Clinical Congress 2025 in Chicago Will Ignite Big Ideas, Bold Advances

For the first time in a decade, the ACS Clinical Congress will return to Chicago, Illinois, with thousands of surgeons and medical professionals coming together October 4–7 for one of the largest surgical meetings in the world.

Located on the picturesque shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is an international hub for culture, fine dining, commerce, industry, education, and technology.

“Chicago has so much to offer and, importantly, it is conveniently located in the middle of the US,” said Anton N. Sidawy, MD, MPH, FACS, ACS President-Elect, who will be inaugurated at the conference.

“There is a reason Chicago is a city where many professional organizations, especially medical organizations, have their headquarters—that central location facilitates collaboration,” he said.

The well-received Saturday-through-Tuesday meeting footprint, initiated last year, returns and allows surgeons to spend minimal time away from their busy practices. The meeting also has been enhanced by adding the Windy City Welcome Reception to Saturday evening. This event, which combines the Saturday President’s Reception and Taste of the City, previously held on Tuesday, will blend Chicago’s renowned cuisine, vibrant culture, and stunning skyline with a celebration of The House of Surgery^®.

Another event not to miss is a celebration of the career of Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, who will retire later this year as Senior Vice President of the ACS Division of Education.

“In the past nearly 2 and half decades, Dr. Sachdeva has transformed the Division of Education from a few educational programs into a vibrant division featuring programs for medical students, residents, practitioners, surgeons, and patients,” said Fabrizio Michelassi, MD, FACS, Chair of the ACS Board of Regents.

“This transformation has occurred in a systematic and informed way with vision, persistence, and commitment, and we invite all attendees to help us celebrate the many contributions of Dr. Sachdeva,” he said.

New Fellows

A high point of Clinical Congress is the Convocation Ceremony, which confers Fellowship upon surgeons who have successfully met the ACS’s requirements and standards and who are committed to its mission and values.

Preceding the welcome reception, the ceremony will take place on Saturday evening and will include recognition of Honorary Fellows, presentation of the Distinguished Service Award, installation of ACS Officers and Officers-Elect, and the Presidential Address from Dr. Sidawy.

The Convocation Ceremony also will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.

In-Depth Explorations into AI and Robotics

For more than a century, what has made Clinical Congress such an integral part of advancing the field of surgery has been its robust and ever-evolving educational program that “meets the moment” for surgeons. In 2025, this translates into a greater focus on how technology is transforming practice.

“This year, we are excited because we have an emphasis on new technology, on artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, advances in education, quality issues, and, of course, the usual clinical topics we cover,” Dr. Sachdeva said.

Exploration into how AI will affect surgery continues to grow. In addition to serving as a point of discussion throughout dozens of presentations that will investigate its impact on specific content areas, consider attending several expert-led sessions that will cover AI issues of broad interest:

• Using ChatGPT and AI for Beginners
• AI: Who Is in Control?
• Research Misconduct: Defending Scientific Integrity against the Machine
• Artificial Intelligence in Surgical Science: Clinical Prediction Models, Large Language Models, and Computer Vision

The practical applications and research into robotics will be another technology-based focus this year, with many opportunities for surgeons to learn more about this growing practice area.

Events will include a session on credentialing and privileging for robotic surgery, a new Didactic Course on emerging robotic systems and telesurgery, the returning Surgical Skills Course on the essentials of robotic hernia surgery—in addition to sessions on robotic surgery woven throughout the program.

Engaging Scientific Content for All Surgeons

While AI and robotics are intertwined with much of this year’s programming, a spectrum of other topics will be covered in more than 100 Panel Sessions, including those central to general surgeons:

• Controversies in the Management of Diverticulitis
• Unique Challenges during Hernia Surgery
• Not Your Usual Appendicitis: Managing the Inflamed Appendix in Unusual Situations
• Cholecystitis, Cholangitis, and Contemporary Management of the Common Bile Duct

In addition, there is a returning conference favorite that both general and specialized surgeons won’t want to miss—the 10 Hot Topics in General Surgery session, moderated by Kenneth W. Sharp, MD, FACS, ACS Regent and Chair of the Program Committee, and Benjamin K. Poulose, MD, MPH, FACS.

“Every year, we bring 6-minute topics discussed by 10 experts. Over the course of this 90-minute session, we have succinct, clinically relevant presentations, and our goal is to have everyone who attends come away with a few clinical pearls that might even change their clinical practice for the better,” Dr. Sharp said. This year’s session will cover hyperparathyroidism, endoscopy for acute cholecystitis, and more.

Recognizing the breadth of the field and the College’s role as The House of Surgery, the ACS Program Committee has included specialized thematic tracks early in the conference, including Opening Day Thematic Sessions on AI, education, endocrine, hernia, trauma, and orthopaedics.

In addition, there are a variety of multidisciplinary sessions that will offer the latest research and practical applications for all surgeons on both clinical and nonclinical topics:

• Pediatric Genitourinary Trauma Strategies
• Updated American Thyroid Association Guidelines for Thyroid Nodules–What’s New?
• The Role of the Surgeon in Impacting Health Policy
• Surgeon’s Mental Health: Overcoming Distress and Preventing Suicide
• Feeding the Surgical Patient
• Entrustable Professional Activities: Best Practices and Implementation

This array of content—relevant to and reaching across all disciplines—is indicative of the significance of Clinical Congress.

“It is important for all specialties and surgeons of all disciplines to come to Clinical Congress because multidisciplinary teamwork is at the forefront of how we can provide the best care for our patients,” said Lena M. Napolitano, MD, FACS, Vice-Chair of the Board of Regents.

“Meeting with surgeons representing different specialties, backgrounds, and practices—from the rural surgeon to the surgeon in a large academic center—is a wonderful opportunity at Clinical Congress,” she said.

All attendees also are encouraged to check out the returning, interactive Great Debates sessions this year—which, due to positive feedback since their introduction in 2023, have grown to include four vigorous, multidisciplinary, and collegial debates:

• Great Debates in Benign Biliary Disease
• The Great Bariatric Debates: Medications vs. Surgery; Bariatric Surgery vs. Endoscopic Procedures
• The Great Diverticulitis Debates: Conservative Treatment vs. Resection; Primary Anastomosis vs. Stoma
• The Great Rectal Cancer Debates: Liver Metastases Synchronous vs. Staged Resection—Pro and Con of Neoadjuvant Therapy for T2 Lesions

Named Lectures Provide Sharp, Relevant Talks

Each year, internationally known surgeons and notable figures in healthcare deliver a slate of Named Lectures in one of the most popular features of Clinical Congress. This year, eight lecturers will share their insights into clinical, nonclinical, and historical topics that influence the practice of surgery.

The Martin Memorial Lecture, delivered immediately after the Opening Ceremony on Sunday, will be delivered by David J. Skorton, MD, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

In the lecture, Dr. Skorton will share his perspective as an executive leader of the organization that represents medical schools, academic health systems and teaching hospitals, and academic societies. The lecture will focus on Continuing Medical Education (CME) and is titled “Looking Forward Together in an Uncertain Time.”

All lectures will be recorded and made available for on-demand viewing soon after the live presentations (see sidebar below).

Scientific Forum, Informal Education, and Special Interests

Beyond the Panel Sessions and Named Lectures, there is so much more to experience in this year’s educational program.

The robust Scientific Forum offers the latest high-quality, in-progress scientific and academic surgery reports. From research presentations to ePosters, the Scientific Forum offers researchers of all experience levels the opportunity to share their promising results in front of an audience of peers, mentors, and students.

A standout in the Scientific Forum is the returning High-Impact Clinical Trials and Studies session, which focuses on potentially practice-changing publications.

Scientific Forum sessions take place Sunday through Tuesday and are arranged in a discipline-specific format (e.g., endocrine surgery, trauma/burn/critical care).

In addition, Video-Based Education sessions showcase detailed surgical procedures, while Meet-the-Expert sessions will provide more informal learning experiences that will allow attendees to engage in conversations with surgeon leaders and colleagues.

There also is a selection of Special Interest sessions that will provide novel education and experiences for both broader audiences and specific cohorts.

In recognition of the ACS’s commitment to surgeons in all stages of their careers, the Surgery Resident Program and Medical Student Program will return this year with information and education tailored to meet their unique needs; the History of Surgery Poster Sessions will highlight the rich history of surgery; and ACS Stop the Bleed training will prepare attendees to save a life in a bleeding emergency.

Networking Enhances the Conference Experience

The outstanding hands-on and didactic learning opportunities at Clinical Congress are further enhanced by the many opportunities to engage with peers, whether by catching up after a session or attending an engagement event—which is a highlight of the conference in and of itself.

“It is the networking, it is the energy, it is the camaraderie that we as a College offer through Clinical Congress. I’m looking forward to seeing friends, colleagues, and others who have not met for a while and having some sidebar conversations, in addition to availing myself of the strong program,” Dr. Sachdeva said.

Visit the Exhibit Hall

Throughout the conference, attendees will be able to visit ACS Central to learn about the latest College programs and services, engage in presentations at the Innovation Theater, and visit the more than 150 expected companies that will display their products, innovations, and services in the Exhibit Hall. From medical devices to surgical equipment to education and training, the Exhibit Hall will provide attendees with a chance to compare products and services firsthand. New this year, a Resident and Associate Society Lounge will offer a place to relax, recharge, network, and engage in topical discussion.

A popular interactive exhibit also will return this year—the fourth iteration of the Surgical Ergonomics Hands-On Clinic, which features ergonomic coaches helping surgeons apply the updated ACS Surgical Ergonomics Recommendations in a simulated environment to assess and reduce their physical burden in practice.

This unique station had more than 100 visitors last year, and in a value-adding change, there is no fee to take part at Clinical Congress 2025. Registration is still required, so sign up at your earliest opportunity.

Start Planning and Register Today

The scope of this comprehensive surgical education meeting is impressive, and the ACS offers several options to help you create a personalized Clinical Congress 2025 schedule.

The online, interactive Clinical Congress Program Planner is available to access today, and the mobile app will launch this fall. In addition, the ACS will provide updates via email and the website, including Clinical Congress News that covers major events and noteworthy sessions.

This hybrid event will again offer select content in a virtual, on-demand format, which will remain available for access through February 23, 2026.

No matter how you plan to attend or which specific sessions or events you plan to be involved with, Clinical Congress 2025 will offer value for all surgeons.

“This Clinical Congress promises to be one of the most interactive and collegial meetings that we’ve had in years,” Dr. Sharp said. “The educational opportunities are unmatched, and the opportunities to meet with your friends and fellow colleagues are simply outstanding. I think everyone will enjoy this meeting and come away with something of value from each and every day that you take part.”

Registration is open, and the deadline to receive the early bird registration rate is August 18. Residents and medical students may register for free through the same date. Learn more and register today at facs.org/clincon2025.

Matthew Fox is the Digital Managing Editor in the ACS Division of Integrated Communications in Chicago, IL.