I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in Boston, October 22-25, 2023. This was made possible through the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Resident and Associate Society of the American College of Surgeons International Scholarship Exchange Program.
My primary area of interest is upper gastrointestinal surgery, with a focus on esophageal and gastric cancer. This is a rapidly evolving field, with the increasing implementation of minimally invasive and robotic approaches and the advent of targeted oncologic therapies in the curative setting now challenging long-held paradigms with respect to the management of esophagogastric cancer. The ACS Clinical Congress brought together international thought leaders in Foregut Surgery, Surgical Oncology and Thoracic Surgery to discuss current advances in the management of esophagogastric diseases, providing insights into the diverse and evolving surgical care models for patients with upper gastrointestinal diseases internationally. Furthermore, the meeting provided a valuable opportunity to engage with surgeons with varied and differing clinical and academic backgrounds, to reflect upon important concepts such as the delivery of surgical training, the optimal provision of acute care surgery, and the joys and challenges associated with life as a surgeon.
Particular highlights for me included “Technical Pearls of Redo-Surgery for the Giant Paraesophageal Hernia” delivered by Dr Hugh G. Auchincloss; “Plan B: Management Of Gastric Conduit Ischemia During Esophagectomy” from Dr Mohammad E. Alomari; and the sessions “Management of Gastroesophageal Junction Cancers” and “Shifting Surgeon Culture: Work-Life Balance, Career Satisfaction, and Retention” which included excellent talks from Professor Sharmila Dissanaike and Professor Mary L. Brandt. I also greatly enjoyed the “Town Hall” style session delivered by Professor Diana L. Farmer, Professor Christina Cellini, Professor Jennifer Tseng and Professor Gail Darling on “What I Wish I Had Known: Practical Life and Career Advice for the Next Generation of Women Surgeons”.
The Clinical Congress program also included several social events, including the “Taste of the City” on the closing afternoon of the meeting, which was particularly enjoyable. I also had the pleasure to attend the RCSI North American Chapter of Fellows Reception, where I met with many RCSI alumni now working in the United States and Canada, and gained an insight into their experiences of a life in surgery in North America. I also made sure to spend some time exploring the beautiful city of Boston, including a short visit to the Ether Dome at Massachusetts General, where the first surgical anaesthetic using ether took place in 1846, and a trip out to Cambridge to take in the historic Harvard University campus.
I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Camila Guetter, Dr. Julia Coleman and Dr. Kaitlin Ritter for their kindness and hospitality, and Brad DeFabo Akin from the American College of Surgeons administrative team for his assistance in coordinating the exchange. I found the experience extremely rewarding, and would highly recommend participation in this program to other trainees and fellows in Ireland.
