President's Letter
Dear Colleagues & Friends,
As we move through the summer months, I continue to feel a huge amount of gratitude for the strong and vibrant volunteer base that we have at SGS. I so appreciate the dedication of our volunteering colleagues and the input of our engaged members. I am so proud to share some updates on happenings within the Society.
In June the Executive Committee had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Lauren Siff, Chair of the Postgraduate Committee, and reviewed the exciting plans Dr. Siff and her committee members have made for this year’s SGS Winter Postgraduate (PG) Course. This year the course will be held in a virtual format only, on Sunday, December 8 between 10am and 4pm EST (what a perfect way to escape the winter weather and holiday hustle!). It will include three 90-minute panel presentations and opportunities for discussions focusing on laparoscopic hysterectomy, vaginal hysterectomy, and relevant anatomy with objectives similar to those that have accompanied the hands-on cadaver lab of past Winter PG Courses. We are hopeful that an exciting update this year will be the addition of coaching and mentoring opportunities built into the program, which would add tremendous value to attendees while underscoring the value SGS places on mentorship. The Winter PG Course is an excellent opportunity for members to brush up on gynecologic surgery technique and knowledge, and also an excellent resource for non-member colleagues. Please be sure to spread the word about this opportunity, especially as the virtual format makes it easily accessible and affordable to attend.
The Executive Committee was recently invited by the American College of Surgeons to review and endorse important policy statements to help promote equitable practices for surgeons and surgical trainees with regard to pregnancy, parental leave, and lactation. We were proud to endorse these policies and hope our membership is aware of their content and helps promote their adoption at their institutions. You can find these full statements for review here:
Financial health is important to the future success and strength of the Society. SGS leadership recently reviewed and updated the SGS Investment Policy and other protocols to ensure financial best practices and internal controls are followed. In this month’s newsletter we are also highlighting two funds – the Nancy Frankel & Lennie Siegel Fellow Scholar Fund and the John O. L. DeLancey Fund. Take a look at these exciting giving opportunities to strengthen the mission of SGS.
Also in this newsletter, I’m pleased to highlight the incredible Scientific Program Committee. They are hard at work under the capable and innovative direction of the 2025 Scientific Program Chair, Gena Dunivan, building a program around the theme of Surgeons as Agents of Change in an Evolving World. If you are interested in being on an abstract or video review committee, please submit your name by the August 10 deadline. This is a terrific way to be engaged with SGS and was my initial volunteer work with SGS as a junior attending, so I am grateful for where the experience took me within the Society!
The Annual Scientific Meeting is going to be filled with thought-provoking and valuable presentations, along with what I expect to be outstanding scientific presentations. Please read further in the newsletter for ways to submit postgraduate course and academic roundtable proposals as well as scientific abstracts and surgical videos. A very exciting addition this year is the opportunity to submit a surgical simulation innovation for our very first Simulation Lounge! Read on for more details for submission to this.
One of the questions I love to ask (spoiler alert to anyone interviewing for fellowship) is “What makes a great surgeon?” The team is thinking creatively and working on a special project addressing this question, which we will share more about soon, so stay tuned! In short, I am really excited to be going to Rancho Mirage at the end of March and am already looking forward to seeing you all there – so please mark your calendars if you have not already!
I am so proud of these examples of how the work of our committees comes together to support the SGS Strategic Plan and move SGS forward – with new possibilities – as a leader in gynecologic surgery.
Be on the lookout for more updates in the coming months, and as always, please feel free to reach out to me any time with questions and your ideas.
Hoping you are able to get some rest and relaxation this summer!
Best,
Star
Star Hampton, MD
SGS President 2024-2025
