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course

ACSSurgeons as Leaders: From Operating Room to Boardroom

March 21-24, 2027 | Durham, NC

ACSSurgeons as Leaders: From Operating Room to Boardroom

Course Description

Today’s surgical environment—both in academic and community practice—is challenging, complex, and unpredictable. As demands on surgical leaders continue to grow across clinical and organizational settings, the ACSSurgeons as Leaders Course provides a comprehensive foundation in the principles and practice of effective leadership. Through a dynamic, modernized curriculum, participants gain insight into leading at all levels of an organization while strengthening their ability to drive change, manage challenges, and make meaningful impact.

Guided by nationally renowned surgeon leaders, the course offers a highly interactive learning experience that blends expert-led lectures, small group breakouts, panel discussions, and more. Participants benefit from personalized faculty coaching, dedicated networking opportunities, and sessions tailored to the unique challenges of both academic and community practice. Key topics include emotional intelligence, communication strategies, team building, conflict resolution, financial stewardship, and leadership in diverse environments. Emphasis is also placed on managing stress and burnout, navigating organizational change, and developing practical strategies to address real-world leadership challenges. With a focus on introspection, collaboration, and applied learning, the course empowers participants to lead with confidence, adaptability, and purpose.

Course Setting

The next ACSSurgeons as Leaders Course will take place March 21-24, 2027, at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club in Durham, North Carolina. There will be an ACShotel block with reduced room rates for course attendees. 

This award-winning hotel, set on the campus of Duke University, is about two miles from downtown Durham and 20 minutes from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). For more information, please .

Application Information

Course Application

The 2027 Surgeons as Leaders Course Application will be open July 1 through September 30, 2026. If you would like to receive an email reminder when the application is posted, please email surgeonsasleaders@facs.org. 

Please note: ACSMembers will receive priority consideration. All participants are expected to attend the entire course and remain until the conclusion of the course.

Enrollment

Participants will only be considered once they have submitted an official course application. The course is limited to 72 participants. Letters of notification regarding course acceptance will be sent in November/December 2026.

Course Fees

Course participants must submit full payment upon notification of acceptance to reserve their course seat. Additional details will be enclosed with the notification letters.

ACSMembers: $5,900
Non-Members: $6,575

The course fee covers tuition, all course materials, snacks and refreshments, and all meals (except for Tuesday dinner). The registration fee does NOT include lodging. Information related to the room block for the course will be shared with participants upon confirmation of their enrollment.

Cancelation and Refunds

Participants who find it necessary to cancel their registration will receive a full refund, less an administrative fee of $150, provided the cancellation request is received by Friday, February 19, 2027. Registrants who cancel after that date will not receive a refund unless an alternate from the course’s official waiting list can be confirmed. 

Continuing Medical Education Credit Information

Accreditation
The ACSis accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA PRA Category 1 Creditsâ„¢
This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Creditâ„¢. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Staff Consultants
  • Kyla P. Terhune, MD, MBA, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­
    Senior Vice President, ACSDivision of Education
  • Sue Lawler, PhD, MBA, CPA
    Associate Director, ACSDivision of Education
  • Natalie R. Loper, MPPA
    Program Administrator, ACSDivision of Education 

Please reach out to surgeonsasleaders@facs.org with any questions.

Intended Participants

This course is designed for surgeons who currently serve in leadership roles or aspire to do so, and is specifically tailored to those with substantial surgical experience. If you have been in practice for less than six years, we kindly ask that you wait until you’ve gained more experience before applying. Priority consideration is given to current ACSMembers.

Surgeons in all practice settings who want to advance their skills in leading people, groups, and organizations will find the course beneficial. Participants are expected to free themselves from all work obligations during the course, and full participation throughout the program is expected.

Learning Objectives

Whether in the operating room or in the boardroom, surgeons in academic medical centers as well as community hospitals must be able to:

  • Exhibit the attributes of a leader to effectively resolve leadership challenges.
  • Lead oneself with insight regarding personal effectiveness.
  • Build, maintain, and align effective teams to achieve goals.
  • Change culture, resolve conflict, and balance demands within the larger environment.
  • Utilize innovative approaches to address evolving concerns during organizational change.
  • Translate the principles of leadership into action.

Surgeons as Leaders Faculty

Gary L. Timmerman, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, MAMSE

Gary L. Timmerman, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, MAMSE

Dr. Timmerman, Chair of the ACSSurgeons as Leaders Course, serves as professor and chair of surgery at the University of South Dakota Sanford Medical School. He is also the medical director of the South Dakota State Trauma System and a Regent of the Å˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­.

Melina R. Kibbe, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, FAHA

Melina R. Kibbe, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, FAHA

Dr. Kibbe, Co-Chair of the ACSSurgeons as Leaders Course, is president of UTHealth Houston and the Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair. Prior to this appointment, she served as the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine’s dean and chief health affairs officer.
James W. Fleshman Jr., MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, FASCRS

James W. Fleshman Jr., MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, FASCRS

Dr. Fleshman, Regent of the Å˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, specializes in the treatment of colorectal diseases. He is chief of surgery and the Sparkman Endowed Professor and Chairman of the department of surgery at Texas A&M Health Science Center and Baylor University Medical Center.

Andrea A. Hayes Dixon, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, PhD(H), FAAP

Andrea A. Hayes Dixon, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, PhD(H), FAAP

Dr. Hayes Dixon, Regent of the Å˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, became the first black woman dean of Howard University’s College of Medicine in 2022. With the distinction of becoming dean, Dr. Hayes Dixon adds to an already extensive list of groundbreaking accomplishments.
Matthew M. Hutter, MD, MBA, MPH, FACS

Matthew M. Hutter, MD, MBA, MPH, FACS

Dr. Hutter currently serves as the chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). He is a general and gastrointestinal surgeon who focuses on advanced laparoscopic, foregut, and bariatric surgery.
Larry R. Kaiser, MD, FACS

Larry R. Kaiser, MD, FACS

Dr. Kaiser, Treasurer for the ACSBoard of Regents, is the president, CEO and Thomas W. Langfitt Chair at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. He is a cardiothoracic surgeon by training and specializes in working with healthcare systems, primarily in restructuring, process improvement and strategy.
Carlos A. Pellegrini, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, FRCSI(Hon), FRCS(Hon), FRSCEd(Hon), FWÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­(Hon)

Carlos A. Pellegrini, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, FRCSI(Hon), FRCS(Hon), FRSCEd(Hon), FWÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­(Hon)

Dr. Pellegrini, Past President of the Å˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, is a pioneer in the development of technological surgical advancements and a world leader in minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery. Now retired from practice, Dr. Pellegrini became an executive coach for healthcare providers and administrators, with particular emphasis on leadership and performance.

Kenneth W. Sharp, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, MAMSE

Kenneth W. Sharp, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, MAMSE

Dr. Sharp, Regent of the Å˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, is a professor of surgery and vice chair for faculty promotion & development at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. His clinical interests include the gastrointestinal tract and applications of minimally invasive surgical procedures in that area.
Beth H. Sutton, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­

Beth H. Sutton, MD, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­

Dr. Sutton, Past President of the Å˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, is a general surgeon in private practice. She has extensive experience working as a self-employed general surgeon in a mid-size community in which the hospital has a Level II trauma center and an active acute care surgery service.
Kyla P. Terhune, MD, MBA, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­

Kyla P. Terhune, MD, MBA, FÅ˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­

Dr. Terhune is the Senior Vice President for the ACSDivision of Education. Prior to this position, she served as the associate dean of GME at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and the senior vice president for educational affairs and ACGME/NRMP designated institutional official at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS

Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS

Dr. Turner is the Executive Director and CEO of the ACSand a clinical professor at the University of Chicago. She was previously Director of the Division of Member Services at Å˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­. Prior to Å˽ðÁ«´«Ã½Ó³»­, Dr. Turner was in full-time academic practice and the surgery residency program director at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.