PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Welcome to the Northern California Chapter of the American College of Surgeons.  Our chapter helps provide a local link to the national organization.  We provide the opportunity for obtaining CME and networking with other northern California surgeons at our annual meeting in May.  We showcase local residency programs at our annual meeting through their involvement in the annual Thomas Russell best paper competition with prizes in clinical and basic science.  Our chapter, in coordination with the Southern California and San Diego Chapters, is active in surgical advocacy. We encourage membership and involvement in our chapter by our RAS and YFA members.

Our annual meeting is an opportunity to network with fellow surgeons and obtain CME credit. This year’s meeting will be May 8-9, 2020 at the Claremont Hotel and Spa in Berkeley, CA.  The meeting offers a variety of topics that are of interest to the general surgeon. Friday afternoon’s presentations and panel discussions are followed by the basic science section of the Thomas Russell Resident Paper Competition and a welcome reception. The meeting will continue Saturday with the clinical science section of the Thomas Russell Resident Paper competition, followed by more topics of interest to the general surgeon. A representative of the College joins us to give an update on College activities. It culminates Saturday afternoon as our northern California surgical residencies test their prowess in Surgical Jeopardy.

Our chapter, in coordination with the Southern California and San Diego Chapters, is active in surgical advocacy.  The California Chapters have again been awarded a grant from the ACS to support surgical advocacy at the state level.  Advocacy Day is planned for April 14, 2020 in Sacramento.

If you are under 45, I highly encourage you to become involved with the Young Fellows Association of the ACS, https://www.facs.org/member-services/yfa We encourage your membership and involvement in the Northern California Chapter.

For surgical trainees and young surgeons, the Resident and Associate Society of the American College of Surgeons (RAS-ACS) provides you with an avenue for participation in ACS affairs, fosters development and use of your leadership skills in organized surgery, and provides opportunities for your opinions and concerns as young surgeons and trainees to be heard by College leadership. https://www.facs.org/member-services/ras  We encourage your membership and involvement in the Northern California Chapter.

Dues for the Northern California Chapter are $100 for active members of the college and are separate from those of the American College of Surgeons.  We waive the dues for the first year after initiation into the College. You can join and pay your dues through our website at https://northernca.chapter.facs.org/Join-us

Please be involved in your local chapter.  The chapter and the college can better serve you with your participation.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me by email at cscocanour@ucdavis.edu. 

Sincerely yours,

Christine S. Cocanour, MD, FACS, FCCM

President, Northern California Chapter