Research Committee Update

The research committee completed groundwork for the first committee paper and submitted an abstract for the AAST annual meeting. Kudos to Seema, Joshua, Navpreet, Raphael, Erin, Amy, Jared, and Patricia! We will be finalizing our agenda for the annual research course during the 2026 AAST meeting, titled "From Idea to Award: Sources and Strategies for Funding Acute Care Surgery Research."  The next series of committee papers will be launching shortly; keep your eyes out to get involved! 

We are also collaborating with EAST to launch the “Introduction to Multicenter Trials: Powering Up From Proposal to Publication” webinar series. This high-yield series will cover key principles of study design, implementation, and dissemination. Webinars will occur monthly from March to August. The first session will be on March 25th. Please check your inbox for additional information!

Remember to sign up for the Sounding Board if you would like to be paired with a senior member for career mentorship. Participants have provided overwhelmingly positive feedback about their experience.

Education Committee Update

The Associate Member Education Committee has had an exciting couple of months, and we are thrilled to keep churning out more things for the upcoming months ahead. We recently wrapped up our annual Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Town Hall, which helped prospective applicants better understand the interview process and the fellowship landscape. For current ongoing projects, we have a new turnover time that is coming up. We are also going to be recording a new episode for the  Surgical Critical Care podcast in conjunction with EAST, and finally beginning early planning for Career Catalyst 2026 with SCCPDS and EAST. None of this work would be possible without our amazing three vice chairs, Miloš Buhavac, Erika Bisgaard, and Ida Molvani, whose steady leadership and coordination have kept this well-oiled machine running smoothly throughout the year.

Communications Committee Update

This quarter we have been working to expand cross-posting to different social media platforms so our membership can stay informed through their platform of choice! We have a new vice chair of recruitment (congrats Dr Pranayama Mahankali!) and a new social media workgroup that is working to increase value of and engagement with online communications. We’re continuing our work to promote our AAST fellows through the Membership Monday program, moderating the AM WhatsApp groups, working on the associate member sections of the AAST website, and bringing you these newsletters!

Scholarship Awards and Development Committee Update

We are working on several fundraising campaigns to boost what AAST can offer its members. For example, a planned AAST Golden Ticket Fundraising Campaign is a creative, interactive initiative inspired by Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. The campaign will increase engagement with students, trainees and supporters while raising funds for the AAST REF through the sale of AAST branded belt bags containing small promotional items and a chocolate bar with a hidden prize. We are also busy planning a Fellowship Fair Event at the annual AAST meeting, to help prospective fellows understand what different programmes have to offer. We also continue to administrate the monthly AAST Associate Member TSACO Scholarship, and will be handling the AAST Associate Member Quickshot & Poster Competition Awards at the annual meeting.

Apply to Become An AAST Fellow Application – Now Open

Associate Members who are 5–7 years from completion of their definitive training (typically clinical fellowship) are encouraged to apply to become an AAST Fellow. As engaged participants in the society, Associate Members are uniquely positioned to transition into Fellow to continue shaping the future of trauma through sustained leadership and scholarship. Fellow represents a meaningful milestone in professional development within our field and provides access to and the opportunity for research, education, networking, and leadership opportunities through professional collaboration that supports career growth.

Applicants must be Fellows of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), have attended a prior AAST Annual Meeting, and have completed the ACS Committee on Trauma ATLS course. The application requires three letters of support from active AAST Fellows (one sponsor and two endorsers), a CV, a cover letter, a list of trauma-related activities from the past year, and a current photo. Applications are due July 1, 2026. Learn more, create a login for AAST, and submit your application here: https://www.aast.org/get-involved/aast-join/membership-applications.html