The new season has well and truly begun, and I find myself reflecting on a wonderful 50th Anniversary Congress of the Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT). It was a truly celebratory meeting, with an inspiring programme featuring thoughtful reflections and forward-looking perspectives from the Presidents of each of the Royal Colleges, alongside outstanding contributions from Dame Averil Mansfield and Sir Alfred Cuschieri.
I had the pleasure of teaching laparoscopic Upper GI skills on the Roux Group pre-congress course, and it was also a privilege to help judge and award the ASGBI/ASiT Prize, as well as the Emergency General Surgery and Trauma Poster Prize. One of the highlights for me was taking part in a lively debate on whether social media has done more harm than good for the image of the surgeon. I’m pleased to report that, on this occasion, the audience seemed persuaded by my argument in favour of social media’s positive role in our profession.
The entire congress was characterised by energy, curiosity and enthusiasm. It was particularly encouraging to see so many trainees actively engaged in research, education and leadership, and becoming involved with ASiT. The future of surgery is clearly in excellent hands.
Meanwhile, preparations for the ASGBI International Surgical Congress in Brighton this May are gathering real momentum. Abstract decisions have now been released, and the team at ASGBI headquarters is working incredibly hard to deliver what promises to be an exceptional meeting. If you have not yet submitted your study leave request, I would strongly encourage you to do so. Brighton will offer an inspiring programme, innovative ideas to take back into your clinical practice, and most importantly, an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and strengthen our shared sense of belonging within the surgical community.
Speaking of belonging, we currently have several Regional Representative vacancies within ASGBI. Becoming a Regional Rep is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to get involved with the Association and contribute to the work we do. For many, it also provides a natural stepping stone towards future executive roles within ASGBI. If you are interested in shaping the future of our organisation, I would strongly encourage you to apply, it would be wonderful to welcome more of our members into the team.
As I write this, I am in New Zealand, representing ASGBI at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the New Zealand Association of General Surgeons. This year’s theme, Serving Communities and Embracing Innovation, resonates strongly with many of the priorities we share within ASGBI. I am particularly looking forward to discussions around remote and rural surgery, an area where our colleagues in New Zealand face challenges that mirror those experienced in many parts of the UK and Ireland.
From here I travel to Tampa for the SAGES Annual Meeting, where I look forward to reconnecting with our SAGES colleagues before we welcome many of them to Brighton in May.
I wish you all a very happy and productive month, and I look forward to updating you again soon.
With my very best wishes,
Christian Macutkiewicz
President, ASGBI
