Upcoming Webinars

AWS Medical Student Committee Q3 Event

February 19, 8 PM ET
Topic: Q&A on Fertility Planning

Share your parenthood in medicine experience. For mothers, fathers, people who became parents during medical training, we would like to hear from you. Your written reflections will be compiled and shared at the end of the meeting discussion. Submit reflections here. 

 AWS Resident & Fellow Events

The AWS Resident and Fellow Committee is focused on addressing surgical trainee programs and issues, with an emphasis on engaging residents and fellows in the AWS at an early stage in their careers. 

Webinar: Finding and Negotiating Your First Job 

Tuesday, February 24, 8 PM ET
In this webinar which is jointly hosted by the AWS R&F and CD Committees, join us to learn about finding and negotiating your first job. Often considered a daunting task, this webinar will provide practical tips and advice on navigating these important career steps. Speakers include: Dr. Nimmi Kapoor, Dr. Christen Russo, Dr. Anabelle Fonseca, and the webinar will be moderated by Dr. Jennifer Whittington and Dr. Nensi Ruzgar. 

Committee Planning Meeting

  • February 5, 2026
  • March 5, 2026
  • April 2, 2026
  • June 4, 2026
  • July 2, 2026
  • August 6, 2026
  • September 3, 2026
 
Register

 2026 AWS Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference  

February 28, 2026

9:00 AM – 1:15 PM EST

Conference Theme:
Leading with Heart: Strength, Compassion, and Purpose in Surgery
This theme reflects the qualities that define exceptional surgical leaders. Strength represents clinical excellence and resilience; compassion emphasizes empathy and patient-centered care; and purpose highlights intentional leadership, equity, and service to patients and communities. The conference will feature discussions on how heart-centered leadership enhances surgical practice, team dynamics, and the culture of medicine.

Student programming will include:
  • Guidance on preparing and presenting research, including abstract development and effective communication
  • Insight into residency application review and interview preparation
  • Conversations on wellness in surgical training, burnout prevention, and sustainable professional growth
  • Opportunities to connect with trainees, residents, faculty, and mentors across the Mid-Atlantic region

Skills Acquisition at Different Levels of Training

Wednesday, March 4, 7:00 PM ET

Hosted by the AWS Resident & Fellows and Publications Committees, this virtual program will be a discussion on how trainees and faculty can build, practice, and refine core technical skills at every level. Speakers include Dr. Rebecca Hoffman, Associate Program Director of General Surgery Residency at Geisinger Medical Center and Dr. Maryam Ali Khan, a PGY-4 Resident in the General Surgery Residency Program at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences.

Register

AWS Industry Talk: Legal Considerations with Eliza Andonova

Thursday, March 12, 7:00 PM ET

Surgeons bring valuable expertise far beyond the operating room. In this AWS Industry Talk, legal expert Eliza Andonova will explore important legal considerations for surgeons engaging with industry in work outside hospital settings, including compliance considerations, compensation and other contracting considerations like intellectual property and institutional approvals. A live Q&A will follow. Eliza is a partner in the nationally recognized Health practice of Hogan Lovells. Eliza is an advisor to pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, specializing in navigating the complex landscape of interactions with health care providers.

 Better Mentor, Bigger Impact Cross Mentoring Program

Available to accepted applicants only, this program provides training to ensure we are mentoring across demographics to increase diversity within the house of surgery. Cross mentoring fosters diverse perspectives, broadens networks, and can lead to new insights and innovations.

View the program book here.

Sessions:

  • September 16, 2025: Mentoring across Race and Ethnicity Differences with Dr. Emilia Diego and Dr. Stalin Canizares
  • November 18, 2025: Mentoring across Gender Differences with Dr. Shannon Small and Dr. Priyanka Chugh
  • January 20, 2026: Mentoring across Sexuality Differences with Dr. Andrea Porpiglia
  • March 17, 2026: Mentoring across Ability/Disability Differences with Dr. Alexis Moren and Afsheen Nasir
  • April 21, 2026: Visibility and Intersectionality of Identity Differences with Dr. Aeryn Kangas-Dick and Dr. Anna Kobzeva-Herzog
  • May 19, 2026: Institutional Barriers to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts 

Learn More