This year’s virtual Clinical Congress features several opportunities for attendees to learn more about surgical history.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) History and Archives Committee (HAC) is sponsoring a History of Surgery Poster Session this year. Twenty posters were presented by Fellows, residents, and medical students that highlight extraordinary stories from the rich history of surgery. Judging took place virtually, and the first- and second-place winners were announced during the History of Surgery Community “Breakfast” Meeting September 28.

The first-place winners were Susan Wilson, resident scholar, Women’s Studies Program, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA; Megan Catalano, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA; and Jane Arbuckle Petro, MD, FACS, New York Medical College, Jamaica Plain, MA, for the poster “Susan Dimock MD Pioneer Female Surgeon, 1870s.” Second place was awarded to Melanie Fritz, BA, Boston University School of Medicine, MA, for “The Rise and Fall of Gender Identity Clinics in the 1960s & 1970s.”

This year’s guest lecturer at the virtual “Breakfast” was Craig A. Miller, MD, FACS, who spoke on Michael E. DeBakey, MD, FACS, a cardiac and vascular surgery pioneer. The second recipient of the HAC Archives Fellowship, Cynthia Tang, also presented at the meeting and spoke about her research investigating the revolution of laparoscopic surgery. A question and answer segment followed the presentations, and surgical history enthusiasts were able to share stories and discuss where surgery has been and how best to preserve it in the future. This session is available for viewing under Special Interest Sessions during and after Clinical Congress 2020.

The Charles G. Drake History of Surgery Named Lecture has been a fixture at the Clinical Congress since it was established by the Advisory Council for Neurological Surgery in 1992. This year’s lecturer is Nancy L. Asher, MD, PhD, FACS, who will speak on Transplantation Surgery in the 21st Century. The Drake Lecture will take place Monday, October 5, 1:00–1:55 pm CDT.

Surgical Specialties and Their Evolution, a Panel Session sponsored by the HAC, will take place on Tuesday, October 6, 12:00 noon–12:55 pm CDT. This session will demonstrate the commitment of young surgeon innovators and their dedication to developing projects that have a lasting impact. Each of the surgeon panelists faced incredible hurdles while producing innovative projects that would lead to major paradigm changes. Their individual stories show their dedication, drive, and grit, ultimately contributing to significant advances in the care of surgical disease. The orthopaedic portion of the session will demonstrate the emergence of this specialty, separating it from the fracture services of the traditional Halsted model of training, leading to a new branch within the surgical family.

For more information about these programs or the College’s history in general, visit the Member Engagement “booth” during the virtual meeting, and visit the ACS Archives website.