American College of Surgeons

Provides surgeons with education, professional connections, member offers, College activities, and access to full JACS articles.

Supports surgical quality improvement through accreditation, verification, data, education, guidelines, and practical tools.

Provides an online entry point to ACS Quality Programs and their surgical quality resources.

Helps surgeons understand policy issues and take action on legislation affecting their practice and patients.

Helps patients and loved ones prepare for surgery, understand what to expect, and access information to support recovery.

Helps patients locate a quality surgeon near them.

Helps patients identify a treatment center that fits their needs by finding accredited and verified hospitals.

Provides peer-reviewed surgical science, searchable articles, and access to the latest monthly issue.

Builds surgical knowledge through annual education, on-demand resources, meeting coverage, and virtual access options.

Brings participants together to shape the future of simulation-based surgical education.

Helps residents develop leadership and teaching skills for professional growth.

Connects healthcare professionals with insights on surgical quality, patient safety, and cancer care.

Builds learners’ ability to apply a systematic, concise approach to early trauma care.

Expands access to bleeding-control training through an instructor network reaching people around the world.

Offers ATLS-related education, networking, and downloadable symposium resources.

ACS membership

ACS membership offers benefits for surgeons across specialties and career stages. Members can participate in College activities, connect with colleagues, access educational resources, receive member discounts and group insurance plans, and log in to read full Journal of the American College of Surgeons articles.

Category: Trade Association Memberships

• Connect With Surgical Colleagues
  Members can engage with ACS colleagues and participate in College activities and local chapter events.
• Save On Member Offers
  Member discounts can help members save on products and services, including medical liability insurance, travel, and car rentals.
• Access Educational Resources
  Members can access educational resources and education opportunities for professional development.
• Explore Group Insurance Plans
  Members can explore group insurance plans offered through the College and underwritten by New York Life Insurance Company.
• Read Full JACS Articles
  Member login provides access to the full content of Journal of the American College of Surgeons articles.

ACS Quality Programs

ACS Quality Programs bring together accreditation and verification programs, data and registries, guidelines, products, and tools to improve surgical quality. Programs support hospitals and surgical teams across areas including trauma, cancer, bariatric, pediatric, emergency general, geriatric, and vascular surgery. Resources include a quality framework, participant case studies, quality improvement education, online education, and surgical risk calculators. The portfolio includes the Quality Verification Program; NSQIP and NSQIP Pediatric; MBSAQIP; cancer programs such as the Commission on Cancer, National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, and National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer; trauma programs including VRC and TQIP; and verification programs for children's, emergency general, geriatric, and vascular surgery.

• Estimate Surgical Risks And Outcomes
  Clinicians can use preoperative patient information to estimate postoperative complication risks. The bariatric calculator also estimates weight-related comorbidity remission and weight loss for four primary procedures.
• Pursue Surgical Accreditation And Verification
  Hospitals can participate in ACS accreditation and verification offerings across a range of surgical services. The programs support efforts to meet defined standards and improve care; eligible hospitals can also use geriatric surgery verification as part of a stated pathway to national recognition.
• Track Surgical Data And Outcomes
  Use ACS registry programs to track surgical patient records and support quality improvement. Eligible MBSAQIP center employees can request access to participant data on cases and postoperative outcomes, while NSQIP offers recognition for hospitals achieving meritorious surgical patient care outcomes.
• Guide Quality Improvement Projects
  Hospitals can use the ACS Quality Framework for guidance on quality improvement projects and review participant case studies for approaches that may apply to their programs.
• Improve Trauma Care
  Trauma teams can explore practical approaches to improving care and use the annual conference to share perspectives and strengthen collaboration across disciplines and trauma systems.
• Review Reported Study Findings
  A JAMA Surgery study linked ACS Emergency General Surgery Verification with lower death rates and shorter hospital stays; the program does not state that these outcomes are guaranteed.
• Build Quality Improvement Skills
  Healthcare providers can access educational resources to develop basic quality improvement knowledge and skills.
• Find Accredited And Verified Hospitals
  Patients and others can search for hospitals accredited or verified through ACS programs.

ACS Quality Portal

The ACS Quality Portal is an online portal for ACS Quality Programs.

• Access ACS Quality Programs
  Use the portal as an online entry point to ACS Quality Programs, which provide programs, products, guidelines, and tools to improve surgical quality.

ACS Advocacy & Health Policy

ACS Advocacy & Health Policy informs surgeons about ACS policy priorities and provides resources to take action on legislation affecting surgeons and their patients. The service analyzes and advocates on federal and state legislation and regulations, with an agenda that includes issues such as Medicare physician payment and medical liability reform. Resources include the SurgeonsVoice Advocacy Center and the Quality Payment Program Resource Center, which helps users navigate MIPS.

• Understand ACS Policy Priorities
  Review ACS policy priorities and agenda issues relevant to practicing surgeons, including Medicare physician payment and medical liability reform.
• Contact Representatives On Legislative Issues
  Use the SurgeonsVoice Advocacy Center to see legislative issues in your state and connect with representatives to share your perspective. Members can also access SurgeonsPAC to take action.
• Follow Federal Legislative Advocacy
  Explore federal legislation and ACS advocacy on issues affecting surgeons and surgical care.
• Engage In State Advocacy
  Learn about state legislative issues and grassroots advocacy opportunities related to matters that can directly affect surgeons.
• Address Regulations Affecting Surgical Care
  Access ACS analysis and advocacy concerning regulations that affect surgeons and surgical care.
• Navigate MIPS Scoring And Categories
  Use the resource center to learn how MIPS scoring works, understand its categories, and see how the program affects pay.
• Develop Surgeon Advocacy Involvement
  Explore resources to learn about health policy involvement and becoming a surgeon advocate representing patients and the profession.

Patient surgery education resources

The American College of Surgeons provides educational resources for patients and loved ones on preparing for surgery, what to expect on the day of a procedure, and recovery and discharge. The information is intended to support patients in participating in their care at the hospital and at home. It is not a substitute for discussion with a qualified surgeon familiar with the patient's situation.

• Prepare For Surgery
  Patients can access information intended to help them get ready for their surgical procedure.
• Support Recovery And Discharge
  Patients can access resources and information about recovering after surgery and discharge.
• Understand Procedure Expectations
  Patients and loved ones can review information about common procedures and what to expect before surgery.
• Participate In Your Care
  Information across the surgery and recovery journey helps patients take an active role in their care in the hospital and at home.

Find a Surgeon

Find a Surgeon helps patients locate a quality surgeon near them through an online surgeon-finding resource from the American College of Surgeons.

• Find A Quality Surgeon Nearby
  Patients can use Find a Surgeon to locate a quality surgeon near them.

Find a Hospital

An online search tool that helps users identify a treatment center suited to their needs by searching for accredited and verified hospitals.

• Find A Suitable Treatment Center
  Search for accredited and verified hospitals to identify a treatment center that meets your needs.

Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS)

The Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) is a monthly, peer-reviewed scientific journal. Readers can access the latest issue and search JACS content using keywords, with advanced filters available on the JACS website after an initial search. ACS members can log in to access full article content.

• Read Peer-Reviewed Scientific Content
  Readers can consult scientific content published in a peer-reviewed journal released monthly.
• Find Relevant Journal Content
  Search JACS by keyword and use advanced filters on the journal website after beginning a search.
• Read The Latest Issue
  Readers can follow the link to view the latest issue on the JACS journal website.
• Access Full Article Content
  ACS members can log in through the ACS website to access full JACS article content.

ACS Clinical Congress

The American College of Surgeons’ annual Clinical Congress offers surgical education for medical professionals across specialties, with more than 300 educational courses and sessions each year. Attendees can access on-demand education, meeting highlights, Clinical Congress News, and virtual access options for the 2026 meeting. Convocation is one of the annual Congress highlights.

Category: Industry Conferences

• Expand Surgical Knowledge
  Explore educational courses and sessions designed for medical professionals across surgical specialties.
• Access Education On Demand
  Continue engaging with 2026 educational content through on-demand education and virtual access options.
• Explore Meeting Coverage
  Review meeting highlights and Clinical Congress News to catch up on coverage of the 2026 meeting.
• Experience A Congress Highlight
  Attend a longstanding Clinical Congress highlight: the Convocation and its procession.

ACS Innovation Summit

The ACS Innovation Summit is an event focused on shaping the future of simulation-based surgical education. The 2027 Summit is scheduled for March 11–12 in Chicago.

Category: Industry Conferences

• Shape Surgical Education's Future
  Participate in an ACS Summit focused on shaping the future of simulation-based surgical education.

ACS Residents as Teachers and Leaders Course

The American College of Surgeons course helps residents develop leadership and teaching skills. The 2027 course is scheduled for April 9–11 in Chicago.

• Build Leadership Skills
  Residents can develop leadership skills through the ACS course.
• Develop Teaching Skills
  Residents can develop teaching skills through the ACS course.

Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference

The American College of Surgeons’ Quality, Safety & Cancer Conference brings together surgeons and healthcare professionals around surgical quality, patient safety, and cancer care. The 2026 conference featured insights on AI, innovation, resilience, teamwork, and improving patient care. The 2027 conference is scheduled for July 29–August 1 in Seattle, Washington, and is listed as an in-person event.

Category: Industry Conferences

• Explore Patient Care Insights
  Explore conference insights related to surgical quality, patient safety, and cancer care. ACS coverage of the 2026 conference highlighted AI, innovation, resilience, teamwork, and improving patient care.
• Attend In Person
  Attend the conference in person, as identified by the ACS.
• Plan For The Seattle Event
  Use the published dates and location to plan for the 2027 conference, scheduled for July 29–August 1 in Seattle, Washington.

Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)

Advanced Trauma Life Support is a trauma education program offered in multiple countries. Its courses teach a systematic, concise approach to the early care of trauma patients. The ATLS 11 version introduces significant enhancements, and the MyATLS app provides course-related learning resources.

• Learn A Structured Approach To Early Trauma Care
  The course teaches a systematic, concise approach to early trauma care, giving learners a structured basis for caring for trauma patients.
• Explore The Latest Program Version
  ATLS 11 provides a newer version of the program with significant enhancements, as described by the American College of Surgeons.
• Review Course Materials In The MyATLS App
  The app brings together chapter summaries, videos, calculators, interactive algorithms, tables, skill stations, checklists, practice quizzes, and flashcards to support review of ATLS course material.
• Access Trauma Education In Multiple Countries
  The program is offered in multiple countries, making ATLS course education available across international settings.

STOP THE BLEED

STOP THE BLEED is a bleeding-control training program. The American College of Surgeons reports that more than 5 million people have been trained in 135 countries by more than 160,000 instructors.

• Reach Learners Across Countries
  The program’s instructor network has delivered bleeding-control training to more than 5 million people in 135 countries.

ATLS Global Symposium

The ATLS Global Symposium is scheduled for March 2027 and offers an educational program and networking opportunities. Attendees can also access symposium handouts and resources.

Category: Industry Conferences

• Explore Educational Content
  Attend the symposium’s educational program to engage with content related to ATLS.
• Connect With Attendees
  Use the symposium’s networking opportunities to connect with other attendees.
• Access Event Resources
  Download handouts and resources associated with the ATLS Global Symposium.