Surgery News - March 2009 - (Page 13) MARCH 2009 • SURGERY NEWS NEWS FROM THE COLLEGE RAS Essay Contest Honors Mentors of character that it takes to bring one’s professional reputation into question for the sake of someone else’s aspirations. Without a social security number, automobile, cellular phone, or apartment, I would steam my shirt in the hotel shower, hail a cab in the morning and evening, and use a pay phone to call internationally to my parents. Through those trying first few months, I called upon my mentor for advice and direction. Professor Freischlag encouraged, sympathized, and ultimately had enough faith in me to smooth the edges of a raw transition into residency in the U.S. Two years into residency, I was about to enter probably the most important interview of my career: a cateMy Mentor gorical surgery position at University of California–Los Faith in the Journey: Julie Freischlag, M.D., FACS Angeles (UCLA). I was reminded when I met the proby Jonathan Bath, M.D. gram director how historically UCLA has not taken an international medical graduate into its categorical proI have recently started as a third-year postgraduate gram. Two weeks passed with no word. I called my student in general surgery at University of Califormentor and uttered superlatives regarding the position. nia–Los Angeles. My rotations will be a rigorous but standard mixture of trauma and gastrointestinal, tho- The job signified my transition from passive onlooker to part of the process, and Professor Freisracic, and vascular surgery, which is an chlag understood the significance of this in expected training pathway for a U.S. my life. graduate in surgery. However, I am not a It was after a call from the program diU.S. graduate, and my career pathway rector at UCLA that I realized the full exhas been anything but standard. tent of my mentor’s dedication to my I attribute a large part of my surgical cause. Sitting near the chairman of career in the U.S. to an extraordinary surgery at a surgical meeting in Califormentor in Julie Freischlag, M.D., FACS, nia, conversation turned to the opening at professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins UCLA. Professor Freischlag handed a foldUniversity, Baltimore. Applying to surgied napkin across the table. “This is the cal residency 3 years ago, I had sent my person you need to take in your program. application to many top-ranked proJULIE grams. By January, I had been invited to FREISCHLAG, M.D., FACS He is perfect for the job.” As I tried to remain composed when reinterview at only two programs. Departplying to the one position that validated the past 5 ing the interview in Professor Freischlag’s office in drizzling January rain, all I felt was hope; her positive years of hard work, the lasting words of the program director at UCLA could not have more greatly underand encouraging tones were like a bright torch of lined the compassion and understanding extended to light in a damp and emotionally turbulent few me by Professor Freischlag. “I look forward to working months. with you at UCLA. I am expecting great things from a I matched as a preliminary surgical resident at man with such stellar support from his chair.” Johns Hopkins in the intern class of 2006–2007. Professor Freischlag recognized the sacrifices and emotional and financial hardship I had endured in comDR. BATH is a third-year postgraduate student in general ing here and had the open-mindedness and strength surgery at University of California–Los Angeles. The following article is the first in a series of brief essays written for an ACS Resident and Associate Society (RAS) essay contest. Residents, fellows, and new faculty have been asked to describe in 500 words or less the role that a mentor has played in their development. The RAS leadership believes that these mentors not only are role models, but also are pillars of strength and good examples for future generations of surgeons who are attaining technical and clinical skills, while also advancing their interest in research, education, and outreach in an increasingly challenging health care environment. The winner of this year’s essay contest will be announced at the 2009 Clinical Congress in Chicago. Symposium Helps Perioperative Team Improve Safety Council (CSPS) and Joint Commission Resources, Inc. Thecosponsoron Surgical & Perioperative Safety will the symposium “Improving, Enhancing, and Sustaining Positive Patient Outcomes” May 8-9 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. Aimed at surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, perianesthesia and perioperative nurses, surgical physicians’ assistants, surgical technologists, pharmacists, and all others who provide care and services in the field of surgery, the conference focuses on teamwork and improved communication—topics that also interest business leaders and risk management professionals. Participants will leave the conference with the ability to: Describe the current state of perioperative safety and prioritize strategies for improvement within their respective organizations. Analyze the methods presented to determine which would most effectively enhance the interdisciplinary care model at their organization. Evaluate and apply interdisciplinary approaches designed for specialty patients and situations. Examine tenets of and advocate for medication safety in the perioperative area. Investigate causes of surgical and anesthesia errors as a means to develop preventive processes. The CSPS is a unique collation of professional organizations representing the perioperative team: the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants, the American College of Surgeons, the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses, and the Association of Surgical Technologists. To register or obtain more information, visit www.jcrinc.com/Conferences-and-Seminars/Perioperative-Safety-Symposium/1512/. To learn more about the CSPS, go to www.cspsteam.org or contact dgoode@facs.org. SRGS Defines ‘Required Reading’ trouble keeping up with formation published every month? If so, why not Do you havethat isGeneral Surgery makethe wealth of clinicalletinSelected Readings in that job easier for you? Selected Readings in General Surgery (SRGS) is a unique and convenient resource that helps you avoid searching unnecessary literature and articles. Published by the American College of Surgeons’ Division of Education, SRGS offers an in-depth, topic-specific analysis of the surgical literature and selected full-text articles come in one convenient publication. In the current issue of SRGS (Vascular Trauma/Venous Disease, Volume No. 35, No. 3), you will find a review and clarification of the controversies surrounding optimum prevention of thromboembolic complications in trauma patients. To review this issue, sign up for a trial subscription. Go to www.facs.org/srgs/subscribe/order.html. Click on the link labeled “Order, renew, or sign up for a free 30-day online subscription.” The online trial subscription offer is the third item listed on that page. Click on the “Details” button to the right, and then “Add to Cart.” Before checking out, please login as a member of the College. SRGS offers online, print, and CD-ROM subscription formats. An optional continuing medical education (CME) program can be used to satisfy the requirements for maintenance of certification, licensure, and privileges. More information is available at www.facs.org/srgs. SAGES To Offer Endoscopy Web Cast American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic The Society ofSurgeons (SAGES) will present a comprehensive postgraduate course in flexible endoscopy that will also be Web cast at its annual meeting April 22, 2009, in Phoenix. The course will cover basic diagnostic and therapeutic upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopic techniques as well as management of difficult scenarios and complications. A brief overview of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and advanced upper endoscopy techniques will also be presented. This course is designed to address the needs of practicing general surgeons who perform flexible endoscopy as a part of their practice, but it is also appropriate for surgical residents and fellows in training. To view the Web cast, send an e-mail to jacqueline@sages.org. Please include your name, institution, e-mail address, and phone number. Register by Thursday, April 16. Login instructions will be sent on Friday, April 17. To learn more, visit www.sages.org/meet ings/annual_meeting/2009/. Add Your Photo to Your ACS Profile know that you can upload your photo into your profile in the ACS database? Did youACS Web Portal’s “My Profile” fea-By using the ture, you can easily insert your photo into the profile that patients and others see when they search the ACS Member Directory via the College’s public Web site. Simply go to http://efacs.org/portal/page/portal/ ACS_Content/MYPAGE/MYPROFILE and click on “Update My Profile.” Go to “Edit SECTION VI,” where you can upload your photo, describe your practice, and provide the URL for your personal Web site if you have one. While visting the “My Profile” area, you may also wish to list your specialty, year of birth, phone and fax numbers, e-mail address, medical school attended, graduation year, hospital appointment(s), academic appointment(s), degrees, board certification(s), society memberships, and areas of special interest. In addition, you can select which information you would like to be available to the public. http://www.jcrinc.com/Conferences-and-Seminars/Perioperative-safety-symposium/1512 http://www.jcrinc.com/Conferences-and-Seminars/Perioperative-safety-symposium/1512 http://www.cspsteam.org http://www.sages.org/meetings/annual_meeting/2009 http://www.sages.org/meetings/annual_meeting/2009 http://www.facs.org/srgs/subscribe/order.html http://efacs.org/portal/page/portal/ACS_Content/MYPAGE/MYPROFILE http://www.facs.org/srgs
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Surgery News - March 2009 Surgery News - March 2009 Contents Trauma Training More for Less? Stress Test Mentoring Surgery News - March 2009 Surgery News - March 2009 - Contents (Page 1) Surgery News - March 2009 - Contents (Page 2) Surgery News - March 2009 - Contents (Page 3) Surgery News - March 2009 - Contents (Page 4) Surgery News - March 2009 - Contents (Page 5) Surgery News - March 2009 - Trauma Training (Page 6) Surgery News - March 2009 - Trauma Training (Page 7) Surgery News - March 2009 - Trauma Training (Page 8) Surgery News - March 2009 - More for Less? (Page 9) Surgery News - March 2009 - Stress Test (Page 10) Surgery News - March 2009 - Stress Test (Page 11) Surgery News - March 2009 - Stress Test (Page 12) Surgery News - March 2009 - Mentoring (Page 13) Surgery News - March 2009 - Mentoring (Page 14) Surgery News - March 2009 - Mentoring (Page 15) Surgery News - March 2009 - Mentoring (Page 16)
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