ACS Brief

Latest Stories

Immersive Skills and Didactic Courses Await You at Clinical Congress 2025

July 29, 2025

Discover the latest in surgical technology and experience educational content firsthand by attending an in-person Didactic or Surgical Skills Course at Clinical Congress 2025 in Chicago, Illinois, October 4–7. Choose from a wide array of topics, focusing on acquisition of knowledge and skills through best practices in education and training methods.

Maximize Your Leadership Potential with ACS Surgeons as Leaders Course

July 29, 2025

The modern medical environment is challenging, complex, and unpredictable, and with the demands on leaders escalating, the need for leadership has never been greater. To meet this need, the ACS offers the Surgeons as Leaders: From Operating Room to Boardroom course, which is intended for surgeons in any practice setting (academic or community) who currently serve in leadership positions or aspire to such positions.

Growing US Surgeon Shortage Require Action

July 29, 2025

An Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) report released in 2024 was so clear it was almost brutal: it predicted a shortage of 13,500 to 86,000 physicians by 2036. The worst news was that 10,000 to 19,900 individuals, or as much as 74% of the total shortfall, would be surgeons.¹

Read this week's entire issue for the latest news on the ACS and the field of surgery.

July 29, 2025 Issue

ACS Brief

Apply for Resident Research Scholarships, View 2025–2027 Awardees

The ACS offers 2-year scholarships for residents in general surgery or a surgical specialty training program.

ACS Brief

Explore Peer-Reviewed Artificial Intelligence Content in JACS

Check out the “Surgical Innovation and AI” collection to keep up with the growth of AI in the medical field.

ACS Brief

Learn about Key Evidence-Vased TBI Recommendations with ACS Online Course

The Fundamentals in the Management of TBI course aims to educate trauma care providers about the key recommendations of the TBI guidelines.

ACS Brief

Get Discounted Registration for August Coding Course in Nashville

Don't Miss Out!

Go to your MyCME Portal today and verify your ABS ID and date of birth on the Board Certification Tab so you can have your CME data automatically transmitted to the ABS via ACCME.

Decision-Aid Tool Can Reduce Preoperative Tests, Save Substantial Costs

With the cost of healthcare ever increasing, interventions to save on resource expenditure are proving increasingly valuable. Dr. Zaid Abdelsattar discusses his recent Journal of the American College of Surgeons article on a study that shows using an existing tool to guide preoperative type and screen testing is feasible, accurate, and effective in reducing unnecessary tests and costs before elective noncardiac thoracic surgery.

State Motorcycle Helmet Laws Have Significant Impact on Use, Injury Severity

In the latest episode of The Operative Word podcast, host Dr. Lillian Erdahl is joined by Drs. Stephanie Jensen and Britt Christmas to discuss their recent Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) article, “Association of State Helmet Laws with Helmet Use and Injury Outcomes in Motorcycle Crashes.” In the study, authors analyzed a decade of motorcycle collision data from an ACS-verified Level I Trauma Center positioned at the border of two states with differing motorcycle helmet laws. The study found that helmeted patients had reduced injury severity and that state helmet laws significantly influence helmet usage among motorcyclists.

Literature Selections

1 in 5 Elderly Surgical Patients Report Functional Decline Not Quantified Objectively

Patients and surgeons sometimes have conflicting opinions about the postoperative trajectory of recovery.

Surgeons Can Help—or Hinder—Compliance with Commission on Cancer Operative Standards

This qualitative study interviewed site reviewers on their perspectives on key determinants of site compliance with these standards.

Past Issues

Brief Reviews

ACS Brief

Genetic Connections in Surgical Oncology

An exploration of literature on the importance of understanding genetic connections in different types of cancer and the use of precision medicine.

ACS Brief

Colonoscopy versus FIT-Fecal DNA for Colon Cancer Screening

Examines current literature on scientific basis of colon cancer screening methods, specifically, the efficacy of colonoscopy vs FIT-fecal DNA testing.

ACS Brief

Laparoscopy in the Context of Trauma: Too Slow or Too Fast?

Examines current literature on the various uses, benefits, and limitations of laparoscopy in trauma care.

See More Brief Reviews