President's Job Description

The President is elected one year prior to their term and serves first as the President-elect. The President-elect sits on the Executive Council and participates in important decision-making and strategic planning for the AAS. He/she is a full voting member of the Council and therefore, can have a significant input into the future directions of the organization. She/he can bring new ideas forward, volunteer to serve on Ad Hoc Committees, and contribute to program development. The primary responsibilities of the President-elect are two-fold.

First, the President-elect coordinates the awards selection processes for the AAS. T his process involves the Joel Roslyn Faculty Research Award (every other year), the AAS Foundation Resident Research Fellowship Award, the Student Travel Grant and the Medical Student Research Awards. The President-elect coordinates the requests for proposals, the dispersal of received awards to the Councilors for grading, and the decisions (in conjunction with the Executive Committee) on the overall winners. Second, the President-elect, together with the co-c hairs of the Education and Leadership Committees, coordinates the AAS Fall Courses . This involves assisting with developing the curricula and soliciting speakers for the Fundamentals of Surgical Research Course and the Career Development Course.

The following year, the President takes office at the conclusion of the Annual Business Meeting. For the next year, the President leads the Executive Council and is responsible for the conduct of the Executive Council Meetings and for the conduct of the Annual Business Meeting. The President assumes the leadership of the organization at this time and is responsible for making decisions, in conjunction with the EC, that regulate day-to-day business. In this regard, the President is charged with representing the membership as accurately as possible. Most commonly, these decisions include business with regard to the Annual Meeting (e.g. generating the Request for Proposal for the Academic Surgical Congress) in conjunction with the current SUS President. The President is expected to take a leadership role with regard to fund-raising.

Probably the most significant work involves the Strategic Planning for the Summer Retreat. The President is responsible for guiding the activities of the Executive Council during the Strategic Planning Retreat and for imparting a vision for the future of the AAS at that time. There is a significant amount of planning and preparation involved in this process. Over the course of the year, the President is also able to make a number of appointments. For example, the President appoints new members to the Program Committee and also is able to appoint Chairs of the Ad Hoc Committees. Finally, the President is responsible for giving the keynote address at the Annual Meeting.

Requirements: There are no written pre-requisites to serve as President. That being said, prior service to the AAS in a leadership position is common (but not required) for members who have been elected to this office. The President must not have been an active AAS member for more than 10 years at the time of their election.

The President is required to attend the Annual Meeting for its duration and to attend and run the Executive Council meetings (at the Annual Meeting in February, at the summer retreat, and at the American College of Surgeons meeting in October). Attendance is mandatory. There may be one or two phone conferences throughout the year with the Executive Committee. Additionally, the President needs to be available to the other officers and to the Executive Director for day-to-day decisions, and for bi-weekly conference calls with the Executive Director.

 

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