awareness
Beyond the Banners: The Quiet Cost of Pride
by Anthony Tannous, MD, FACS This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Association of Out Surgeons and Allies in celebration of Pride Month. June bursts forth in a riot of color, a seemingly utopian vision of equality and dignity, often accompanied by a healthy dose of corporate branding. Around the Western world, joyful — and perhaps slightly inebriated — celebrants reclaim public spaces, belting pop anthems and radiating pure, unadulterated queer joy. This year, however, the glitter feels heavier, the music a little more poignant. The comfort and acceptance we’ve come to expect are under strategic, relentless attack. Bigotry has shed its hood and robe for tailored suits and eloquent speeches. It occupies podiums, commands microphones, and infiltrates mainstream podcasts. They begin, as always, with the most vulnerable: our trans siblings. But history, that unsparing teacher, reminds us that the target will inevitably widen to...
Stitch by Stitch
By Tala AbedalqaderI’ve always found a certain sense of purpose in using my hands. Whether it’s an embroidery thread sliding through fabric or suture material passing through layers of skin, I found that there’s a rhythm and purpose that drives me. Whether it’s art or surgery, my hands are driven by the same intention – to create and repair.Crocheting, embroidery, and sketching were creative outlets I picked up in medical school that gave me a sense of peace and the opportunity to relieve stress. As I grew more interested in surgery, I started to notice how these hobbies weren’t just therapeutic, but they were also shaping my skills in meaningful ways. The dexterity I harbored from manipulating threaded needles and hooks granted me with fine motor skills that I would use, first in simulation, then in the operating room. Similarly, sketching proved to be an excellent and highly useful skill...
To Come Out (Again) or Not? A Surgeon’s Reflections on Identity in the Workplace
This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Association of Out Surgeons and Allies in celebration of Pride Month.By Dr. Kayleigh M. Herrick-Reynolds As I am speed-rounding to get to the OR on time, my patient catches a glimpse of my wedding ring and asks, “Is your husband a doctor too?” This question—a genuine interest in my life and a plea for the normalcy of casual conversation as I wake them at 6:00 a.m—is also just the first of many times that day I will have to choose how to answer.Surgical training requires intense focus, commitment, resilience, and sacrifice. For anyone who does not fit the stereotype of “surgeon” or who holds a non-traditional identity, the mental choreography of deciding how much of ourselves to share in the workplace adds a layer of stress to an already high-stakes job. Particularly as a trainee, the rigid hierarchy...
Visibility and Possibility
This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Association of Out Surgeons and Allies in celebration of Pride Month. By: Aeryn Kangas-Dick MD I knew I was transgender since I was a child, but I never had the language to say what that meant. All I knew was what I saw on television— transgender people were often played for comic relief, or sometimes for shock value. Role models were few and very far between, and I had certainly never heard of a transgender surgeon. During my planned research year between my second and third years of surgical training, I was called to serve as an ICU resident during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. As many did after confronting the horrors of this experience, I realized I didn’t want to spend more time pretending to be something I wasn’t. However I was...
What Does it Mean to be an Advocate? Reflections from the ACS Leadership and Advocacy Summit 2025
By Shannon F.R. Small, MD, FACS The word “advocate” can mean a variety of things, especially within the medical field. Most commonly, patients are asked to designate their own advocate, someone to speak for them. Hospitals may employ dedicated advocates to aid patients in navigating the complex medical system. Medical staff may ask for representatives to serve as advocates towards hospital leadership. I consider myself an advocate for my patients, for the students and residents I mentor, and for my colleagues. Recently, I discovered a new dimension of advocacy when I attended my first American College of Surgeons’ Leadership and Advocacy Summit. This annual meeting brings together medical students, residents, and attending surgeons from across the country for sessions focused on leadership development and health policy. The Summit culminates in a visit to Capitol Hill, where each state delegation meets with congressional representatives to discuss key legislative priorities supported by...
A Surgical Resident’s Journey to Authenticity
By Dr. Steven Xie This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Association of Out Surgeons and Allies in celebration of Pride Month. Every member of the LGBTQ+ community has a unique story and journey in coming out. Often, coming out isn’t a single moment, but a continuous process of choosing to live authentically, sometimes in spaces that are not built or ready for it. Growing up at the intersection of being Asian American and gay, I internalized the idea that my identity was something to hide–something I should be ashamed of. There was a deep fear of disappointing my family, whose ideology likely stemmed from the cultural silence around queerness, and their fear of what being gay meant for my future. I immersed myself in academics, kept my head buried in books, hoping academic success would protect me from shame. I viewed excellence as a...
Training Your Subconscious Mind in Residency
By Dr. Anupama Singh This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Training my subconscious mind and building mental fortitude is a vital skill I learned at the start of my surgical residency. It molded me into a calmer person capable of adapting to any challenging situation and instilled in me a growth mindset that benefits me in all areas of my life, not just in residency. I wasn’t always like this. In high school, my friends and family labeled me as a “high-functioning anxious person.” I remember being unbothered by it. I still got the good grades and it didn’t matter if these achievements were the result of sleepless nights and spiraling, anxious thoughts that were trying to predict every outcome. That mentality was challenged when I started surgical residency,...
As a female surgeon, can I actually have a child-and when?
by Dr. Deepa Patel This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Female surgeons serving a dual role as mothers are no longer a rarity, as over one third of us have a child during residency. Despite these statistics, I continue to hear that many female medical students avoid careers in surgery as they think that pursuing such a career would hinder their ability to have children. Hearing these concerns surprises me. I have always considered my career a top priority but did know that at some point, I also wanted children. I never considered these goals in opposition. As a young attending about to have her first child within 2 years of finishing a colorectal fellowship, I have found that balancing pregnancy with a career is possible-but needs to be...
Challenges Females Face in Medicine
By Camellia Russell Biological sex is an unchangeable aspect of who we are, yet it continues to shape the opportunities we encounter throughout life. Despite progress, many cultures and societies still espouse old-fashioned beliefs about gender roles, especially when it comes to leadership. In particular, women are often expected to prioritize home life over career ambitions, with roles like "leader" or "surgeon" still largely reserved for men in many fields. Medicine, in particular, has needed to evolve faster. While women now make up approximately 20-25% of surgeons in the United States, this percentage still needs to be equitable. Women surgeons often face daily challenges, from juggling demanding work schedules with motherhood and family to battling deep-seated biases. Also, many patients may look at female surgeons as less capable or skilled than their male counterparts due to long-standing gender stereotypes. According to research from the University of Kansas, women in academic...
Breaking Barriers: Women in Cardiac Surgery
This is a special edition blog post presented in partnership with the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. By Dr. Hina Inam "Women cannot be cardiac surgeons. We have bets on when you will leave." These were the words of an attending, said just a few days after I joined the Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency. I was stepping into a field where women were a rare sight, and the expectation was clear—I would not last. But I was determined to prove them wrong. I worked hard, showed what I was made of, and ultimately became the first female cardiac surgeon to graduate from my institute. It wasn’t just about proving myself; it was about paving the way for those who would follow. Since then, the landscape has started to shift. Dr. Sara Iqbal became the second female cardiac surgeon to graduate from...
