Welcome to the July/August 2018 edition of the Cutting Edge!

In this edition, you will find:

• The “News” section highlights both professional and personal updates on AAST members. 

• In the “Injury Prevention Quarter”, Dr. Deborah Kuhls gives us information on a pre-session and lunch session planned for the 77th Annual Meeting of the AAST and 4th World Trauma Congress on firearm injury prevention.

• In this issue’s “Coder’s Corner”, Dr. Lawrence Reed and Dr. Thomas Esposito give their coding information on trauma activation charges.

• The “Happenings” section, headed by Dr. Chad Ball, keeps the reader aware of upcoming meetings along with the submission deadlines.

• Dr. Jason Smith brings us the “Program Committee Update”

• Dr. Clay Cothren Burlew informs us about the activities of the “Acute Care Surgery Committee”.

• The Critical Care Committee informs us about their new educational opportunity with article reviews that can be used to obtain CME credits.

• We also provide several links to sites of interest, including reminder that registration for the 77^th AAST Annual Meeting is now up and running as well as information about the National Trauma Research Repository.

I hope you enjoy your issue of the “Cutting Edge.” Please send us any feedback or issues that you will like to see in the coming issues of the newsletter. (aast@aast.org).