Message from the President...
I am honored and humbled to serve as the President of the Association of VA Surgeons (AVAS). Our Association is special because it is grounded in the noble profession of medicine and surgery with a privileged focus on the delivery of the best possible care to our beloved veterans. AVAS is a non-governmental entity with a diverse and inclusive membership of professionals in all disciplines related to the care of the surgical patient. Fostering partnerships and collaborations has been a cornerstone of AVAS that has benefited our vibrant membership over the years.
The AVAS is a great platform to explore innovative ways to navigate the VA healthcare and showcase the great work that our members do day in and day out in serving our veterans healthcare needs. The unwavering commitment to excellence in clinical care, research, and education is the glue of our association and our best response to all the challenges that we face in our daily practices.
Our Association is committed to investing in the professional development and advancement of its membership. We are pleased to continue to offer Karl Storz and AVAS Foundation Research grants which provide funding opportunities for young faculty and resident investigators. Additionally, we offer travel awards and merit-based awards to students and residents who present their work at our annual meeting.
The 2018 AVAS Annual Meeting (our 51th annual meeting), held in Miami, was an incredible success with 150 attendees, and over 100 presentations. Featured speakers included Carolyn Clancy, Executive in Charge, Veterans Health Administration, Bill Gunnar, National Director of Surgery, among other thought and industry leaders. An added benefit to this program is that it provided 17 hours of CME credit, 15 of which were applicable to MOC credit hours.
Next year, the 52nd Annual Meeting will be in Seattle, April 27-30, 2019. There will be special emphasis on tools to unleash the tremendous talents and opportunities at the VA with active engagement of trainees and junior faculty to senior leadership in and out of the VA system. The meeting will continue to serve as a venue for attendees to learn cutting edge information about patient care and an opportunity for exchanging ideas and forging synergistic collaborations. Given our strategic affiliation with JAMA Surgery, presenters have the opportunity to submit manuscripts to this world-class journal that enhances the future impact of their work. I encourage you all to join us in Seattle!
Faisal Bakaeen MD FACS
President, AVAS 2018-2019
The AVAS is a great platform to explore innovative ways to navigate the VA healthcare and showcase the great work that our members do day in and day out in serving our veterans healthcare needs. The unwavering commitment to excellence in clinical care, research, and education is the glue of our association and our best response to all the challenges that we face in our daily practices.
Our Association is committed to investing in the professional development and advancement of its membership. We are pleased to continue to offer Karl Storz and AVAS Foundation Research grants which provide funding opportunities for young faculty and resident investigators. Additionally, we offer travel awards and merit-based awards to students and residents who present their work at our annual meeting.
The 2018 AVAS Annual Meeting (our 51th annual meeting), held in Miami, was an incredible success with 150 attendees, and over 100 presentations. Featured speakers included Carolyn Clancy, Executive in Charge, Veterans Health Administration, Bill Gunnar, National Director of Surgery, among other thought and industry leaders. An added benefit to this program is that it provided 17 hours of CME credit, 15 of which were applicable to MOC credit hours.
Next year, the 52nd Annual Meeting will be in Seattle, April 27-30, 2019. There will be special emphasis on tools to unleash the tremendous talents and opportunities at the VA with active engagement of trainees and junior faculty to senior leadership in and out of the VA system. The meeting will continue to serve as a venue for attendees to learn cutting edge information about patient care and an opportunity for exchanging ideas and forging synergistic collaborations. Given our strategic affiliation with JAMA Surgery, presenters have the opportunity to submit manuscripts to this world-class journal that enhances the future impact of their work. I encourage you all to join us in Seattle!
Faisal Bakaeen MD FACS
President, AVAS 2018-2019
Society Affiliation
JAMA Surgery is pleased to be the official publication for the Association of VA Surgeons.