Dear Colleague,

The need for continual instruction and self-assessment, leading to a corresponding improvement in the care delivered, has long been one of the hallmark responsibilities of our profession. Patients, the government, professional organizations, and other health care providers all expect us to find innovative ways to bring the most benefit to the greatest number of patients. We certainly expect no less from ourselves.

An official publication of the American College of Surgeons, ACS Surgery: Principles & Practice was designed to provide fast access to the most current recommendations on surgical procedures and patient care.

ACS Surgery features an Editorial Board comprising some of the best young surgeons known for both their surgical expertise and their academic credentials:

Chip Souba, MD, ScD, FACS (Penn State)
Larry Kaiser, MD, FACS (University of Pennsylvania)
Nat Soper, MD, FACS (Northwestern University School of Medicine)
Mitch Fink, MD, FACS (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine)
Bill Pearce, MD, FACS (Northwestern University School of Medicine)
Jerry Jurkovich, MD, FACS (University of Washington School of Medicine)
John Pemberton, MD, FACS (Mayo Clinic).

Their tireless work with almost 200 contributing authors to maintain the unique continual updating process of ACS Surgery ensures that you will have at your fingertips state-of-the-art information. ACS Surgery Online is updated monthly, and the bound volume of ACS Surgery updates 40% of its content with completely new or revised material each and every year.

ACS Surgery: Principles & Practice is a trailblazer in surgical education. Since its earliest days, it has approached the educational needs of surgeons by uniquely providing the most current instruction on state-of-the art operative technique, as well as information on key professional issues outside the OR, such as the following:

• What skills and techniques do I need to improve the care of this individual patient?
• What is the best global approach for me to take while away from the operating table that will improve the care of all of my patients?

ACS Surgery leads the way in surgical education and information, providing surgeons with the necessary support they need to answer the patient call for superlative care-evidence of a commitment to providing quality surgical education that makes all of us at the American College of Surgeons very proud of our ongoing sponsorship of ACS Surgery.

Sincerely,
Thomas R. Russell, MD, FACS
Executive Director
Chicago, IL