Save the date! The 22nd Annual Academic Surgical Congress is heading to Washington, D.C., February 9–11, 2027. Jointly sponsored by the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS) and the Society of University Surgeons (SUS), the ASC is the premier meeting for surgeon scientists, trainees, and academic surgical leaders. After an incredible ASC 2026, we're already looking forward to what's next. Stay tuned for abstract submission details, registration, and programming announcements. academicsurgicalcongress.org #ASC2027 #AcademicSurgery

Know an undergraduate student who is interested in medicine, surgery, or research? The AAS LEAN Scholars Program is now accepting applications for its next cohort — and a simple share or introduction from you could be the opportunity that changes their path. LEAN Scholars receive longitudinal mentorship from medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty surgeons, along with practical support through the medical school application process. The program welcomes students at all stages of exploration, including those who are early in their journey or who have not yet had access to established professional networks. Application deadline: October 5, 2026. aasurg.org/aas-l-e-a-n-progr… Share this with a student who should apply.

AWS and AAS have partnered to support women surgeons in accessing core academic programming! Applications are open now. The AWS/AAS Surgical Investigators' Course Award covers complimentary registration to the AAS/SUS Surgical Investigators' Course in Washington, DC, February 2027. Deadline: October 23rd. Apply: womensurg.memberclicks.net/a…

We're less than 2 weeks away from the AAS 2026 Fall Courses. Don't miss out! Spend a full day investing in your academic surgery career in Washington, D.C. on September 25, right before the ACS Clinical Congress. Choose the Fundamentals of Surgical Research Course or the Early Career Development Course, depending on where you are in your path. Register today: cvent.me/XmKyBr

In Canada, her colleagues couldn't believe she was returning to work so soon after delivery. In the US, she was told how fortunate she was to have gotten 11 weeks off. Same surgeon. Same baby. Two very different systems. Elise Di Lena writes honestly about pregnancy, parenthood, and surgical training on both sides of the border — and what needs to change. Now on The Academic Surgeon: aasurg.org/surgical-educatio…

REMINDER: Just a few days left to save with Early Bird Rates for the 2026 AAS Fall Courses! Spend a full day investing in your academic surgery career in Washington, D.C. on September 25, right before the ACS Clinical Congress. Choose the Fundamentals of Surgical Research Course or the Early Career Development Course, depending on where you are in your path. Early bird rates end September 14, and space is limited. Register today: cvent.me/XmKyBr

New on The Academic Surgeon: The Art of Healing by Manuel Quiroz Flores Submitted as part of the AAS Ethics Committee’s 2026 Essay & Cover Art Challenge, “Living Your Values,” The Art of Healing offers a unique visual perspective inspired by the theme of the challenge. Learn more: aasurg.org/the-art-of-healin…

Maymona Choudry's reflection on her first surgical mission to Lugus, Philippines — the island of her ancestors — is one of the most beautifully written pieces we have shared on The Academic Surgeon. It is about global surgery, yes. But it is also about homecoming, representation, and what it means to live your values in the places that formed you. Read the post: aasurg.org/where-the-sea-mee…

TWO DAYS LEFT: Residents, are you looking for a way to get more involved in AAS? The AAS Resident Task Force is recruiting. It brings together residents in clinical and research years through structured opportunities for mentorship, leadership, and connection within a national academic surgery organization. Two minutes to express your interest. Deadline: September 4th. Fill out the interest form: forms.gle/46Rjupf176P7LwwB9

Residents, are you looking for a way to get more involved in AAS? The AAS Resident Task Force is recruiting. It brings together residents in clinical and research years through structured opportunities for mentorship, leadership, and connection within a national academic surgery organization. Two minutes to express your interest. Deadline: September 4th. Fill out the interest form: forms.gle/46Rjupf176P7LwwB9

REMINDER: Registration is open for the AAS 2026 Fall Courses! Spend a full day investing in your academic surgery career in Washington, D.C. on September 25, right before the ACS Clinical Congress. Choose the Fundamentals of Surgical Research Course or the Early Career Development Course, depending on where you are in your path. Early bird rates end September 14, and space is limited. Register today: cvent.me/XmKyBr

The latest on The Academic Surgeon is a piece every surgeon and surgical trainee should read. Christian Crannell writes about surgical endurance — what it is, why it is context-dependent, and how being intentional about the physical, mental, and emotional demands of surgery can help us perform better and take better care of our patients. Simple, practical, and long overdue as a conversation in surgical culture. Read the full piece: aasurg.org/what-is-surgical-…

We are no longer just training surgeons to operate robotic systems. We are beginning to prepare them to work alongside intelligent ones. Kristy Hawley writes about what robotic surgery education needs to become, and why academic surgeons should be shaping that transition, not reacting to it. A timely and thought-provoking read on The Academic Surgeon. Read the full post: aasurg.org/the-future-of-rob…

"Balance is not a luxury. It is a professional obligation." Muneeb Khan Bozai on what "More than Medicine" means, and why bringing your full identity to surgery makes you a better physician. Now on The Academic Surgeon. Read the full post: aasurg.org/living-ones-value…

REMINDER: Registration is open for the AAS 2026 Fall Courses! Spend a full day investing in your academic surgery career in Washington, D.C. on September 25, right before the ACS Clinical Congress. Choose the Fundamentals of Surgical Research Course or the Early Career Development Course, depending on where you are in your path. Early bird rates end September 14, and space is limited. Register today: cvent.me/XmKyBr

New on The Academic Surgeon: Providing Support During End-of-Life Care by William Fost Submitted as part of the AAS Ethics Committee’s 2026 Essay & Cover Art Challenge, “Living Your Values,” Providing Support During End-of-Life Care offers a unique visual perspective inspired by the theme of the challenge. Learn more: aasurg.org/providing-support…

AAS is offering 2 sponsored positions in the 2027 Executive Healthcare Leadership Academy, a premier leadership development program presented in partnership with the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Designed for surgeons ready to strengthen their executive leadership skills and take an active role in shaping their careers in academic medicine. Two funded spots are available and applications are open now! Learn more and apply today: aasurg.org/aas-saas-uab-exec… @AsianAcadSurg @uabmedicine

Meet August's AAS Member Spotlight: Jordan M. Broekhuis, MD, MPH, endocrine surgeon and Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Broekhuis has been an AAS member since 2020 and has grown from presenting his first abstract as a resident to earning the 2026 AAES Paul LoGerfo Research Award and serving on the AAS Leadership Committee. His story is a great example of what this community makes possible for early-career academic surgeons. Read the full spotlight: aasurg.org/aas-member-spotli…

"To live fully is to live with intention." The Academic Surgeon is honored to share this poem, submitted anonymously for the AAS Ethics Committee Essay Contest on the theme of Living Your Values. Written during a year of profound personal and professional upheaval — family illness, program disruption, loss — it is a quiet and honest meditation on what it means to keep showing up when the ground keeps shifting. Read the full poem: aasurg.org/who-am-i-when-eve…

REMINDER: The deadline to submit abstracts for ASC 2027 is this Friday. Present your work at the 22nd Annual Academic Surgical Congress, Feb 9–11 in Washington, D.C. Deadline: Friday, Aug 7 at 11:59 PM ET. No extensions. Learn more and submit: academicsurgicalcongress.org…

Are you a medical student or resident weighing a research opportunity that doesn't perfectly match your intended specialty? This one is for you. Grayson Stinger writes honestly on The Academic Surgeon about his decision to accept a pediatric surgery fellowship while pursuing plastic surgery, and why nearly a year later, he has no regrets. A grounded, practical read about mentorship, research skills, and what professional development actually requires. Read the full piece: aasurg.org/professional-deve… Share this with a student or trainee who is facing a similar decision!