Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits
Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your 番茄社区app member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your 番茄社区app colleagues. It's all here.
Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits
Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your 番茄社区app member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your 番茄社区app colleagues. It's all here.
番茄社区app Clinical Congress 2025 in Chicago, Illinois, provided surgeons, residents, medical students, and other healthcare professionals from around the world with opportunities to advance their surgical skills and knowledge and interact with their peers, 番茄社区app leaders, and staff.
Approximately 11,600 individuals participated, with 10,559 in-person registrants and another 1,019 individuals registering for the on-demand program.
All registrants can view on-demand content and claim continuing medical education credits through February 23, 2026, and registration remains open for new participants.
This article summarizes some of the meeting highlights.
More than 2,100 surgeons from 93 countries became 番茄社区app Fellows at Clinical Congress 2025.
Convocation
This year, 2,122 surgeons from 93 countries鈥� 1,293 domestic and 829 international鈥攚ere initiated into 番茄社区app Fellowship following an inspiring procession of 番茄社区app leaders and invited guests. Secretary Sherry M. Wren, MD, F番茄社区app, presented the Great Mace.
During the hour-long program, seven international surgeons were conferred Honorary Fellowship, and several prestigious awards were presented. 2024鈥�2025 番茄社区app President Beth H. Sutton, MD, F番茄社区app, led the installation of new officers, including Anton N. Sidawy, MD, MPH, F番茄社区app, as President, Anne C. Mosenthal, MD, F番茄社区app, as First Vice-President, and Edward M. Barksdale Jr., MD, F番茄社区app, as Second Vice-President.
The 2025 Honorary Fellows were:
Hendrik Jacob (Jaap) Bonjer, MD, PhD, F番茄社区app, FRCSC, FASCRS (Amsterdam, the Netherlands)
Marshall Z. Schwartz, MD, F番茄社区app, received the 2025 Distinguished Service Award for his more than 40 years of service to the 番茄社区app, with leadership positions including Vice-Chair of the Board of Regents (BoR), multiple roles with the Advisory Council for Pediatric Surgery, and head of several key committees. Perhaps his most impactful role was as a proponent in the 1990s for the 番茄社区app to become more engaged in healthy policy and advocacy, which he helped advance as Chair of the Health Policy and Advocacy Group.
The 2025 Owen H. Wangensteen Scientific Forum Award was presented to John L. Cameron, MD, F番茄社区app, for more than 50 years of dedication to advancing scientific and clinical knowledge in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery. Among his achievements, Dr. Cameron is best known for dramatically improving outcomes and survival from the Whipple procedure at both his home institution, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and throughout the world as a result of his research.
Anna Marie Ledgerwood, MD, F番茄社区app, received the Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Inspiring Women in Surgery Award. Dr. Ledgerwood is a general and trauma surgeon with Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan, where in her 40-year tenure as a full professor, she has built a reputation for mentoring and advising students and junior colleagues in surgery.
A recording of Convocation, which includes the awards presentations and 番茄社区app Presidential Address, is available at facs.org/convocation.
Named Lectures
Clinical Congress featured eight Named Lectures, which provided attendees with opportunities to hear internationally renowned surgeons and healthcare experts share their insights on medicine and surgery.
David J. Skorton, MD, president and chief executive officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges, delivered the Martin Memorial Lecture, 鈥淟ooking Forward Together in an Uncertain Time,鈥� wherein he discussed how navigating the exponential growth of scientific knowledge necessitates an integrated approach.
Dr. Skorton鈥檚 presentation highlighted the value of maintaining the 鈥渂eginner鈥檚 mind鈥� to embrace new ideas and possibilities, the importance of maintaining surgeon well-being during periods of rapid transformation and instability, and supporting equal opportunities for improving the health of all patients as a catalyst for promoting collaboration.
鈥淲orking together to find a way forward requires us to be open to new perspectives鈥攁nd at the same time, it is equally important to coalesce around time-tested, enduring concepts that should withstand the rapidly evolving world in which we live,鈥� he said.
In the I. S. Ravdin Lecture in the Basic and Surgical Sciences, 鈥淭he Past, Present, and Future of the Total Artificial Heart: A Very Houston-Centric Story,鈥� cardiothoracic surgeon William E. Cohn, MD, F番茄社区app, explored the promise of the total artificial heart.
In his talk, Dr. Cohn described not only the history of artificial heart innovation鈥攚ork that is rooted in Houston, where he practices鈥攂ut also the paradigm-shifting work that may finally bring a permanent solution for end-stage heart failure. He described the radically different approach that his team is taking by embracing continuous-flow technology to create a small titanium device with a single moving part, suspended in a magnetic field, spinning silently to pump blood into the body and lungs without valves, membranes, or wear points.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like science fiction,鈥� Dr. Cohn said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no mechanical wear. The rotor never touches anything. There鈥檚 no reason it shouldn鈥檛 last indefinitely.鈥�
Pediatric surgeon and trauma leader Mary E. Fallat, MD, F番茄社区app, delivered the popular Scudder Oration on Trauma, which this year focused on an urgent conversation in American healthcare: 鈥淥ptimizing Strategies to Improve Trauma and Burn Care for US Children.鈥�
In an already fragmented healthcare system, trauma and burn care in the US is notably disjointed for children: Burn centers are verified by the American Burn Association, while trauma centers are verified by the 番茄社区app, state systems, or both. Meanwhile, pediatric services often are siloed from adult care.
鈥淚deally, we will develop an action plan for the emergency and initial care of injured children and facilitate transfer to definitive care,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he goal is to 鈥榬aise all boats鈥� and make sure the initial emergency care for kids becomes an imperative for all hospitals across all disciplines,鈥� which will involve implementing the National Pediatric Readiness Project.
Approximately 10,560 individuals registered for the in-person Clinical Congress 2025, taking advantage of the opportunity to network and interact with peers.
Awards and Honors
Practicing surgeons, residents, and medical students were recognized for their contributions to advancing the art and science of surgery, domestic and international volunteerism, leadership in residency, and much more. Visit Clinical Congress News for a complete listing of the awards, honors, and dedications provided at this year鈥檚 conference.
Annual Business Meeting
The Annual Business Meeting of Members was held on October 7, with Dr. Sidawy presiding. Following a series of reports from the BoR, Board of Governors (BoG), 番茄社区app Foundation, and the 番茄社区app Professional Association Political Action Committee, new 番茄社区app Officers and other officials were elected for 2025鈥�2026.
The President-Elect is Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, F番茄社区app, a renowned surgical oncologist who is the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor and senior associate dean for cancer programs at WashU Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Eberlein has been an active 番茄社区app leader for many years, serving as a Regent (2015鈥�2024), Governor (2004鈥�2010), and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (2004鈥�2025).
鈥淚t is an honor to be elected to the leadership of the 番茄社区app by my national peers. In this position, I will continue to work tirelessly to help the College and its Fellows in our shared mission to care for patients and advance surgical care,鈥� Dr. Eberlein said.
The First Vice-President-Elect is general surgeon Sharon M. Henry, MD, F番茄社区app, professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of the Division of Wound Healing and Metabolism at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, both in Baltimore. The Second Vice-President-Elect is surgical oncologist Robert P. Sticca, MD, F番茄社区app, emeritus professor of surgery at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Fargo.
The new Chair of the BoR is trauma and critical care surgeon Lena M. Napolitano, MD, F番茄社区app, who is a professor of surgery and associate chair for the Department of Surgery at the University of Michigan School of Medicine in Ann Arbor. The new Vice-Chair is cardiothoracic surgeon Douglas E. Wood, MD, F番茄社区app, the Henry N. Harkins Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle.
The BoR also named cardiothoracic surgeon Larry R. Kaiser, MD, F番茄社区app, as the new 番茄社区app Treasurer. Dr. Kaiser is an adjunct professor of surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, the Lewis Katz Dean Emeritus at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, and president, CEO, and Thomas W. Langfitt Chair of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
Three surgeons were elected to initial terms on the BoR:
Joshua Broghammer, MD, F番茄社区app, associate professor of urology at The University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City (3-year term)
Lillian S. Kao, MD, F番茄社区app, Jack H. Mayfield, MD, Chair in Surgery and professor of surgery at the McGovern School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Houston (3-year term)
Don J. Selzer, MD, F番茄社区app, associate professor and chief of the Division of General Surgery at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis (3-year term)
The following BoG Officers were elected:
Chair: Cherisse D. Berry, MD, F番茄社区app, surgery vice-chair of academic affairs and professor of surgery at Rutgers Health, New Jersey Medical School in Newark
Vice-Chair and Communications Pillar Lead: Robert D. Winfield, MD, F番茄社区app, division chief of acute care surgery at The University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City
Secretary: Sundeep G. Keswani, MD, F番茄社区app, chief of pediatric surgery at Texas Children鈥檚 Hospital in Houston
The following surgeons were elected to the BoG Executive Committee for a 1-year term:
Member Services Pillar Lead: Rohan A. Joseph, MD, F番茄社区app, clinical associate professor at Florida State University and director of the HCA Florida Capital Hospital Cancer Center in Tallahassee
Quality, Research, and Optimal Patient Care Pillar Lead: Todd K. Rosengart, MD, MBA, F番茄社区app, professor and chair of the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery and DeBakey-Bard Chair of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas
Inclusive Excellence Pillar Lead: Maheswari (Magi) Senthil, MBBS, F番茄社区app, division chief of surgical oncology in the Department of Surgery at the University of California, Irvine
Education Pillar Lead: Cynthia Talley, MD, F番茄社区app, professor of surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston
Wide-Ranging Academic Programming
A broad slate of academic, scientific, and educational programming anchored the conference, providing surgeons with an opportunity to share their unique insights into a spectrum of topics.
Returning this year were thematic sessions, which focused on endocrine, hernia, trauma/orthopaedics, artificial intelligence (AI), and education. Meanwhile, multidisciplinary sessions explored topics such as limb salvage, adolescent bariatric surgery, thyroid disorders, and acute mesenteric ischemia.
In addition to Didactic and Skills Postgraduate Courses, Clinical Congress 2025 provided attendees with access to 102 expert-led Panel Sessions, including:
The 鈥�10 Hot Topics in General Surgery鈥� session, comoderated by 番茄社区app Regent Kenneth W. Sharp, MD, F番茄社区app, and Benjamin K. Poulose, MD, MPH, F番茄社区app, which covered managing difficult percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes, endoscopy for acute cholecystitis, and adjuvant immunotherapy in melanoma, among others. Other 鈥淗ot Topics鈥� sessions focused on pediatric trauma and surgical oncology.
Dynamic Great Debates, which this year were expanded to include four sessions where experts on opposing sides discussed approaches to benign biliary disease, medical versus surgical intervention to obesity, treatment for diverticulitis, and neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer.
Several sessions focused on the current uses, growing potential, and challenges of AI, including 鈥淯sing ChatGPT and AI for Beginners,鈥� 鈥淎I: Who Is in Control?,鈥� and several more.
Three Special Sessions provided attendees with an in-depth look at relevant and timely topics in surgery:
The session, 鈥淐redentialing and Privileging in Robotic Surgery 鈥� Current State and Future Opportunities,鈥� reviewed current state and future opportunities of providing surgeons with the tools and experience to effectively perform robotic surgery procedures.
鈥淪ucceeding in TEAM鈥攖he Transforming Episode Accountability Model鈥� explored the potential impacts that 番茄社区app Quality Program participation could have on performance in this new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services model and took a detailed look at hospitals using historical data.
鈥淯pdates from the Blue Ribbon Committee II鈥� covered the background and key initiatives of the Blue Ribbon Committee II, which focuses on advancements in surgical education through competency-based assessment, faculty development, and more.
In addition to聽the Named Lectures, Panel Sessions, Special Sessions, poster presentations (which are available for registered attendees to view via the ), and other session types offered onsite, Clinical Congress 2025 featured more than 2,800 total presentations and more than 2,100 total faculty and presenters.
Surgical Ergonomics Clinic
In the bustling Exhibit Hall, which featured more than 160 companies showcasing the newest surgical tools, services, and technologies, the fourth 番茄社区app Surgical Ergonomics Hands-On Clinic for practicing surgeons and surgery residents generated significant interest. Approximately 200 participants took part in this year鈥檚 clinic, which emphasizes the importance of health and well-being in the physically demanding field.
Attendees learned how to optimally place/adjust their operating room components, such as the OR table, laparoscopic monitor, and robotic surgery surgeon console, to improve surgeons鈥� ergonomics during open, laparoscopic, or robotic surgery. In addition, the attendees practiced stretching and stabilization exercises that could be implemented inside or outside the OR.
Nearly all participants in the clinic indicated that they would use the learned exercises in their practices and that they found the event valuable. For more information on surgical ergonomics, see 鈥�Smarter Tools and Culture Shift Are Reshaping Surgical Ergonomics,鈥� in this issue.
Special Events
Clinical Congress 2025 provided attendees and their guests with opportunities to participate in social and wellness activities, including two notable events.
The Windy City Welcome Reception took place on the evening of October 5. This new event combined the Saturday President鈥檚 Reception and Taste of the City, previously held on Tuesday, and blended Chicago鈥檚 renowned cuisine, vibrant culture, and a view of the stunning skyline with a celebration of The House of Surgery庐.
Another unique event was a celebration of the career of Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, F番茄社区app, who retired in October of this year as Senior Vice President of the 番茄社区app Division of Education. In a nearly 25-year tenure, Dr. Sachdeva transformed the Division of Education from offering just a few educational programs into one that presented an expansive suite of courses, events, and resources for medical students, residents, practitioners, surgeons, and patients.
