ACS Surgeons as Leaders

Course Description

Today鈥檚 surgical environment鈥攂oth in academic and community practice鈥攊s challenging, complex, and unpredictable. As demands on surgical leaders continue to grow across clinical and organizational settings, the ACS Surgeons as Leaders Course provides a comprehensive foundation in the principles and practice of effective leadership. Through a dynamic, modernized curriculum, participants gain insight into leading at all levels of an organization while strengthening their ability to drive change, manage challenges, and make meaningful impact.

Guided by nationally renowned surgeon leaders, the course offers a highly interactive learning experience that blends expert-led lectures, small group breakouts, panel discussions, and more. Participants benefit from personalized faculty coaching, dedicated networking opportunities, and sessions tailored to the unique challenges of both academic and community practice. Key topics include emotional intelligence, communication strategies, team building, conflict resolution, financial stewardship, and leadership in diverse environments. Emphasis is also placed on managing stress and burnout, navigating organizational change, and developing practical strategies to address real-world leadership challenges. With a focus on introspection, collaboration, and applied learning, the course empowers participants to lead with confidence, adaptability, and purpose.

Course Setting

The next ACS Surgeons as Leaders Course will take place March 21-24, 2027, at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club in Durham, North Carolina. There will be an ACS hotel block with reduced room rates for course attendees.

This award-winning hotel, set on the campus of Duke University, is about two miles from downtown Durham and 20 minutes from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). For more information, please .

Application Information

Course Application

The 2027 Surgeons as Leaders Course Application will be open July 1 through September 30, 2026. If you would like to receive an email reminder when the application is posted, please email surgeonsasleaders@facs.org.

Please note: ACS Members will receive priority consideration. All participants are expected to attend the entire course and remain until the conclusion of the course.

Enrollment

Participants will only be considered once they have submitted an official course application. The course is limited to 72 participants. Letters of notification regarding course acceptance will be sent in November/December 2026.

Course Fees

ACS Members: $5,900
Non-Members: $6,575

Course participants must submit full payment upon notification of acceptance to reserve their course seat. Additional details will be enclosed with the notification letters.

Cancelation and Refunds

Participants who find it necessary to cancel their registration will receive a full refund, less an administrative fee of $150, provided the cancellation request is received by Friday, February 19, 2027. Registrants who cancel after that date will not receive a refund unless an alternate from the course鈥檚 official waiting list can be confirmed.

Continuing Medical Education Credit Information

Accreditation
The American College of Surgeons is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits鈩�
This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit鈩�. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Staff Consultants

Kyla P. Terhune, MD, MBA, FACS
Senior Vice President, ACS Division of Education
Sue Lawler, PhD, MBA, CPA
Associate Director, ACS Division of Education
Natalie R. Loper, MPPA
Program Administrator, ACS Division of Education
nloper@facs.org

Please feel free to reach out to Natalie with any questions.

Intended Participants

This course is designed for surgeons who currently serve in leadership roles or aspire to do so, and is specifically tailored to those with substantial surgical experience. If you have been in practice for less than six years, we kindly ask that you wait until you鈥檝e gained more experience before applying. Priority consideration is given to current ACS Members.

Surgeons in all practice settings who want to advance their skills in leading people, groups, and organizations will find the course beneficial. Participants are expected to free themselves from all work obligations during the course, and full participation throughout the program is expected.

Learning Objectives

Whether in the operating room or in the boardroom, surgeons in academic medical centers as well as community hospitals must be able to:

Exhibit the attributes of a leader to effectively resolve leadership challenges.
Lead oneself with insight regarding personal effectiveness.
Build, maintain, and align effective teams to achieve goals.
Change culture, resolve conflict, and balance demands within the larger environment.
Utilize innovative approaches to address evolving concerns during organizational change.
Translate the principles of leadership into action.

Surgeons as Leaders Faculty

Gary L. Timmerman, MD, FACS, MAMSE

Dr. Timmerman, 2025 Surgeons as Leaders Course Chair, serves as professor and chair of the surgery department at the University of South Dakota Sanford Medical School.

Melina R. Kibbe, MD, FACS, FAHA

Dr. Kibbe is the current Co-Chair of the ACS Surgeons as Leaders Course. Dr. Kibbe became president of UTHealth Houston and the Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair in September 2025.

James W. Fleshman Jr., MD, FACS, FASCRS

Dr. Fleshman is chief of surgery and Sparkman Endowed Professor and Chairman of the department of surgery at Texas A&M Health Science Center, Baylor University Medical Center.

Andrea A. Hayes Dixon, MD, FACS, PhD(H), FAAP

Dr. Dixon became the first black woman Dean of Howard Universty鈥檚 College of Medicine in 2022. With the distinction of becoming dean, Dr. Hayes Dixon adds to an already extensive list of groundbreaking accomplishments.

Matthew M. Hutter, MD, MBA, MPH, FACS

Dr. Hutter is a general and gastrointestinal surgeon at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where his clinical work focuses on advanced laparoscopic, foregut and bariatric surgery.

Larry R. Kaiser, MD, FACS

Dr. Kaiser is a managing director with Alvarez & Marsal鈥檚 Healthcare Industry Group Health Systems practice. He is a cardiothoracic surgeon by training and specializes in working with healthcare systems, primarily in restructuring, process improvement and strategy.

Carlos A. Pellegrini, MD, FACS, FRCSI(Hon), FRCS(Hon), FRSCEd(Hon), FWACS(Hon)

Dr. Pellegrini is a surgeon with expertise in surgical education, simulation, professionalism, and leadership. He is a pioneer in the development of technological surgical advancements and a world leader in minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery.

Kenneth W. Sharp, MD, FACS, MAMSE

Dr. Sharp is a professor of surgery and vice chair for faculty promotion & development at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Beth H. Sutton, MD, FACS

Dr. Sutton serves as a general surgeon in private practice in Wichita Falls, TX. She participates in the call schedule for the Level II trauma center and acute care surgery service at United Regional Health Care System, where her practice is located.

Kyla P. Terhune, MD, MBA, FACS

Dr. Terhune, MD, MBA, FACS, is the Senior Vice President for the Division of Education at the American College of Surgeons.

Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS

Dr. Turner is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the American College of Surgeons and a clinical professor at the University of Chicago Medicine.

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