Ongoing Projects

Sounding Board pairs participants with senior AAST members for focused, one-hour conversations that offer feedback, fresh perspectives, and practical advice to help refine ideas and take the next step with confidence.

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Being part of an AAST committee not only helps advance your professional career but also contributes significantly to the field of trauma surgery. Committee membership provides a platform for development, networking, and personal growth within the AAST community. The committee volunteer term length is 2 years.

Submit by September 30, 2025: Make sure to finalize your preferences by the end of the month. This will allow us to process all submissions and match you to a committee that benefits from your unique skills and interests

Click Here to Volunteer

Below are positions that will be expiring, and the AMC will be responsible for the next appointee. If you have an interest in any of these positions, please e-mail [email protected]
    •    Associate Member Military Committee Liaison 
    •    Education Committee Chair
    •    Scholarship, Awards, and Development Committee Chair
    •    AMC Vice Chair of Recruitment
    •    DEI Associate Member Liason

Dear New Acute Care Surgery Attendings,

Congratulations on signing your first contract as an independent attending surgeon! With your formal training complete (or nearing completion), you now face a transition that can be daunting. You will encounter new requirements, processes, and demands for your time. While the work hours may not be as arduous as residency or fellowship, you may find yourself with many new responsibilities with less structure as well as additional challenges. You will need to learn to balance administrative duties, professional requirements such as licensing, and other avenues of productivity such as research, while also developing and maintaining your skills as you teach others.  

There is significant variability between acute care surgery practices. Our colleagues work in settings spanning the spectrum of small private community practices to level 1 trauma centers. That said, there are many common experiences with few organized resources.

This handbook aims to help navigate the common issues faced by many new attendings in the field. This handbook is the latest in a progressive lineage of resources starting with the Surgical Critical Care Program Directors Society (SCCPDS) guide to applying for Surgical Critical Care fellowships, which was followed by the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Associate Member (AAST AM), SCCPDS, and Eastern Society for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) guide to navigating fellowship and finding a first job. We will focus here on early career issues, although some topics could apply to other stages as well. Similar to the predecessor handbooks, this handbook is not meant to be read cover-to-cover and not all sections will apply to all readers based on their practice type, career goals, or other unique factors. We hope this handbook can serve as a useful resource where topics can be referenced quickly and easily.  

We wish you the best of luck in your new role. The months and years ahead will be filled with many opportunities. Although setbacks and hiccups are to be expected, we encourage you to follow the same advice you have undoubtedly heard since intern year: ask for help when you need it, and use your resources!

Alexandra M.P. Brito, MB, ChB, BAO

Navpreet K. Dhillon, MD

Lead Editors