In conjunction with Clinical Congress, the ACS offers 3 days of specialty programming to medical students considering a career in any of the surgical specialties. The Medical Student Program, starting today, incorporates didactic lectures, small group interactions, and hands-on activities.

Stephen Yang, MD, FACS, Chair of the ACS Committee on Medical Student Education, describes it as a “one-stop shop” to learn how to become a good surgery resident, how to get into a good surgery residency, and how medical students can take care of themselves for the future.

“We have great lectures on preparing oneself for a career in surgery, how to transition to being a good resident, how to improve your teaching skills as a resident, and how to get that good work-life integration and also focus on wellness,” he said.

Today’s program, 11:15 am–6:00 pm, includes a discussion on the multifaceted nature of surgery, a panel on professional development opportunities during residency, the Medical Student Program ePoster Session, and a networking event with representatives from diverse surgical specialties and practice settings. In the ePoster Session, 2:15 pm–4:05 pm, 48 medical students will present their clinical research, basic science research, or outcomes, innovation, or education research.

The Monday lineup, 1:00 pm–6:00 pm, features presentations on how to be “a cut above” during training and resident selection, comments from E. Christopher Ellison, MD, FACS, MAMSE, who will be newly installed as ACS President, and activities tailored to medical students at different stages of their education. Medical students in their third year and above will hear a resident panel discuss residency decision-making and gain teaching tips from an interactive session. Roundtables for more junior students will provide opportunities to practice knot tying, discuss what to include in an effective personal statement, and ask questions about the residency application process.

Anton N. Sidawy, MD, MPH, FACS, MAMSE, who will be Immediate Past-Chair of the ACS Board of Regents, and Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, FRCSC, FSACME, MAMSE, Director of the ACS Division of Education, will address the Medical Students Program on Tuesday. The day’s schedule, 1:00 pm–6:00 pm, also includes a panel discussion on mastering the surgical residency interview, mock interview practice, and networking with residency program directors.

Now in its 20th year, the Medical Student Program has served more than 5,000 students with input from 150 committee members. Over the past 2 decades, annual attendance has increased more than tenfold, from just 30 attendees the first year to more than 400 today.

There is no cost to ACS Medical Student members who register in advance. Participants must register for both Clinical Congress 2022 and the Medical Student Program.