Get Involved

Submit your research to our annual AAST meeting: There is no better way to connect to the AAST community than to present your work at our annual meeting, meet colleagues from around the country, talk with the AAST senior leadership, and seek out opportunities to help the organization.  The abstract submission deadline is typically around March 1^st, with the program selection occurring in April.

Attend the AAST annual meeting: The annual meeting of the AAST occurs in September and is an excellent opportunity to meet leaders in Acute Care Surgery and be exposed to cutting-edge research. It is also a great opportunity to learn about careers in Acute Care Surgery and meet the ACS fellowship directors from across the US.

Become an AAST fellow: To qualify as an AAST fellow, you must be a fellow in the American College of Surgeons, have verified past attendance at the AAST annual meeting, and have completed an ACS Committee on Trauma ATLS course. Membership is selective, and applications are assessed for leadership in relevant professional organizations, research productivity, educational involvement, and service to the community. Engagement as an Associate member is not required but does enhance the fellowship application. More information can be found here.

Join as an AAST Associate Member: Associate membership is open to surgical residents, fellows, and faculty (must be within 5 years of achieving fellowship in the American College of Surgeons). This is a great opportunity to get engaged in the activities of the AAST early in your career and develop lasting friendships with others entering the field. Additional information about the AAST associate membership can be found here.

Volunteer for an AAST committee: There are many opportunities for volunteering as an AAST associate member, either on one of the Associate member or AAST standing committees. As an associate member, you can volunteer for both AAST committees and AAST Associate Member Committees. To volunteer,:

Talk with the AAST associate membership leadership about new opportunities if none of these committees fit your interests or professional goals. The associate member proposal form is available to associate members in the associate member hub.

Attend AAST Monthly Grand Rounds and Webinars: The AAST sponsors monthly grand rounds sessions as well as webinars on topics specifically of interest to Associate members such as how to find your first job after fellowship. A complete listing of Monthly Grand Rounds and Webinars can be found here. The AAST also offers online CME which can be accessed here.

Complete a committee volunteer form online: For those who want to get involved in AAST, each year beginning in May, a Call for Volunteers is sent out with a due date of August 1 for committee participation. Due to a recent bylaw change, the maximum members allowed on each committee has been lifted, allowing each interested member who submits a form to be placed in one of their requested committees. ALL forms submitted from members are appointed to a committee.

Continue to engage in committee work, complete committee tasks, and contribute to the improvement of the AAST!

Micro-Volunteering Opportunities: AAST is offering those members who may not have enough time to commit to a full committee appointment the opportunity to volunteer for small, short-term commitment projects. 

Volunteering to be an ad hoc reviewer for AAST journals (Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and Trauma Surgery Acute Care Open) is a great micro-volunteering opportunity. Not only is this an excellent way to support the AAST and your colleagues, it is also a valuable learning and growth opportunity. To volunteer to be a reviewer, please contact: JTACS:  [email protected] or TSACO:  [email protected].

Outside of volunteering to be an ad hoc reviewer for one of the journals, members will be made aware of micro-volunteering opportunities through the AAST email communication, the AAST Twitter account (@traumadoctors), and the AAST website. 

Multi-Institutional Trials: AAST has several MIT studies being conducted. All studies are open to any member/organization to participate.  To view the opportunities, click here.

Grant Proposal Mentorship Program (Sounding Board): The MIT Committee offers the AAST membership the opportunity to have research proposals reviewed in hopes of increasing the chance of grant funding.  This program can also be used if you wish to submit a proposal to the AAST MIT Committee for inclusion online. This program is ongoing (there are no deadlines for submission), and you will expect to receive feedback from a member of the committee within 30 days of submission.

Becoming a discussant at the Annual Meeting: AAST has begun a new opportunity for AAST members to volunteer to be an oral presentation discussant, quickshot presentation discussant, poster professor or an hoc reviewer of abstracts for the AAST Annual Meeting.  More information on this opportunity will be availble following the 2025 Annual Meeting.