Held in Tucson at the Health Sciences Innovation Building of The University of Arizona, the meeting was attended by 56 members, including 21 trainees. The leadership of the Arizona Chapter provided many opportunities for the surgical trainees to showcase their research and network with surgeons from across the state. The remarkable depth and breadth of surgical expertise within Arizona was unmistakable. From cutting-edge research presentations to spirited debates, every session reflected the chapter’s mission to advance surgical excellence and patient care.
The meeting commenced with a heartfelt welcome from Chapter President Carrie Luu, MD, FACS, while Chapter President-Elect Iman Ghaderi, MD, MSc, MHPE, FACS, moderated the opening general surgery-focused session.
Morgan Crigger, MD, detailed the transformative role of robotics in acute care and trauma surgery, outlining its expanding applications and measurable patient benefits. Aaron Mason, MD, FACS, shared expert strategies for abdominal wall reconstruction, emphasizing collaborative team-based care. Christine Lovato, MD, FACS, delivered an important and timely discussion on GLP-1 medications and their implications for surgical care, providing practical considerations for preoperative and postoperative management.
Moderator Jeffrey Hodges, MD, MS, presided over a series of outstanding resident-led research presentations, reflecting the exceptional talent and academic rigor of Arizona’s surgical trainees. Topics ranged from robotic approaches to hernia repair and novel gene therapy techniques for lung transplantation to innovative educational tools for minimally invasive surgery. Each presenter demonstrated impressive command of their subject and contributed valuable insights to the attendees.
I provided an update on ACS initiatives, legislative advocacy, and chapter-level opportunities for member involvement. The chapter members engaged in a thoughtful discussion on how to expand the reach of the Arizona Chapter and provide value for Arizona ACS Fellows.
Under the moderation of Andrew Nejad, MD, attendees had the opportunity to review and discuss high-quality surgical videos on diverticular disease management with Meghan Good, MD, minimally invasive posterior components separation with Priya Rajdev, MD, and approaches to the difficult gallbladder with Michael Jones, MD.
The afternoon started with a dynamic session highlighting the realities and innovations in trauma care, moderated by Dr. Jones. Lynn Bryan, MD, expertly addressed challenges in rural trauma and acute care delivery. Brian Czarkowski, MD, provided a practical framework for managing traumatic colon injuries. Nishani Hewage, MD, explained the Brain Injury Guidelines as a paradigm shift in traumatic brain injury triage. Tanya Anand, MD, MPH, FACS, discussed whole blood transfusion, offering a historical perspective, pearls, and cautionary notes.
Moderator Dr. Rajdev oversaw a spirited debate on whether physicians should unionize, featuring Christina Colosimo, DO, MS, Emmalie Berkovsky, MD, MEd, and Nicholas Zellmer, MD. The lively exchange brought forth diverse perspectives on workforce advocacy, ethics, and the future of physician autonomy and prompted thoughtful discussion among the meeting attendees. To conclude the afternoon, Irving Jorge, MD, delivered a compelling keynote on disrupting the “endoscopic default” in common bile duct exploration, presenting surgical, economic, and robotic innovations that could redefine biliary surgery practice.
Sunday morning opened with another exceptional round of resident research presentations, featuring cancer recurrence patterns, trauma imaging innovations, firearm violence prevention, and prehabilitation for pancreatectomy patients. Each project underscored the chapter’s commitment to mentorship and scholarly achievement.
This was followed by “Quick-Shots” Resident Abstracts, which provided concise, high-quality research presentations on topics such as surgical skill evaluation, positron emission tomography imaging in endemic fungal regions, OSATS (objective structured assessment of technical skills)-based training assessments, intraoperative cryoablation outcomes, workforce demographics, air leak management protocols, operative skill progression, and pediatric trauma outcomes. The breadth of work reflected the vibrancy of surgical inquiry within Arizona’s residency programs.
Moderator Dr. Good facilitated a focused series of talks on oncologic surgery, including Shane Svoboda, MD, FACS, who reviewed best practices for managing obstructing colon cancer, Lusine Mesropyan, DO, MA, who discussed treatment considerations for incidentally identified gallbladder cancer, and Ujwal Yanala, MD, who explored management pathways for malignant bowel obstructions, balancing surgical intervention with quality of life.
The annual meeting closed with a Career Development Session, where moderator Robert King, MD, introduced Seung Gwon, MD, FACS, who provided actionable strategies on physician contracts, negotiations, and career transitions, offering attendees practical tools for long-term professional success.
The 2025 Arizona Chapter Annual Meeting was a resounding success, distinguished by its exceptional educational content, collegial atmosphere, and celebration of surgical innovation and educational excellence. The meeting reinforced Arizona’s position as a hub of surgical excellence and left attendees energized for the year ahead.
Nancy L. Gantt, MD, FACS
First Vice-President
