Three Special Sessions Every Surgeon Should Have on Their Schedule

Clinical Congress has long been known for its world-class scientific programming, but some of the most thought-provoking conversations take place outside the traditional clinical curriculum. This year, three Special Sessions will tackle the questions surgeons have been asking most: Who controls the surgical work environment, where is healthcare policy headed, and who's setting the national research agenda?

These sessions trace a single throughline: surgeons taking a more active hand in shaping their future. From a task force working to restore autonomy to the profession, to a former US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner turned candid observer of the business of medicine, to the president of the National Academy of Medicine outlining priorities that will influence research for years to come, each session offers a different perspective on leading the profession forward. 

Skip these Special Sessions, and you'll spend the rest of Congress catching up on hallway conversations instead of having them.

How to Gain Control of Our Professional Lives and Reclaim Our Autonomy

Sunday, September 27 | 11:30 am

Today's surgeons face growing administrative burdens, increasing documentation requirements, staffing challenges, evolving employment models, and mounting pressure to do more with fewer resources. Together, these forces can affect not only efficiency, but also professional satisfaction and long-term career sustainability.

This new Special Session will feature presentations from ACS Executive Director and CEO Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS, Philip R. Wolinsky, MD, FACS, from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, Douglas E. Wood, MD, FACS, FRCSEd, from the University of Washington in Seattle, and Kirsten B. Wilkins, MD, FACS, from Atlantic Health in South Plainfield, New Jersey. These surgeon-leaders will discuss practical strategies for improving workplace conditions and strengthening professional autonomy. Topics will include the development of ACS workplace standards, approaches to creating healthier practice environments, and emerging conversations around surgeon unionization.

Rather than focusing solely on identifying problems, the session will highlight solutions and resources surgeons can use to advocate for meaningful change within their own organizations. Attendees will hear a candid discussion about balancing patient care, administrative responsibilities, wellness, and career longevity in today's healthcare environment.

The Future of Healthcare

Monday, September 28 | 7:00 am

Surgical oncologist Martin (Marty) A. Makary, MD, MPH, FACS, has helped shape and closely observed the policies transforming American healthcare. As former FDA Commissioner, he led reforms in drug approvals, food policy, and artificial intelligence, decisions that are still working their way through medicine today. 

Dr. Makary will draw on his experience in surgery, academic medicine, and federal health policy, while exploring the forces impacting the future of healthcare. His presentation will examine new trends and biomedical innovations that are poised to positively disrupt everything from health insurance to the practice of medicine. The discussion will explore emerging challenges and opportunities facing surgeons and other healthcare leaders.

A Conversation with the President of the National Academy of Medicine

Monday, September 28 | 11:30 am

Few surgeon-scientists have influenced American medicine as broadly as Monica M. Bertagnolli, MD, FACS. From leading the National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health to now serving as president of the National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Bertagnolli has been at the forefront of efforts to strengthen clinical research, improve data infrastructure, and expand access to high-quality care.

During this Special Session, which will be moderated by Kyla P. Terhune, MD, FACS, ACS Senior Vice President, Education, Dr. Bertagnolli will share her perspective on the future of healthcare and biomedical research, drawing on decades of leadership at the nation's highest levels. Her work has emphasized accelerating scientific discovery while ensuring research findings translate into better outcomes for all patients, including those in rural and underserved communities.

Surgeons can expect a forward-looking discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing clinical research, innovation, and patient care, as well as the important role the surgical community will play in advancing the next generation of healthcare.