President’s Message Dr. Fiemu Nwariaku Let me take this opportunitto congratulate ou on a versuccessul meeting in Phoenix last Februar. Te success oour organization depends on active participation bthe membership, and I am proud to note the signicant participation bmembers at the last annual meeting. Tere is no doubt that we have a oung, vibrant and progressive membership. It is mpleasure to inorm ou that our organization, the Association or Academic Surgercontinues to enjorobust growth in membership and programs. Te Academic Surgical Congress in Februar2007 marked the second joint meeting othe AAS and the SocietoUniversitSurgeons. We must acknowledge the hard work omanmembers, especiallour Recorder – now President – Elect, Dr. Herb Chen, Immediate Past-President, Siobhan Corbett, reasurer, Dr. GarNackman, cu rrent Secretar , Dr. Kevin Stavele-O’Carroll and a host oothers. We enjoed record abstract submission and meeting attendance. Our abstract acceptance rate was 88% with 104 oral papers and 190 p osters. A AS manuscript submission to the J ournal oSurgical Re search increased b200% last ear, and the Journal impact actor has gone up 21%. In keeping with our mission, the AAS continues to reach out to medical students and surgical trainees with the goal oattractin g them to careers in academic surger . Last ear we created the A AS Student ravel Grant, to encourage medical student attendance at the annual meeting. In 2008 the program will now include a medical student session, where students can present their scientic work to peers and mentors alike. We believe that this will be a useul endeavor or the students and encourage the ormation and maintenance omentoring relationships. Te Fundamentals oSurgical Research Course and Career Development courses continue to do well. Over 120 acultand ellows attended both courses in October 2006. We will continue to oer both courses in tandem with the Clinical Congress othe American College oSurgeons. I encourage ou to attend these courses on October 5th and 6th 2007 in New Orleans. During the application ccle ending in September 2006, 82 new members joined our organization- the highest ever in our histor. Tis is clearldue to the outstanding eort bthe membership committee under the leadership oDr. Peter Nelson, as well as our numerous institutional representatives. At the business meeting we approved a new categorostudent membership and anticipate that this will urther boost our membership. Under the leadership oImmediate Past President Siobhan Corbett, the nomination process has been streamlined, allowing individuals to submit their letters ointent prior to the business meeting. Tis small change was verwell received as shown bthe enthusiasm during the last election. We also observed a plethora osuperb candidates or manleadership positions within the organization, thus ensuring a strong leadership pipeline or the AAS during the next several ears. Heartcongratulations to the newlappointed ofcers and Councilors and I look orward to working with all oou to improve our organization. Finall, much othe dailactivities required to run our organization would not be possible without an attentive management compan. We are ortunate to have the assistance oBSC as thecontinue to provide wonderul support all ear round and particularlduring the annual meeting. I look orward to seeing ou in New Orleans this October and in Huntington Beach, Caliornia next Februar. in this issue President’s Message 1 Summarothe 2007 ASC Meeting 2 Fall Courses & 3rd Academic Surgical Congress 3 & 4 2007 Election Results 5 AAS Commitee Members 5 & 6 AAS 2007 Research Award 6 ASSOCIA ION FOR ACADEMIC SU RGERy • SPRING 2007 N D. FNwk