ACS Medical Student News: Fall 2019

Welcome to ACS Medical Students News. This quarterly newsletter will keep you informed on important opportunities and medical student initiatives throughout the College.

Any feedback regarding this newsletter is greatly appreciated. See past issues of ACS Medical Students News.

Thank you,

Hanna Lakew
Assistant, Division of Member Services
hlakew@facs.org

ACS 2019 Clinical Congress Travel Award

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is proud to award the 2019 Clinical Congress Travel Award to Michael Visenio, MD. The College works continuously to support educational efforts that facilitate the transition from medical school to residency training and encourages involvement in the ACS. The annual Clinical Congress is designed to provide individuals with a wide range of learning opportunities, activities, and experiences that will match their educational and professional development needs.

Medical School: University of Nebraska Medical Center

Residency: General Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center

ACS Medical Student Community

Step 1 Survival Guide

Kavya Poluru
Medical Student Community Administrator
Saint James School of Medicine

“As the new school year begins, thousands of second year medical students will continue their journey toward basic science mastery to conquer Step 1. As an official third year student, I recently took Step 1 and below are my thoughts on navigating this difficult period.”

Read more

Surgery Interest Group Spotlight

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is happy to celebrate our medical student members by highlighting the activities of Surgery Interest Groups (SIG).

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Student Surgical Society

“The Student Surgical Society (SSS) at UTHSC underwent a revitalization over the past year. We wanted the organization to actively engage students with surgical mentors while also providing students early exposure to various fields within surgery.”

Get the ACS Medical Student Toolkit

As you know, becoming a Medical Student Member demonstrates your interest in a surgical career, and a commitment to learn more about this exciting and challenging profession. We encourage you to share your membership experience and support your fellow classmates in joining the ACS.

Connect your SIG with the College and receive the Medical Student Toolkit. The kit illustrates the benefits of being an ACS medical student member and includes a PowerPoint presentation containing information about the benefits of medical student membership, ACS giveaways, and brochures and information on how to apply.

Please complete and return the Toolkit request form to Hanna Lakew at hlakew@facs.org.

Request Medical Minutiae Today!

Medical Student Program 2019

October 27–29, 2019 | Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA

The ACS Division of Education invites students from all four years of medical school to participate in a special three-day program designed especially for them. Programming is varied from day to day, and students are welcome to attend all or selected portions of this three-day program. The program is free to ACS Medical Student members who register in advance. Nonmembers will be charged a reduced registration fee. Note that registrants must be currently enrolled in medical school to attend. Visit the ACS website for more information about the Medical Student Program.

Some of the planned presentations and activities are listed below:

• Lifestyle Issues in Surgery
• Mastering the Surgical Residency Interview
• Skills Workshops
• Mock Interview Practice
• Networking with Specialty Surgeons, Program Directors, and Surgical Residents

For additional information about the ACS Medical Student Program, please contact Katrina (“Katie”) McKenzie at 312-202-5404 or kmckenzie@facs.org.

Save the Date—Choosing a Specialty: OB-GYN Hangout

Monday, September 23, 7:00 pm (Central)

Are you interested in OB-GYN as a specialty? Join this hour-long call to hear about the ins and outs of obstetrics and gynecology surgery as a specialty.

During this hangout, we will discuss:

• Why I chose a career in OB-GYN
• Future directions in OB-GYN surgery
• Applying into OB-GYN fellowship

Sonia Bhandari, MD
Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

No need to preregister, just phone in!

Call-In Number: 888-585-9008 | Room: 549-242-585#

How to Develop and Utilize Cognitive Learning Theory-Supported Mind Maps for Health Professional Students and Educators

Pablo Buitron de la Vega, MD, MSC; Maria Jose Sanchez, MD; Roy Phitayakorn, MD, MHPE; Lindsay Demers, MS, PhD; and Wazir Kudrath, MD
Resources in Surgical Education

This article is intended for faculty and health professional students at any level of training—medical students, residents—of any health profession. This information may specifically benefit learners who are interested in using technology-based learning tools but may lack the background in cognitive learning theory to apply these tools effectively. The article will:

• Describe and define a graphic organizer of ideas called a “mind map”
• Provide a guide, supported by cognitive learning theory, for developing mind maps that can be used in health professional education

Read the full RISE article

Medical Student Program at Clinical Congress has lasting impact

Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons

I began attending the Medical Student Program as a first-year medical student in 2015, and I have attended every year since. I was admittedly a bit apprehensive as I walked into the first session because medical students interested in surgery can certainly be intense, and I did not know any other attendees. However, as the session began and the faculty from the ACS Committee on Medical Student Education (CMSE) began introducing themselves, I instantly felt at ease. Amid the daunting formality of some aspects of Clinical Congress, the faculty injected refreshing levity and approachability into these initial introductions and subsequent sessions. It was apparent that the faculty members were very experienced in working with medical students and had a keen understanding of our needs and concerns.

Read the full Bulletin article

Get Published in the ACS Case Reviews in Surgery

The ACS Division of Education has an online journal, ACS Case Reviews in Surgery, which covers an extensive array of specialties, including breast, colorectal, pediatric, transplant, acute care, trauma, general, and rural surgery. The journal links to other College publications that cover similar topics, including the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Selected Readings in General Surgery, and Evidence-Based Decisions in Surgery modules.

Medical students are encouraged to submit to ACS Case Reviews in Surgery; however, in order to do so, an ACS Fellow must be included as one of the case report authors.

For more information on this opportunity, contact Whitney Greer at wgreer@facs.org.

Join Your Local ACS Chapter

Enhance your experience as an ACS member by joining your local ACS chapter to influence surgical care and network with colleagues at the local level. Visit Find a Chapter to learn more about how to join today!