The mission of the Associate Member is to collaborate with the broader AAST community to:
- Create a network of support for early-career surgeons and surgical trainees
- Represent the interests and opinions of early-career surgeons and surgical trainees within the AAST
- Provide an avenue for future surgical leaders to be mentored, network, and develop leadership skills
- Develop educational content that is of specific interest to early-career surgeons and surgical trainees
- Create a platform to support and highlight the academic accomplishments of early career surgeons and surgical trainees