in challenging environments. He incorporated personal surgical experiences from Afghanistan, rural hospitals in California, and Wake Forest. The meeting concluded with the Professional Journal Club, led by Dr. Patel, Jyotirmay (Joe) Sharma, MD, FACS, and Dr. Hilton-Rowe who engaged participants in an interactive and critical discussion of recent robotic, endocrine, and bariatric literature.
The 2025 GS-ACS Annual Meeting was a resounding success, blending rigorous educational content with professional fellowship. From bariatrics and trauma to cancer care, anesthesiology, and advocacy, the sessions reflected the breadth of surgical practice in Georgia and commitment to excellence from GS-ACS members. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island provided the perfect setting for learning, networking, and family connection. Through the leadership of its officers, faculty, and engaged membership, GS-ACS continues to embody the mission of the ACS: improving the care of surgical patients while upholding the highest standards of the profession.
Nancy L. Gantt, MD, FACS
Immediate Past ACS First-Vice President
