Submission Deadline: March 31, 2026The Society of Surgical Chairs and the American Association of Surgical Administrators will host their annual joint session on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
"How I built something I'm proud of" will spotlight real-world examples of administrators and chairs who built something meaningful within surgical services—often in the face of complexity, resistance, or limited resources—and are willing to share what actually worked, what didn’t, and what they learned along the way.
Selected panelists will participate in a 90-minute facilitated, conversational, moderated session from 2:30-4:00pmET on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
We are seeking stories that go beyond theory and focus on practical leadership, partnership, and execution. We encourage submissions from both Chairs of Surgery and Surgical Administrators.
Examples of topics may include (but are not limited to):
- Building a high-performing OR or surgical service line
- Creating alignment between surgeons and administration
- Designing governance, compensation, or incentive models
- Improving quality, safety, access, or surgeon engagement
- Navigating workforce challenges, culture change, or growth
- Leading through conflict or major organizational change
- Building a clinical, research, or academic program
- Building alignment between mission and clinical reality
- Building a surgical culture that retained staff
Stories do not need to be “perfect successes.” Submissions that include lessons learned, course corrections, or missteps are encouraged.
Submission Guidelines
- Please submit a brief description (1–2 paragraphs) that includes:
- What you built or changed
- Why it mattered
- One key challenge you faced
- One lesson you would want peers to take away