ACS Surgery News

Fellows and friends of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) have the opportunity throughout the ACS Centennial year to support the ACS Foundation and help guarantee a vital future for surgical quality and lifelong learning. The 1913 Legacy Campaign, which began in April of this year, is raising transformative gifts for the College’s second century. Philanthropic investments within three priority campaign initiatives will benefit the Surgeon, the Profession, and the Societal Good and will help shape the ACS during the next 100 years. These pillars of investment will sustain meritorious programs and support newly established initiatives:

The Surgeon

Investments in the development of innovative programs to advance simulation-based surgical education and training as well as funding to better engage and embrace international surgeons.

The Profession

Promoting best practices and quality improvements through the newly established Codman Quality and Safety Fund and programs for rural surgery and surgical ethics. The fund is named in honor of Ernest A. Codman, MD, FACS, a key figure in the founding of the College who advocated for the "End Result Idea" – the premise that hospital staff should follow every patient long enough to determine whether the treatment was successful and then learn from failures.

The Societal Good

New funding opportunities for patient education programs and support for surgical volunteerism.

Details will be announced at the 2013 Clinical Congress. For more information, contact Sarah Klein at [email protected].

Fellows and friends of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) have the opportunity throughout the ACS Centennial year to support the ACS Foundation and help guarantee a vital future for surgical quality and lifelong learning. The 1913 Legacy Campaign, which began in April of this year, is raising transformative gifts for the College’s second century. Philanthropic investments within three priority campaign initiatives will benefit the Surgeon, the Profession, and the Societal Good and will help shape the ACS during the next 100 years. These pillars of investment will sustain meritorious programs and support newly established initiatives:

The Surgeon

Investments in the development of innovative programs to advance simulation-based surgical education and training as well as funding to better engage and embrace international surgeons.

The Profession

Promoting best practices and quality improvements through the newly established Codman Quality and Safety Fund and programs for rural surgery and surgical ethics. The fund is named in honor of Ernest A. Codman, MD, FACS, a key figure in the founding of the College who advocated for the "End Result Idea" – the premise that hospital staff should follow every patient long enough to determine whether the treatment was successful and then learn from failures.

The Societal Good

New funding opportunities for patient education programs and support for surgical volunteerism.

Details will be announced at the 2013 Clinical Congress. For more information, contact Sarah Klein at [email protected].

Fellows and friends of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) have the opportunity throughout the ACS Centennial year to support the ACS Foundation and help guarantee a vital future for surgical quality and lifelong learning. The 1913 Legacy Campaign, which began in April of this year, is raising transformative gifts for the College’s second century. Philanthropic investments within three priority campaign initiatives will benefit the Surgeon, the Profession, and the Societal Good and will help shape the ACS during the next 100 years. These pillars of investment will sustain meritorious programs and support newly established initiatives:

The Surgeon

Investments in the development of innovative programs to advance simulation-based surgical education and training as well as funding to better engage and embrace international surgeons.

The Profession

Promoting best practices and quality improvements through the newly established Codman Quality and Safety Fund and programs for rural surgery and surgical ethics. The fund is named in honor of Ernest A. Codman, MD, FACS, a key figure in the founding of the College who advocated for the "End Result Idea" – the premise that hospital staff should follow every patient long enough to determine whether the treatment was successful and then learn from failures.

The Societal Good

New funding opportunities for patient education programs and support for surgical volunteerism.

Details will be announced at the 2013 Clinical Congress. For more information, contact Sarah Klein at [email protected].

On July 31, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce unanimously approved the Medicare Patient Access and Quality Improvement Act (MPAQIA) – bipartisan legislation. View the bill at http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/committee-advances-fair-transparent-bipartisan-bill-reform-medicare-physician-payments. The legislation would permanently repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and develop a new physician payment system centered on quality of care. The introduction of this legislation represents the beginning of a long process. As a next step, the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over revenue-related aspects of Medicare, will prepare to address their concerns with the bill when Congress returns from its August recess.

The introduction of the legislation also represents several months of collaboration among the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the broader physician community, and the congressional committees. View the ACS input regarding the legislation at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/index.html . The ACS maintains that physicians can play a leadership role in the development of any new payment system. The ACS will provide updates on the progress and potential components of the new payment system.

On July 31, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce unanimously approved the Medicare Patient Access and Quality Improvement Act (MPAQIA) – bipartisan legislation. View the bill at http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/committee-advances-fair-transparent-bipartisan-bill-reform-medicare-physician-payments. The legislation would permanently repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and develop a new physician payment system centered on quality of care. The introduction of this legislation represents the beginning of a long process. As a next step, the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over revenue-related aspects of Medicare, will prepare to address their concerns with the bill when Congress returns from its August recess.

The introduction of the legislation also represents several months of collaboration among the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the broader physician community, and the congressional committees. View the ACS input regarding the legislation at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/index.html . The ACS maintains that physicians can play a leadership role in the development of any new payment system. The ACS will provide updates on the progress and potential components of the new payment system.

On July 31, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce unanimously approved the Medicare Patient Access and Quality Improvement Act (MPAQIA) – bipartisan legislation. View the bill at http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/committee-advances-fair-transparent-bipartisan-bill-reform-medicare-physician-payments. The legislation would permanently repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and develop a new physician payment system centered on quality of care. The introduction of this legislation represents the beginning of a long process. As a next step, the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over revenue-related aspects of Medicare, will prepare to address their concerns with the bill when Congress returns from its August recess.

The introduction of the legislation also represents several months of collaboration among the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the broader physician community, and the congressional committees. View the ACS input regarding the legislation at http://www.facs.org/ahp/medicare/index.html . The ACS maintains that physicians can play a leadership role in the development of any new payment system. The ACS will provide updates on the progress and potential components of the new payment system.

Ever since the "age of enlightenment" dawned in the 17th century and emphasized an objective view of the natural world by means of the scientific method, free societies everywhere have prided themselves on making research findings from their laboratories readily available to all through the scientific literature. Such openness has had an incalculable beneficial effect on the advancement of science in all of its domains. Discoveries in one study often form the basis for novel lines of investigation by other research groups. The widespread accessibility to new findings has played a key role in the explosion of scientific knowledge that has occurred during the past three centuries.

Because of this cherished legacy of open access to new information, the scientific world was taken aback by the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) recommendation in late 2011 that manuscripts from two virology research groups – one at my home base, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the other at Rotterdam’s Erasmus Medical Centre – be revised prior to publication (Kawaoka Y: Flu transmission work is urgent. Nature 2012;482:155). The Board requested that the methodological details regarding the transmission of H5N1 virus in mammals be deleted from the manuscripts. The NSABB’s contention was that if such information became available to malefactors, it had the potential to be used for harmful rather than beneficial purposes.

Because of the lethality of the H5N1 virus in humans, these studies and future investigations engendered by them are of central importance. One only needs to recount the devastating effects of the "Spanish flu" that claimed up to 100 million lives early in the 20th century. Of the 570 known cases of H5N1 flu in humans, 60% have been fatal. All of these illnesses resulted from bird to human transmission. The key question the contentious investigations were attempting to answer is whether transmission of the virus is possible between mammals. The ferret that is evidently much like Homo sapiens when it comes to flu transmission was the experimental animal used.

The NSABB’s recommendation was highly controversial among scientists. Some supported a ban on such research until global guidelines could be developed for high-risk virus studies, while others contended that the benefits of making the detailed research findings widely available far outweighed the risks. They believed that even temporary suspension of research would delay the important scientific groundwork needed to be completed for H5N1 flu pandemic preparedness. The two involved scientists agreed to a voluntary ban on further investigations until guidelines were developed by the World Health Organization. These were published in 2012, and work on this key problem was resumed in laboratories able to meet the appropriate biosafety and biosecurity standards. Fortunately neither an increased number of cases nor an H5N1 flu pandemic developed in the interim.

The obvious ethical question underlying this imposed research moratorium is when, if ever, should free societies condone suppression of science? In the physical sciences that more frequently deal with matters of national security, such as weapons development, the boundaries of when to and when not to control research findings are much clearer. In contrast, when to impose limitations in the medical sciences is considerably murkier. In the example cited above, the NSABB felt compelled to act for two reasons. First, they wanted assurance that laboratories conducting this high-risk viral research met established biosafety and biosecurity standards. Few would question the appropriateness of such action. Second, they wished to prevent publication and thereby wide accessibility of newly acquired scientific information to avoid the remote possibility that it might be used for other than noble purposes. This consideration represents a much slipperier slope. In view of the virulence of the virus being tested, there is no doubt that H5N1 transmission studies are high risk. On the other hand, to withhold important, recently acquired information about this potentially deadly agent may impede research by other virologists who could contribute to eventual eradication of the threat, e.g., by development of an effective vaccine.

While the conundrum presented here has little to do with surgical science per se, it should make all of us in the greater scientific community ponder whether, when, and by whom limitations on communication of important research discoveries should be enforced. Offhand I cannot provide a scenario of a similar situation occurring within the surgical realm. However, seminal advancements in our craft have often depended on innovations in fields far removed from surgery. Only through the collective efforts of basic scientists and clinicians at the bedside and in the operating room can we unravel those secrets of nature so necessary to provide optimal care to our patients. How and when these discoveries are made available for the greater good does command our careful and thoughtful consideration.

Dr. Rikkers is Editor in Chief of Surgery News.

Ever since the "age of enlightenment" dawned in the 17th century and emphasized an objective view of the natural world by means of the scientific method, free societies everywhere have prided themselves on making research findings from their laboratories readily available to all through the scientific literature. Such openness has had an incalculable beneficial effect on the advancement of science in all of its domains. Discoveries in one study often form the basis for novel lines of investigation by other research groups. The widespread accessibility to new findings has played a key role in the explosion of scientific knowledge that has occurred during the past three centuries.

Because of this cherished legacy of open access to new information, the scientific world was taken aback by the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) recommendation in late 2011 that manuscripts from two virology research groups – one at my home base, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the other at Rotterdam’s Erasmus Medical Centre – be revised prior to publication (Kawaoka Y: Flu transmission work is urgent. Nature 2012;482:155). The Board requested that the methodological details regarding the transmission of H5N1 virus in mammals be deleted from the manuscripts. The NSABB’s contention was that if such information became available to malefactors, it had the potential to be used for harmful rather than beneficial purposes.

Because of the lethality of the H5N1 virus in humans, these studies and future investigations engendered by them are of central importance. One only needs to recount the devastating effects of the "Spanish flu" that claimed up to 100 million lives early in the 20th century. Of the 570 known cases of H5N1 flu in humans, 60% have been fatal. All of these illnesses resulted from bird to human transmission. The key question the contentious investigations were attempting to answer is whether transmission of the virus is possible between mammals. The ferret that is evidently much like Homo sapiens when it comes to flu transmission was the experimental animal used.

The NSABB’s recommendation was highly controversial among scientists. Some supported a ban on such research until global guidelines could be developed for high-risk virus studies, while others contended that the benefits of making the detailed research findings widely available far outweighed the risks. They believed that even temporary suspension of research would delay the important scientific groundwork needed to be completed for H5N1 flu pandemic preparedness. The two involved scientists agreed to a voluntary ban on further investigations until guidelines were developed by the World Health Organization. These were published in 2012, and work on this key problem was resumed in laboratories able to meet the appropriate biosafety and biosecurity standards. Fortunately neither an increased number of cases nor an H5N1 flu pandemic developed in the interim.

The obvious ethical question underlying this imposed research moratorium is when, if ever, should free societies condone suppression of science? In the physical sciences that more frequently deal with matters of national security, such as weapons development, the boundaries of when to and when not to control research findings are much clearer. In contrast, when to impose limitations in the medical sciences is considerably murkier. In the example cited above, the NSABB felt compelled to act for two reasons. First, they wanted assurance that laboratories conducting this high-risk viral research met established biosafety and biosecurity standards. Few would question the appropriateness of such action. Second, they wished to prevent publication and thereby wide accessibility of newly acquired scientific information to avoid the remote possibility that it might be used for other than noble purposes. This consideration represents a much slipperier slope. In view of the virulence of the virus being tested, there is no doubt that H5N1 transmission studies are high risk. On the other hand, to withhold important, recently acquired information about this potentially deadly agent may impede research by other virologists who could contribute to eventual eradication of the threat, e.g., by development of an effective vaccine.

While the conundrum presented here has little to do with surgical science per se, it should make all of us in the greater scientific community ponder whether, when, and by whom limitations on communication of important research discoveries should be enforced. Offhand I cannot provide a scenario of a similar situation occurring within the surgical realm. However, seminal advancements in our craft have often depended on innovations in fields far removed from surgery. Only through the collective efforts of basic scientists and clinicians at the bedside and in the operating room can we unravel those secrets of nature so necessary to provide optimal care to our patients. How and when these discoveries are made available for the greater good does command our careful and thoughtful consideration.

Dr. Rikkers is Editor in Chief of Surgery News.

Ever since the "age of enlightenment" dawned in the 17th century and emphasized an objective view of the natural world by means of the scientific method, free societies everywhere have prided themselves on making research findings from their laboratories readily available to all through the scientific literature. Such openness has had an incalculable beneficial effect on the advancement of science in all of its domains. Discoveries in one study often form the basis for novel lines of investigation by other research groups. The widespread accessibility to new findings has played a key role in the explosion of scientific knowledge that has occurred during the past three centuries.

Because of this cherished legacy of open access to new information, the scientific world was taken aback by the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) recommendation in late 2011 that manuscripts from two virology research groups – one at my home base, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the other at Rotterdam’s Erasmus Medical Centre – be revised prior to publication (Kawaoka Y: Flu transmission work is urgent. Nature 2012;482:155). The Board requested that the methodological details regarding the transmission of H5N1 virus in mammals be deleted from the manuscripts. The NSABB’s contention was that if such information became available to malefactors, it had the potential to be used for harmful rather than beneficial purposes.

Because of the lethality of the H5N1 virus in humans, these studies and future investigations engendered by them are of central importance. One only needs to recount the devastating effects of the "Spanish flu" that claimed up to 100 million lives early in the 20th century. Of the 570 known cases of H5N1 flu in humans, 60% have been fatal. All of these illnesses resulted from bird to human transmission. The key question the contentious investigations were attempting to answer is whether transmission of the virus is possible between mammals. The ferret that is evidently much like Homo sapiens when it comes to flu transmission was the experimental animal used.

The NSABB’s recommendation was highly controversial among scientists. Some supported a ban on such research until global guidelines could be developed for high-risk virus studies, while others contended that the benefits of making the detailed research findings widely available far outweighed the risks. They believed that even temporary suspension of research would delay the important scientific groundwork needed to be completed for H5N1 flu pandemic preparedness. The two involved scientists agreed to a voluntary ban on further investigations until guidelines were developed by the World Health Organization. These were published in 2012, and work on this key problem was resumed in laboratories able to meet the appropriate biosafety and biosecurity standards. Fortunately neither an increased number of cases nor an H5N1 flu pandemic developed in the interim.

The obvious ethical question underlying this imposed research moratorium is when, if ever, should free societies condone suppression of science? In the physical sciences that more frequently deal with matters of national security, such as weapons development, the boundaries of when to and when not to control research findings are much clearer. In contrast, when to impose limitations in the medical sciences is considerably murkier. In the example cited above, the NSABB felt compelled to act for two reasons. First, they wanted assurance that laboratories conducting this high-risk viral research met established biosafety and biosecurity standards. Few would question the appropriateness of such action. Second, they wished to prevent publication and thereby wide accessibility of newly acquired scientific information to avoid the remote possibility that it might be used for other than noble purposes. This consideration represents a much slipperier slope. In view of the virulence of the virus being tested, there is no doubt that H5N1 transmission studies are high risk. On the other hand, to withhold important, recently acquired information about this potentially deadly agent may impede research by other virologists who could contribute to eventual eradication of the threat, e.g., by development of an effective vaccine.

While the conundrum presented here has little to do with surgical science per se, it should make all of us in the greater scientific community ponder whether, when, and by whom limitations on communication of important research discoveries should be enforced. Offhand I cannot provide a scenario of a similar situation occurring within the surgical realm. However, seminal advancements in our craft have often depended on innovations in fields far removed from surgery. Only through the collective efforts of basic scientists and clinicians at the bedside and in the operating room can we unravel those secrets of nature so necessary to provide optimal care to our patients. How and when these discoveries are made available for the greater good does command our careful and thoughtful consideration.

Dr. Rikkers is Editor in Chief of Surgery News.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the development of three new episodes of The Recovery Room Show, beginning with a new episode that was released on July 24. The Recovery Room Show is a podcast that originally aired in 2009 and is now available on the American College of Surgeons (ACS) website. Episode 19 of The Recovery Room Show, the first show to be released since 2011, explores the field of integrative medicine and its role in patient care. "Integrative Medicine as a Whole-Patient Approach" features an interview conducted by host Frederick L. Greene, MD, FACS, Charlotte, NC, with Barrie Cassileth, PhD, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Chair in Integrative Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, and chief of the integrative medicine service. The Recovery Room is now available at www.facs.org/recoveryroom. Read more about the program at http://www.facs.org/news/2013/recovery-room0713.html.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the development of three new episodes of The Recovery Room Show, beginning with a new episode that was released on July 24. The Recovery Room Show is a podcast that originally aired in 2009 and is now available on the American College of Surgeons (ACS) website. Episode 19 of The Recovery Room Show, the first show to be released since 2011, explores the field of integrative medicine and its role in patient care. "Integrative Medicine as a Whole-Patient Approach" features an interview conducted by host Frederick L. Greene, MD, FACS, Charlotte, NC, with Barrie Cassileth, PhD, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Chair in Integrative Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, and chief of the integrative medicine service. The Recovery Room is now available at www.facs.org/recoveryroom. Read more about the program at http://www.facs.org/news/2013/recovery-room0713.html.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the development of three new episodes of The Recovery Room Show, beginning with a new episode that was released on July 24. The Recovery Room Show is a podcast that originally aired in 2009 and is now available on the American College of Surgeons (ACS) website. Episode 19 of The Recovery Room Show, the first show to be released since 2011, explores the field of integrative medicine and its role in patient care. "Integrative Medicine as a Whole-Patient Approach" features an interview conducted by host Frederick L. Greene, MD, FACS, Charlotte, NC, with Barrie Cassileth, PhD, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Chair in Integrative Medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, and chief of the integrative medicine service. The Recovery Room is now available at www.facs.org/recoveryroom. Read more about the program at http://www.facs.org/news/2013/recovery-room0713.html.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) will present its next Surgical Coding Workshop August 22–23, in Nashville, TN. The two-day workshops will include updates on effective billing and collection processes designed to reduce inaccuracies and delayed reimbursements and offer techniques for improving communication and productivity. Participants will receive a coding workbook to use for reference in their practices. Upon completion of an ACS coding workshop, participants will be able to apply correct Current Procedural Terminology coding concepts to what have become common general surgery services, such as bariatric, esophagoscopy, tracheotomy, hernia, breast, and bronchoscopy procedures.

Physicians can earn a maximum of 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits(tm) for each day. American Association of Professional Coders members can earn a maximum of 6.5 credits for each day. ACS members and their staff are eligible for discount registration. Register today at http://www.karenzupko.com/workshops/americancollegeofsurgeons/index.html.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) will present its next Surgical Coding Workshop August 22–23, in Nashville, TN. The two-day workshops will include updates on effective billing and collection processes designed to reduce inaccuracies and delayed reimbursements and offer techniques for improving communication and productivity. Participants will receive a coding workbook to use for reference in their practices. Upon completion of an ACS coding workshop, participants will be able to apply correct Current Procedural Terminology coding concepts to what have become common general surgery services, such as bariatric, esophagoscopy, tracheotomy, hernia, breast, and bronchoscopy procedures.

Physicians can earn a maximum of 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits(tm) for each day. American Association of Professional Coders members can earn a maximum of 6.5 credits for each day. ACS members and their staff are eligible for discount registration. Register today at http://www.karenzupko.com/workshops/americancollegeofsurgeons/index.html.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) will present its next Surgical Coding Workshop August 22–23, in Nashville, TN. The two-day workshops will include updates on effective billing and collection processes designed to reduce inaccuracies and delayed reimbursements and offer techniques for improving communication and productivity. Participants will receive a coding workbook to use for reference in their practices. Upon completion of an ACS coding workshop, participants will be able to apply correct Current Procedural Terminology coding concepts to what have become common general surgery services, such as bariatric, esophagoscopy, tracheotomy, hernia, breast, and bronchoscopy procedures.

Physicians can earn a maximum of 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits(tm) for each day. American Association of Professional Coders members can earn a maximum of 6.5 credits for each day. ACS members and their staff are eligible for discount registration. Register today at http://www.karenzupko.com/workshops/americancollegeofsurgeons/index.html.

During the meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD), June 15-19, in Chicago, IL, three members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were among several health care professionals elected to serve on AMA committees and in other leadership positions. Maya Babu, MD, a neurosurgery resident at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, was elected to serve in the resident/fellow trustee position on the AMA Board of Trustees; Andrew Gurman, MD, FACS, a hand surgeon who practices in Altoona, PA, was reelected as Speaker of the HOD, and Liana Puscas, MD, FACS, an otolaryngologist and assistant professor of surgery in Durham, NC, was elected to the AMA Council on Medical Education. View more details of the meeting and information on the actions of the AMA HOD at http://www.ama-assn.org/ams/pub/meeting/index.shtml.

During the meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD), June 15-19, in Chicago, IL, three members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were among several health care professionals elected to serve on AMA committees and in other leadership positions. Maya Babu, MD, a neurosurgery resident at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, was elected to serve in the resident/fellow trustee position on the AMA Board of Trustees; Andrew Gurman, MD, FACS, a hand surgeon who practices in Altoona, PA, was reelected as Speaker of the HOD, and Liana Puscas, MD, FACS, an otolaryngologist and assistant professor of surgery in Durham, NC, was elected to the AMA Council on Medical Education. View more details of the meeting and information on the actions of the AMA HOD at http://www.ama-assn.org/ams/pub/meeting/index.shtml.

During the meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD), June 15-19, in Chicago, IL, three members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were among several health care professionals elected to serve on AMA committees and in other leadership positions. Maya Babu, MD, a neurosurgery resident at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, was elected to serve in the resident/fellow trustee position on the AMA Board of Trustees; Andrew Gurman, MD, FACS, a hand surgeon who practices in Altoona, PA, was reelected as Speaker of the HOD, and Liana Puscas, MD, FACS, an otolaryngologist and assistant professor of surgery in Durham, NC, was elected to the AMA Council on Medical Education. View more details of the meeting and information on the actions of the AMA HOD at http://www.ama-assn.org/ams/pub/meeting/index.shtml.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has initiated a search for a full-time staff position: Medical Director, Division of Advocacy and Health Policy (DAHP). The individual selected for this position will be based in the ACS Washington Office and will work with the staff of the DAHP and other areas of the College.

Responsibilities of this position will include but not be limited to: attending quality, coalition, congressional, administration, and other meetings related to health care issues; supporting policy and network development; contributing to publications and committee work assignments; and serving as a staffing and budgeting resource. Only Fellows of the College will be considered for this position. View the complete job description at http://www.facs.org/ahp/employ/index.html. Interested Fellows should send a CV and a Statement of Interest by e-mail to: [email protected]. Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2013. (The American College of Surgeons is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, AA/EEO/M/F/D/V.)

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has initiated a search for a full-time staff position: Medical Director, Division of Advocacy and Health Policy (DAHP). The individual selected for this position will be based in the ACS Washington Office and will work with the staff of the DAHP and other areas of the College.

Responsibilities of this position will include but not be limited to: attending quality, coalition, congressional, administration, and other meetings related to health care issues; supporting policy and network development; contributing to publications and committee work assignments; and serving as a staffing and budgeting resource. Only Fellows of the College will be considered for this position. View the complete job description at http://www.facs.org/ahp/employ/index.html. Interested Fellows should send a CV and a Statement of Interest by e-mail to: [email protected]. Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2013. (The American College of Surgeons is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, AA/EEO/M/F/D/V.)

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has initiated a search for a full-time staff position: Medical Director, Division of Advocacy and Health Policy (DAHP). The individual selected for this position will be based in the ACS Washington Office and will work with the staff of the DAHP and other areas of the College.

Responsibilities of this position will include but not be limited to: attending quality, coalition, congressional, administration, and other meetings related to health care issues; supporting policy and network development; contributing to publications and committee work assignments; and serving as a staffing and budgeting resource. Only Fellows of the College will be considered for this position. View the complete job description at http://www.facs.org/ahp/employ/index.html. Interested Fellows should send a CV and a Statement of Interest by e-mail to: [email protected]. Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2013. (The American College of Surgeons is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, AA/EEO/M/F/D/V.)

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is offering six two-year Resident Research Scholarships to encourage surgery trainees to pursue academic careers. Eligibility for these scholarships is limited to the research projects of residents in general surgery or a surgical specialty and is supported by the generosity of Fellows, Chapters, and friends of the College.

Candidates for the scholarships, which will support research conducted from July 2014 through June 2016, must apply no later than September 3, 2013. Details regarding the Resident Research Scholarships are as follows:

• The applicant must be a Resident Member of the ACS who has completed two postdoctoral years in an accredited surgical training program in the U.S. or Canada when the scholarship is awarded on July 1, 2014, and will complete formal training after June 2016. Scholarships do not support research after completion of the chief residency year.

• Acceptance of the award requires a commitment for the two-year period it spans, July 2014 through June 2016. Priority will be given to the projects of residents involved in full-time laboratory investigation. Study outside the U.S. or Canada is permissible. Renewal of the scholarship for the second year is required and is contingent upon the acceptance of a progress report and research study protocol for the second year, which must be submitted to the Scholarships Section of the College by May 1, 2015.

• Residents may apply for these scholarships, even if they have applied for comparable scholarships offered by other organizations. If another organization offers a scholarship, fellowship, or research award to the ACS scholar, the recipient must contact the College’s Scholarships Administrator to request approval of the additional award. The Scholarships Committee reserves the right to review potentially overlapping awards and adjust its award accordingly.

• The scholarship is $30,000 per year; the total amount is to support the research of the recipient and is not to diminish or replace the usual or expected compensation or benefits of the recipient. The College will not pay indirect costs to the recipient or to the recipient’s institution.

• The scholar is expected to attend the 2016 Clinical Congress of the ACS and present a report at the Surgical Forum on his or her research and to receive a certificate at the annual meeting of the Scholarships Committee.

• The administration of the resident’s institution (such as the dean or fiscal affairs officer) must approve the application. Supporting letters from the head of the department of surgery (or the surgical specialty) and from the mentor who will be supervising the applicant’s research must be submitted. Only in exceptional circumstances will more than one scholarship be granted in a single year to applicants from the same institution.

Application forms may be obtained from the College’s website, www.facs.org, or upon request from the Scholarships Administrator, Kate Early, at [email protected] or Scholarships Section, American College of Surgeons, 633 N. Saint Clair St., Chicago, IL 60611-3211.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is offering six two-year Resident Research Scholarships to encourage surgery trainees to pursue academic careers. Eligibility for these scholarships is limited to the research projects of residents in general surgery or a surgical specialty and is supported by the generosity of Fellows, Chapters, and friends of the College.

Candidates for the scholarships, which will support research conducted from July 2014 through June 2016, must apply no later than September 3, 2013. Details regarding the Resident Research Scholarships are as follows:

• The applicant must be a Resident Member of the ACS who has completed two postdoctoral years in an accredited surgical training program in the U.S. or Canada when the scholarship is awarded on July 1, 2014, and will complete formal training after June 2016. Scholarships do not support research after completion of the chief residency year.

• Acceptance of the award requires a commitment for the two-year period it spans, July 2014 through June 2016. Priority will be given to the projects of residents involved in full-time laboratory investigation. Study outside the U.S. or Canada is permissible. Renewal of the scholarship for the second year is required and is contingent upon the acceptance of a progress report and research study protocol for the second year, which must be submitted to the Scholarships Section of the College by May 1, 2015.

• Residents may apply for these scholarships, even if they have applied for comparable scholarships offered by other organizations. If another organization offers a scholarship, fellowship, or research award to the ACS scholar, the recipient must contact the College’s Scholarships Administrator to request approval of the additional award. The Scholarships Committee reserves the right to review potentially overlapping awards and adjust its award accordingly.

• The scholarship is $30,000 per year; the total amount is to support the research of the recipient and is not to diminish or replace the usual or expected compensation or benefits of the recipient. The College will not pay indirect costs to the recipient or to the recipient’s institution.

• The scholar is expected to attend the 2016 Clinical Congress of the ACS and present a report at the Surgical Forum on his or her research and to receive a certificate at the annual meeting of the Scholarships Committee.

• The administration of the resident’s institution (such as the dean or fiscal affairs officer) must approve the application. Supporting letters from the head of the department of surgery (or the surgical specialty) and from the mentor who will be supervising the applicant’s research must be submitted. Only in exceptional circumstances will more than one scholarship be granted in a single year to applicants from the same institution.

Application forms may be obtained from the College’s website, www.facs.org, or upon request from the Scholarships Administrator, Kate Early, at [email protected] or Scholarships Section, American College of Surgeons, 633 N. Saint Clair St., Chicago, IL 60611-3211.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is offering six two-year Resident Research Scholarships to encourage surgery trainees to pursue academic careers. Eligibility for these scholarships is limited to the research projects of residents in general surgery or a surgical specialty and is supported by the generosity of Fellows, Chapters, and friends of the College.

Candidates for the scholarships, which will support research conducted from July 2014 through June 2016, must apply no later than September 3, 2013. Details regarding the Resident Research Scholarships are as follows:

• The applicant must be a Resident Member of the ACS who has completed two postdoctoral years in an accredited surgical training program in the U.S. or Canada when the scholarship is awarded on July 1, 2014, and will complete formal training after June 2016. Scholarships do not support research after completion of the chief residency year.

• Acceptance of the award requires a commitment for the two-year period it spans, July 2014 through June 2016. Priority will be given to the projects of residents involved in full-time laboratory investigation. Study outside the U.S. or Canada is permissible. Renewal of the scholarship for the second year is required and is contingent upon the acceptance of a progress report and research study protocol for the second year, which must be submitted to the Scholarships Section of the College by May 1, 2015.

• Residents may apply for these scholarships, even if they have applied for comparable scholarships offered by other organizations. If another organization offers a scholarship, fellowship, or research award to the ACS scholar, the recipient must contact the College’s Scholarships Administrator to request approval of the additional award. The Scholarships Committee reserves the right to review potentially overlapping awards and adjust its award accordingly.

• The scholarship is $30,000 per year; the total amount is to support the research of the recipient and is not to diminish or replace the usual or expected compensation or benefits of the recipient. The College will not pay indirect costs to the recipient or to the recipient’s institution.

• The scholar is expected to attend the 2016 Clinical Congress of the ACS and present a report at the Surgical Forum on his or her research and to receive a certificate at the annual meeting of the Scholarships Committee.

• The administration of the resident’s institution (such as the dean or fiscal affairs officer) must approve the application. Supporting letters from the head of the department of surgery (or the surgical specialty) and from the mentor who will be supervising the applicant’s research must be submitted. Only in exceptional circumstances will more than one scholarship be granted in a single year to applicants from the same institution.

Application forms may be obtained from the College’s website, www.facs.org, or upon request from the Scholarships Administrator, Kate Early, at [email protected] or Scholarships Section, American College of Surgeons, 633 N. Saint Clair St., Chicago, IL 60611-3211.

The Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) has initiated a new online feature: "In Press Accepted Manuscripts." With this program, accepted manuscripts are now published online at www.journalacs.org just more than one week after acceptance. The accepted manuscript (in both full-text and PDF) is fully citable and searchable by title, author(s) name, and article text. Importantly, each article also carries a disclaimer noting that it is an unedited manuscript that has not yet been copyedited, typeset, or proofread. When the fully copyedited version is ready for publication, it will replace the author-accepted manuscript version online. This process will increase the speed of publication of JACS articles, adding to the potential for more citations and more visibility.

The Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) has initiated a new online feature: "In Press Accepted Manuscripts." With this program, accepted manuscripts are now published online at www.journalacs.org just more than one week after acceptance. The accepted manuscript (in both full-text and PDF) is fully citable and searchable by title, author(s) name, and article text. Importantly, each article also carries a disclaimer noting that it is an unedited manuscript that has not yet been copyedited, typeset, or proofread. When the fully copyedited version is ready for publication, it will replace the author-accepted manuscript version online. This process will increase the speed of publication of JACS articles, adding to the potential for more citations and more visibility.

The Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) has initiated a new online feature: "In Press Accepted Manuscripts." With this program, accepted manuscripts are now published online at www.journalacs.org just more than one week after acceptance. The accepted manuscript (in both full-text and PDF) is fully citable and searchable by title, author(s) name, and article text. Importantly, each article also carries a disclaimer noting that it is an unedited manuscript that has not yet been copyedited, typeset, or proofread. When the fully copyedited version is ready for publication, it will replace the author-accepted manuscript version online. This process will increase the speed of publication of JACS articles, adding to the potential for more citations and more visibility.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and 10 other medical/specialty societies cosponsored a resolution that the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates passed during the meeting earlier this month, which recognizes obesity as a disease state that has multiple pathophysiological aspects requiring a range of interventions to advance treatment and prevention. In offering its support for the resolution, the ACS acknowledged that many physicians already treat obesity as a disease state. In fact, bariatric surgeons are often on the frontlines of treating this disease, with life-improving and lifesaving results.

The College’s testimony further noted that through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), the ACS and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery have come together to develop accreditation standards for bariatric surgery centers. This accreditation symbolizes an institution’s commitment and accountability to safe, high-quality surgical care. Currently, 640 bariatric surgery centers throughout the country are accredited through the MBSAQIP, and these centers and their surgeons treat obesity as a disease.

For more information regarding the College’s support of AMA Resolution 420, contact [email protected]. For details regarding the MBSAQIP, go to http://www.mbsaqip.org.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and 10 other medical/specialty societies cosponsored a resolution that the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates passed during the meeting earlier this month, which recognizes obesity as a disease state that has multiple pathophysiological aspects requiring a range of interventions to advance treatment and prevention. In offering its support for the resolution, the ACS acknowledged that many physicians already treat obesity as a disease state. In fact, bariatric surgeons are often on the frontlines of treating this disease, with life-improving and lifesaving results.

The College’s testimony further noted that through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), the ACS and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery have come together to develop accreditation standards for bariatric surgery centers. This accreditation symbolizes an institution’s commitment and accountability to safe, high-quality surgical care. Currently, 640 bariatric surgery centers throughout the country are accredited through the MBSAQIP, and these centers and their surgeons treat obesity as a disease.

For more information regarding the College’s support of AMA Resolution 420, contact [email protected]. For details regarding the MBSAQIP, go to http://www.mbsaqip.org.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and 10 other medical/specialty societies cosponsored a resolution that the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates passed during the meeting earlier this month, which recognizes obesity as a disease state that has multiple pathophysiological aspects requiring a range of interventions to advance treatment and prevention. In offering its support for the resolution, the ACS acknowledged that many physicians already treat obesity as a disease state. In fact, bariatric surgeons are often on the frontlines of treating this disease, with life-improving and lifesaving results.

The College’s testimony further noted that through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), the ACS and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery have come together to develop accreditation standards for bariatric surgery centers. This accreditation symbolizes an institution’s commitment and accountability to safe, high-quality surgical care. Currently, 640 bariatric surgery centers throughout the country are accredited through the MBSAQIP, and these centers and their surgeons treat obesity as a disease.

For more information regarding the College’s support of AMA Resolution 420, contact [email protected]. For details regarding the MBSAQIP, go to http://www.mbsaqip.org.