News Items

The ASCRS winner of the Beart Impact Paper of the Year for 2014 been chosen! The Beart Award Paper was published in the May 2014 issue of the Diseases of the Colon and Rectum, and it was a podium presentation at the ASCRS 2013 Annual Meeting. The paper is entitled, A Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Study of Non-cross-linked Porcine Acellular Dermal Matrix Fascial Sublay for Parastomal Reinforcement in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Permanent Abdominal Wall Ostomies.

The authors of the winning paper are Fleshman, James W. M.D. 1; Beck, David E. M.D. 2; Hyman, Neil M.D. 3; Wexner, Steven D. M.D. 4; Bauer, Joel M.D. 5; George, Virgilio M.D. 6; the PRISM Study Group. A Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Study of Non-cross-linked Porcine Acellular Dermal Matrix Fascial Sublay for Parastomal Reinforcement in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Permanent Abdominal Wall Ostomies.

Join us in congratulating these authors of this exceptional paper.

ASCRS 2015 National Media Awards Call for Entries deadline is March 1, 2015.

The awards honor excellence in communicating a better understanding of colon and rectal disease and are given in three categories: print, broadcast, and internet.

Winners will receive the following: $1,000 award, personally engraved plaque, and an expense-paid trip to Boston, MA, for the ASCRS Annual Meeting, May 30 - June 3, 2015.

For further details, please click here.

Call for 2015 – 2016 Executive Council Nominations

The ASCRS Nominating Committee invites members to submit recommendations for the following positions on the Executive Council for 2015-2016: President-elect; Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Members-at-Large. Drs. Steven Wexner, Michael Stamos, and Alan Thorson will develop a candidate slate for submission at the 2015 ASCRS Annual Meeting in Boston, MA.

Submit your nominations online by completing this nomination submission file. Nominations will close on April 15, 2015.

Sincerely,

Steven Wexner, MD, PhD(Hon)

Nominating Committee Chair

(Amrit Pipara, MBBS, MS, of Vellore, India; Jeryl Anne Silvia Reyes, MD, of Pasig, Philippines; Yuksel Altinel, MD, of Istanbul, Turkey; and Danko Kostadinov, MD, of Haskovo, Bulgaria)

Four international surgeons received the ASCRS International Traveling Scholarships to attend the 2016 ASCRS Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.

This year’s recipients were Amrit Pipara, MBBS, MS, of Vellore, India; Jeryl Anne Silvia Reyes, MD, of Pasig, Philippines; Yuksel Altinel, MD, of Istanbul, Turkey; and Danko Kostadinov, MD, of Haskovo, Bulgaria.

International Traveling Scholarships are usually awarded to surgeons living in underserved regions of the world. They provide further education for those who are developing specialty care centers, particularly in parts of the world where the specialty is expanding.

The ASCRS is accepting a second round of applications for the International Traveling Scholarship. This scholarship covers registration for the 2016 ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting and travel expenses to visit colon and rectal specialty clinics in the United States. Visit the International Traveling Scholarship page for detailed criteria, eligibility, and the application.

This is a great opportunity for a colorectal surgeon who is newer to the specialty (less than 3 years in practice) to expand their knowledge and gain a world-class education from renowned speakers who hail from all around the globe. While at the meeting, foster relationships with more than 1,700 healthcare professional expected to attend. Bring back skills and knowledge that will continue to advance the specialty in your home country.

The deadline for submitting applications is January 31, 2016. Successful applicants will be notified in February 2016 and will be expected to attend the ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting in Los Angeles, CA, April 30 - May 4, 2016, and to visit at least one colon and rectal specialty clinic while in the United States.

For questions regarding the application process, please contact Elaina McCalmont at [email protected].