Trainee Hub

A new and exciting space, The Hub will be the center of activity for programs, sessions, networking, and mentoring specifically for cardiothoracic surgery trainees and early surgeons.  Use the following schedule to plan to connect with your colleagues and refresh during the meeting:

Saturday, January 27
Juice Shots Available
9 - 9:45 a.m.

Early Career Insights with Dr. Leah Backhus, sponsored by AstraZeneca
9:10 - 9:40 a.m. 
Small Theater

STS Trainee Luncheon
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Large Theater

Leaders in CT surgery, including members of the STS Board of Directors, Workforces, and Task Forces, will be seated with trainees to discuss topics of interest to residents. Discussion topics include subspecialty training, dedicated research time, interventional and catheter-based skills during training, gaps in diversity, training paradigms, the current job market, and addressing non-clinical training needs. Attendance is limited to trainees (residents, fellows, medical students, LTTF scholars) and invited faculty. 

Sunday, January 28
Ask the Experts: How I Succeeded as an Early Career Surgeon
7 - 8 a.m. 
Large Theater

Listen to a panel discussion from your colleagues who found success early in their careers. 

Moderators:
Dr. Brian Mitzman – University of Utah
Dr. Jessica Rove – University of Colorado

Panelists:
Dr. Amy Fiedler – University of California San Francisco
Dr. Stephanie Worrell – University of Arizona
Dr. Reilly Hobbs – University of Utah/Primary Children's Hospital
Dr. Derek Serna-Gallegos – University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Dr. Olugbenga Okusanya – Thomas Jefferson University

Juice Shots Available
9:45 - 10:30 a.m.

Early Career Journey Roundtables
9:55 - 10:30 a.m.
Large Theater

Early career surgeons and trainees have the opportunity to meet in an informal setting with STS leaders, who will offer insight into topics relevant to their career stages. Early career surgeons and trainees are on a unique journey, and seasoned surgeons will provide high-value information and an opportunity to meet and network with leaders in the specialty. 
(The roundtables listed below will be held concurrently.) 

STS: Your Career Journey Partner
This roundtable discussion will focus on how STS is a surgeon’s partner throughout one’s career journey, including how to become a more active and involved member; tap into award and fellowship opportunities; engage in STS’s resources, avenues of support, and advocacy opportunities; and make the most of the STS Annual Meeting. 

Trade Secrets for a Successful Career Journey
This roundtable discussion will focus on how surgeons can set themselves up for success early in their career journey, including how to navigate a job transition, negotiate a contract, get the most out of being a mentor or mentee, best manage one’s time, lead an OR team, and network with peers and colleagues. 

TSRA Luncheon
11:30 a.m. -12:45 p.m.
Large Theater

Join fellow trainees for the TSRA Luncheon moderated by TSRA President, Dr. David Blitzer. The program will include TSRA Awards, an update on TSDA activities, and a "State of the Workforce," including the job market and policy changes impacting trainees. 

Monday, January 29
STS Trainee Symposium: Professionalism Puzzles You May Encounter During Residency: How to Piece Together a Resolution
7:15 - 8:45 a.m.
Large Theater
Continental breakfast will be served 

This session showcases challenging situations that occur in medical practice regarding professionalism using real and hypothetical scenarios. 

Moderators: 
Dr. Elizabeth Dexter – Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. Amber Duda – University of Nebraska Medical Center

Presentations:
Dr. Pauline Go — Penn State College of Medicine - Proper Use of Social Media for Surgeons
Dr. Clauden Louis – BayCare Medical Systems – Named in a Malpractice Lawsuit? Keep Calm, Consult with a Malpractice Lawyer, and Learn On
Dr. Aundrea Oliver – East Carolina Heart Institute at East Carolina University – Harassment in Residency
Dr. Sean A. Jordon – University of Tennessee Medical Center – A Co-Residents Substance Abuse is Affecting Their Work – What Now?  
Dr. Melanie Edwards – Trinity Health Care – Financial Planning During Training and the Transition from Training to Practice

Presentations of Thoracic Surgery Foundation Research Award Recipients
9:30 - 10 a.m.
Large Theater

A highlight of research being conducted by cardiothoracic surgeon and trainee recipients of a TSF Research Award. 

Juice Shots Available 
10:30 - 11:15 a.m.

Early Career Journey Roundtable: My Approach to Wellness
10:40 - 11:15 a.m.
Large Theater
Coffee will be served

Early career surgeons and trainees have an opportunity to meet in an informal setting with STS leaders who will provide insight into topics relevant to their career stage. Early career surgeons and trainees are on a unique journey, and seasoned surgeons will provide high value information and an opportunity to meet and network with leaders in the specialty.

This roundtable discussion will focus on achieving personal and professional wellness, how to avoid burnout, advice on personal self-care, and tips for achieving financial stability. 

Mock Oral Exams
Saturday, Jan. 27, 9 - 9:45 a.m.
Sunday, Jan. 28, 6:30 - 7 a.m. and 9:45 - 10:30 a.m.
Monday, Jan. 29, 12 - 1:15 p.m.

This program is designed to help decrease the stress of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS) exam by allowing trainees to prepare for and practice with the oral exam format. Registrants will receive access to a collection of online modules and resources that provide an overview of effective oral exam test-taking strategies, the anatomy of an oral exam, mock oral exam dos and don’ts; and an in-person session with a mock examiner (including small group of other trainees) who will present case scenarios, pose questions, and provide individualized verbal and written feedback to each participant. Limited spots are available, and priority will be given to cardiothoracic surgery residents who are registered for the Annual Meeting and scheduled to take the ABTS oral examination in June 2024. 

STS Mentorship Program
STS Mentorship Program mentors and mentees are encouraged to meet up in the Networking Lounge. The STS Annual Meeting is an excellent opportunity for mentors and mentees to meet face-to-face with their program partners during breaks, meals, or any other time that works best for both parties. 

Painting with a Purpose
While in The Hub, tap into your creative side and contribute to Painting with a Purpose by adding your personal touch to a mural that will be completed through meeting-goers’ collected efforts and donated to Shriners Children’s Hospital in Galveston, TX, after the meeting.

Overall survival rates of esophageal cancer have risen in the past 50-plus years, from 5% in 1970 to 22% in 2023. Yet, no comprehensive guidelines addressing multidisciplinary management of esophageal cancer that incorporate input from surgeons, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists have been available, until now. 

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, American Society for Radiation Oncology, and American Society of Clinical Oncology have co-authored the first comprehensive guideline on the management of esophageal cancer. Published today in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, the guideline addresses key clinical subject areas pertinent to the care of patients with locally advanced, resectable thoracic esophageal cancer. 

The guideline delivers recommendations for the use of induction chemotherapy, optimal radiation dose, value and timing of esophagectomy, use of chemotherapy vs. chemoradiotherapy before surgery, approach and extent of lymphadenectomy, and the value of adjuvant therapy after resection.

“These comprehensive guidelines address areas critical for standardizing and improving care and outcomes for esophageal cancer patients,” says study investigator Stephanie Worrell, MD, clinical associate professor and thoracic section chief at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “The recommendations are based on a comprehensive review of innovations and advancements in the most recent literature.”