Spring 2016 President's Corner

I am honored to write my first “Presidential Corner” as I start my term as SGS President. We had a fantastic meeting in Palm Springs and I would like to congratulate Immediate Past President Andy Walter, MD and 2016 Scientific Program Chair, Eric Sokol, MD for a highly impactful and educational meeting. We had several broken records at the meeting this year: record breaking registration numbers for the meeting, record breaking number of new members inducted into the Society (29!), and record breaking number of attendees at our SHARE social program (with some impressive lip-syncing and dancing! ) The 2017 Program Chair, Rob Gutman, MD is already working on next year’s program, which will include innovative post-graduate surgical skills courses and opportunities to build on mentorship relationships within the Society at the beautiful La Cantera Resort in San Antonio.

The most common things I hear about after every annual meeting is that “special feel” at SGS and the amazing opportunities to interact with mentors and some of the “giants” in gynecology. There is something truly unique about the members of SGS and their commitment to fostering the growth of other gynecologists. Over the next year, we will continue to work on building such opportunities in our Society. New endeavors will include the Pelvic Anatomy Group and development of a Mentorship Program. The Fellow’s Pelvic Research Network (FPRN)® continues to expand and flourish and we will continue to work to meet its changing needs during this time of growth. The Systematic Review Group continues to be active, contributing data synthesis and guidelines for clinical decision making. You will see innovative enhancements to the SGS Winter Post-graduate course, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year! The program will include honored and well known gynecologic surgeons and prior faculty providing hands-on education on performing and teaching vaginal hysterectomy and gynecologic surgery. Finally, SGS will continue to work with ACOG and relevant organizations to promote evidence-based medicine, guidelines and models to promote vaginal hysterectomy.

I am excited and proud to serve this Society and I welcome any suggestions. Your participation and engagement in SGS are important and serve as the backbone for that “special feel” I hear so much about. If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].

Thank you for your commitment to gynecology and I look forward to working together to advance the SGS mission to promote the highest standards for gynecologic surgical care.

Vivian Sung, MD, MPH