The Impact of AAGL24!
Like many of you, I left the Global Congress this year filled with gratitude for the commitment, passion, expertise, vision, and vulnerability of my colleagues. It is always refreshing to see so many friends and to meet those who are new to our ranks. The line up of courses and lectures that the Scientific Program Committee and I planned for this year conveyed what we found to be most important in our professional development along with topics that would stimulate innovation and push our field forward. It was exceptionally gratifying to see our vision carried out by our gifted faculty and speakers and receive the feedback from so many of you that you also grew from this experience.
There were so many highlights for me through this event that it was difficult to narrow it down to just one or two. In our General Sessions, we visited topics we’ve never explored before. This stirred much discussion, and I hope that we can continue those conversations. I sought to normalize the full experience of being a surgeon, including the parts where we need to acknowledge that experiencing personal and professional struggle and seek support emotionally or physically, is not a weakness, it is a sign of self-awareness, a sign of strength. I was absolutely blown away by the vulnerability of our complications panel and our ergonomics MedTalk speakers. My most sincere thanks to Alan Lam, Paya Pasic, and Jose Tony Carugno for your willingness to lead us on such a difficult topic. Thank you with all my heart to Patrice Weiss for walking us through how to identify and cope when we are involved in a complication. It is my hope that through your vulnerability, all of our members will choose to find support when needed, and we will prevent the loss of valuable members in our profession. Thank you, Kim Kho, Dobie Giles, and Geeta Lal, for bringing to light the physical demands of being a surgeon, ways to prevent injury, and how to deal with injuries with grace and dignity. It is my hope that through your guidance, we will reduce suffering and become more proactive to protect our health. When we normalize having physical and emotional needs in our profession, we find better ways to get support. This in turn helps us become better surgeons and protects our future patients so that they always receive the best versions of ourselves.
I especially want to thank Dr. Linda Bradley for her powerful Honorary Address and challenging us to become cathedral minded individuals. As our Medical Director, Dr. Bradley seemed to be everywhere at this Congress. She was in many sessions and meetings, and touching lives each place she went with her genuine, thoughtful, and compassionate leadership.
Last, I want to thank Linda Michels and the AAGL staff for their dedication, positivity, innovation, and hard work to make this Congress a success. It has been my personal honor to work closely with you this year to bring life to the congress vision. While the ease of the Global Congress gives the appearance of effortless work, we know that behind the scenes there are many long days and late nights, and that each of you are juggling several balls at once to give us such a seamless and professionally satisfying experience. I admire your dedication and diligence.
It has been a great honor to serve you as Scientific Program Chair for 2024 and I look forward to seeing you all next year in the many education opportunities we have planned, culminating with the Global Congress in Vancouver!
