I am honored to serve as the AAS representative to the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons. In this capacity, I serve as a conduit for information between the two organizations. Additionally, I feel that I have a duty to advocate for the principals and the mission of the AAS within the American College of Surgeons Board of Governors.
The Board of Governors is organized into five pillars, including member services, education, advocacy and health policy, quality, and communications. Each of these pillars has several working groups which develop materials, information, and help shape policy. I have been assigned to the Education Pillar and the Surgical Training Work group.
The Board of Governors recently met at ACS Leadership Summit in Washington DC. The most significant news to report is the repeal of the sustainable growth rate. The College views this as an important positive milestone for surgeons and medical practice. During the leadership summit our workgroup met as well. We are developing materials related to education and practice for senior surgical residents and young surgeons. I feel that these will be very important to help individuals transition to successful practice. We also highlighted the ACS Member Communities. I would encourage each AAS member to join one (or more) of these active groups. More information can be found on the ACS Member Communities webpage.
I am committed to serving the AAS effectively as your representative to the American College of Surgeons. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns. My email address is prittsta@uc.edu.