The Academic Surgeon is the official blog of the AAS. We post anywhere from one to three times a week and our contributors will focus on issues relevant to young academic surgeons, residents, fellows, and even medical students.
If you would like to contribute, please submit your post here: https://www.aasurg.org/the-academic-surgeon-blog-submission/
Surgical Subspecialty Education Across Team Members: an Interview with an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Leader and Educator
Interviewer: Eleanor A. Fallon, M.D. – Assistant Professor, Surgical Oncology Interviewee: Erika S. Stewart, MSN, ANP—Supervising Advanced Practice Provider, Surgery; and Director of Surgical Oncology Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship and APP Student Experience INTRODUCTION: The content below represents an interview with an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) leader in surgical oncology education who is starting a …
Two Healthcare Providers Talking Through the Window
Pictured here are two healthcare providers talking through the window of the tea room in the operating room theatre. The space shows the resource limitations of our environment–the TV doesn’t work, there is no water where it is supposed to be provided–and yet the providers continue working hard even with a smile. This room represents …
The Hearts We Hold
I arrived in the city early in the morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten and a faint wash of peach pressed against the low gray clouds, the air smelling of dew. I’d been told the city was unlike any other place. Here, every person carried their heart in their hands. Not the …
The Promise (and Shortcomings) of Modern Research Technology
As a new member of the AAS Basic Science Research Committee, one of our roles is contributing to the AAS blog. I’ll admit — when I heard this, I was pleasantly surprised. Finally, an opportunity to write about what I want! Not what I think my audience (the dreaded Reviewer #2) wants to hear, but …
Congratulations to Our 2026 Research Award Winners!
We are delighted to present the 2026 AAS/AASF Trainee Research Fellowship and Faculty Research Award Winners! AAS/AASF Trainee Research Fellowship Awards provide $30,000 in research funding to an eligible resident or fellow who has completed at least two years of postgraduate training in a surgical discipline.The Joel J. Roslyn Faculty Research Award provides $50,000 in …
Congratulations to the Winner of the 2026 Ethics Committee Art Challenge!
We are pleased to announce the winner of the Ethics Committee’s Annual Essay Challenge for the 2026 Art Festival, which featured the theme “Living Your Values.” We are excited to congratulate Aprill Park! See her award-winning art piece below.
Congratulations to the Winner of the 2026 Ethics Committee Essay Challenge!
We are pleased to announce the winner of the Ethics Committee’s Annual Essay Challenge for the 2026 Essay Festival, which featured the theme “Living Your Values.” Please join us in congratulating Dr. Christopher Noda and co-author Dr. Katie Rowland! Read their award-winning essay, “I Am Here to Spend Time with You,” below. I am Here …
The Importance of Global Health Exposure for Surgical Residents Preparing for a Career in Pediatric Surgery
As a surgical resident, I have come to realize that technical proficiency alone is insufficient preparation for a career in pediatric surgery. The field demands precision and knowledge, but it also requires perspective—an awareness of inequity, the ability to adapt amid uncertainty, and leadership grounded in service. During one rotation at Black Lion Hospital, I …
Congratulations to the 2026 Best AAS Manuscript Award Recipients!
We are pleased to announce the winners of the Best Overall Manuscript by an AAS Member and Best Manuscript by an AAS Resident or Fellow. Congratulations to you both!
Strength in Stillness
Long before I learned to sew a renal vein to an iliac vein, I learned how to stand at a barre. I grew up dancing. Ballet taught me that strength is not loud. It is deliberate. It is controlled. It is holding tension long enough for your muscles to tremble and choosing to remain steady. …