The Operative Word

The American College of Surgeons
  • 4.7 (13)
  • Science
  • Updated Monthly

In this series the hosts talk to authors featured in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS), the official scientific journal of the American College of Surgeons.

  1. May 28

    E44: Whether and How Surgeons Took Action Against Workplace Microaggression: Survey of American College of Surgeons Members

    In this episode, Lillian Erdahl, MD, FACS, is joined by Pringl Miller, MD, FACS, from Physican Just Equity, and Christine Heisler, MD, FACS, from the Mayo Clinic Health System. They discuss Drs Miller and Heisler’s recent article, “Whether and How Surgeons Took Action Against Workplace Microaggression: Survey of American College of Surgeons Members,” in which the authors found that the most frequent perpetrator roles were surgeon colleagues and supervisors. A total of 57.4% of surgeons took action, with informal reporting to a colleague and/or directly confronting the perpetrator being most common actions taken. Surgeons who took action were less likely to choose a career in surgery again.   Disclosure Information: Drs Erdahl, Miller, and Heisler have nothing to disclose.   To earn 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for this episode of the JACS Operative Word Podcast, click here to register for the course and complete the evaluation. Listeners can earn CME credit for this podcast for up to 2 years after the original air date.   Heisler, Christine A MD, MS, FACS; Godecker, Amy L PhD, MS; Verran, Deborah MbChB, MHSM; Sinha, Michael S MD, JD, MPH; Byam, Jerome MD; Miller, Pringl MD, FACS. Whether and How Surgeons Took Action Against Workplace Microaggression: Survey of the American College of Surgeons Members. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 242(2):p 390-400, February 2026. | DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001648   Related work: Primary Study: Heisler CA, Godecker AL, Verran D, Sinha MS, Byam J, Miller P. Workplace microaggressions: results of a survey of the American College of Surgeons members. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2024 Aug;231(2):265.e1-265.e8.   Secondary Study: Heisler CA, Godecker AL, Verran D, Sinha MS, Byam J, Miller P. Impact of Workplace Microaggressions on Surgeon Career Status and Trajectory: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study.  Accepted to the Annals of Surgery Open on April 30, 2026.     The secondary study was also presented at ACS Clinical Congress 2024: Heisler CA, Godecker A, Verran D, Sinha MS, Byam J, Miller P. Workplace Microaggressions and the Impact on a Surgeon’s Career Trajectory: Results of a Survey of the American College of Surgeons Members. J Am Coll Surg. October 2024;239(5):S138-139.   Learn more about the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing original contributions on all aspects of surgery, including scientific articles, collective reviews, experimental investigations, and more.   #JACSOperativeWord

    29 min

  2. Apr 23

    E43: Development, Validation, and Comparison of Machine Learning Models for Predicting Pediatric Surgical Site Infection Using the NSQIP-P Database

    In this episode, Thomas K Varghese, Jr, MD, FACS, is joined by Carrie Chan, MSN, MPH, from the University of California, San Francisco, and Karthik Balakrishnan, MD, FACS, from Stanford Medicine Children’s Health. They discuss their recent article,“Development, Validation, and Comparison of Machine Learning Models for Predicting Pediatric Surgical Site Infections Using the NSQIP-P Database,” which represents the largest study to date on predicting pediatric surgical site infection. The authors developed machine-learning models and ultimately recommend a regularized logistic regression model for clinical integration, balancing performance and feasibility for implementation. Findings support using routine preoperative data for personalized infection prevention and preoperative planning.   Disclosure Information: Ms Chan and Drs Varghese and Balakrishnan have nothing to disclose.   To earn 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for this episode of the JACS Operative Word Podcast, click here to register for the course and complete the evaluation. Listeners can earn CME credit for this podcast for up to 2 years after the original air date.   Chan, Carrie T MSN, MPH; Pletcher, Mark J MD, MPH; Balakrishnan, Karthik MD, MPH, FACS; Hswen, Yulin ScD, MPH; Scheffler, Aaron PhD, MS. Development, Validation, and Comparison of Machine Learning Models for Predicting Pediatric Surgical Site Infections Using the NSQIP-P Database. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 242(3):p 712-722, March 2026. | DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001683   Learn more about the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing original contributions on all aspects of surgery, including scientific articles, collective reviews, experimental investigations, and more.   #JACSOperativeWord

    26 min

  3. Mar 26

    E42: Results of an American College of Surgeons Prospective National Quality Improvement Collaborative to Successfully Overcome Barriers to Cancer Care Across the US

    In this episode, Thomas K Varghese, Jr, MD, FACS, is joined by Laurie J Kirstein, MD, FACS, from Memorial Sloan Kettering. They discuss Dr Kirstein’s recent article, “Results of an American College of Surgeons Prospective National Quality Improvement Collaborative to Successfully Overcome Barriers to Cancer Care Across the US,” in which 194 American College of Surgeons (ACS)-accredited cancer programs caring for 99,057 patients participated in a National Quality Improvement Collaborative led by the ACS, “Breaking Barriers,” which reduced radiotherapy non-adherence by over 30% at the patient and hospital levels across multiple program types, census regions, and disease sites.   Disclosure Information: Drs Varghese and Kirstein have nothing to disclose.   To earn 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for this episode of the JACS Operative Word Podcast, click here to register for the course and complete the evaluation. Listeners can earn CME credit for this podcast for up to 2 years after the original air date.   Chan, Kelley MD, MS; Reilly, Eileen MSW; Janczewski, Lauren M MD, MS; Gentry, Sharon MSN, RN; Biggins, Camille MHA; Haffty, Bruce MD; Shelton, Charles MD; Yang, Anthony D MD, MS, FACS; Weigel, Ronald J MD, PhD, MBA, FACS; Kirstein, Laurie J MD, FACS. Results of an American College of Surgeons Prospective National Quality Improvement Collaborative to Successfully Overcome Barriers to Cancer Care Across the US. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 242(1):p 247-256, January 2026. | DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001637   Learn more about the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing original contributions on all aspects of surgery, including scientific articles, collective reviews, experimental investigations, and more.   #JACSOperativeWord

    27 min

  4. Feb 26

    E41: Identifying Diagnostic Gaps and Mitigation Strategies for Older Adult Emergency General Surgery Patients: A Scoping Review

    In this episode, Lillian Erdahl, MD, FACS, is joined by Jessica Liu, MD, MS, MPH, from the Department of Surgery, Harbor UCLA Medical Center. They discuss Dr Liu’s recent article, “Identifying Diagnostic Gaps and Mitigation Strategies for Older Adult Emergency General Surgery Patients: A Scoping Review,” in which the authors identified the current diagnostic issues, clinical tools, and clinician feedback strategies in the older adult emergency general surgery (EGS) setting. While challenges unique to older adults exist, variability in the use of tools to improve identification of older adult conditions in EGS and gaps in feedback to improve diagnosis remain.   Disclosure Information: Drs Erdahl and Liu have nothing to disclose.   To earn 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for this episode of the JACS Operative Word Podcast, click here to register for the course and complete the evaluation. Listeners can earn CME credit for this podcast for up to 2 years after the original air date.   Liu, Jessica K MD, MS, MPH; Peters, Xane D MD, MS; Remer, Sarah L MD; Beestrum, Molly MLIS; Cooper, Zara MD, FACS, MPH; Russell, Marcia M MD, FACS; Hall, Bruce L MD, FACS, PhD; Ko, Clifford Y MD, FACS, MSHS, MS. Identifying Diagnostic Gaps and Mitigation Strategies for Older Adult Emergency General Surgery Patients: A Scoping Review. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 241(5):p 904-916, November 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001480   Learn more about the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing original contributions on all aspects of surgery, including scientific articles, collective reviews, experimental investigations, and more.   #JACSOperativeWord   Copyright © 2026 by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). All rights reserved.   The contents of these materials may be cited in academic publications but otherwise may not be reproduced, disseminated, or transmitted in any form by any means without the express written permission of ACS. These materials may not be resold nor used to create revenue-generating content by any entity other than the ACS without the express written permission of the ACS. The contents of these materials are strictly prohibited from being uploaded, shared, or incorporated in any third-party applications, platforms, software, or websites without prior written authorization from the ACS. This restriction explicitly includes, but is not limited to, the integration of ACS content into tools leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, large language models, or generative AI technologies and infrastructures.

    19 min

  5. Jan 29

    E40: From Surgeon Well-Being to Artificial Intelligence: 2025 Highlights

    In this episode, JACS Editor-in-Chief Tom Varghese, MD, FACS, and Digital Media Editor Lillian Erdahl, MD, FACS, review 6 impactful articles from the past year, highlighting key themes shaping modern surgical practice. Dr Erdahl focuses on the surgeon as a subject, discussing research on moral distress, second-victim syndrome, health policy challenges, and peer surgical coaching. Dr Varghese then explores advances in surgical science, including pragmatic applications of artificial intelligence for risk prediction and operative documentation, as well as comparative evidence on robotic, laparoscopic, and open operation. Together, they emphasize clinically relevant research, thoughtful innovation, and ongoing critical inquiry to support surgeons and improve patient care. Listen to the podcast episodes mentioned at facs.org/operative-word.   Articles discussed: Surgeon Perception and Attitude Toward the Moral Imperative: Institutionally Addressing Second Victim Syndrome in Surgery A Framework for Managing Moral Challenges Related to Health Policy for the Surgeon What About the Coach? Mixed Methods Study Assessing the Experience of Coaches in a Peer Surgical Coaching Program Validation of Artificial Intelligence-Based POTTER Calculator in Emergency General Surgery Patients Undergoing Laparotomy: Prospective, Bi-Institutional Study Enhancing Accuracy of Operative Reports with Automated Artificial Intelligence Analysis of Surgical Video Robotic vs Laparoscopic vs Open Ventral Hernia Repair: Insights from a Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials   Disclosure Information: Drs Varghese and Erdahl have nothing to disclose.   Learn more about the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing original contributions on all aspects of surgery, including scientific articles, collective reviews, experimental investigations, and more.   #JACSOperativeWord

    45 min

  6. 11/20/2025

    E39: Postoperative Pain Management in the US vs Low- and Middle-Income Countries by US Surgeons

    In this episode, Tom Varghese, MD, FACS, is joined by Ziad Sifri, MD, FACS, from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, and Matthew Linz, MD, from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. They discuss Drs Sifri and Linz’s recent article, “Postoperative Pain Management in the US vs Low- and Middle-Income Countries by US Surgeons,” in which they found that surgeons in the US prescribe significantly more opioids after inguinal hernia repair compared with when they operate on short-term surgical trips to low- and middle-income countries, despite continued efforts to reduce opioid overprescription in the US.   Disclosure Information: Drs Varghese, Linz, and Sifri have nothing to disclose. To earn 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for this episode of the JACS Operative Word Podcast, click here to register for the course and complete the evaluation. Listeners can earn CME credit for this podcast for up to 2 years after the original air date. Linz, Matthew S MD1; Parvin-Nejad, Fatemeh P MD2; Srinivasan, Nivetha MD3; Vegunta, Geetasravya MD1; Eng, Ashley K BS1; Kim, Eugene BA MBS; Alexander, Imani BS1; Elgammal, Fatima MD2; Benson, Ryan MD2; Benneh, Albert Y MD4; Gyakobo, Mawuli K MD5,6; Lopez, Lorena MD7; Jalloh, Samba MD8; Sifri, Ziad C MD FACS2. Postoperative Pain Management in the US vs Low-and-Middle-Income Countries by US Surgeons. Journal of the American College of Surgeons ():10.1097/XCS.0000000000001538, July 30, 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001538   Learn more about the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing original contributions on all aspects of surgery, including scientific articles, collective reviews, experimental investigations, and more. #JACSOperativeWord

    21 min

  7. 10/30/2025

    E38: What About the Coach? Mixed-Methods Study Assessing the Experience of Coaches in a Peer Surgical Coaching Program

    In this episode, Lillian Erdahl, MD, FACS, is joined by Eilidh Gunn, MBChB MRCSEd, from the Surgical Sabermetrics Laboratory at the University of Edinburgh. They discuss Dr Gunn’s recent article, “What About the Coach? Mixed-Methods Study Assessing the Experience of Coaches in a Peer Surgical Coaching Program.” As peer-led surgical coaching becomes an increasingly popular professional development activity, this study explores the impact of participation on surgeons acting as coaches. Using a concurrent, mixed-methods design, results demonstrate that coaches found participation worthwhile and that it affected their own clinical practice. Learn more about the SCOPE program here.   Disclosure Information: Drs Gunn and Erdahl have nothing to disclose. To earn 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for this episode of the JACS Operative Word Podcast, click here to register for the course and complete the evaluation. Listeners can earn CME credit for this podcast for up to 2 years after the original air date.   Gunn, Eilidh GM MBChB MRCSEd1; Sinyard, Robert D MD MBA2; Cummins, Emily R PhD3; Yule, Steven PhD4; Smink, Douglas S MD, MPH, FACS5. What About the Coach? Mixed-Methods Study Assessing the Experience of Coaches in a Peer Surgical Coaching Program. Journal of the American College of Surgeons ():10.1097/XCS.0000000000001506, July 24, 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001506    Learn more about the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing original contributions on all aspects of surgery, including scientific articles, collective reviews, experimental investigations, and more. #JACSOperativeWord

    32 min

  8. 09/25/2025

    E37: Expanding the Public Health Role of Pediatric Trauma Centers: Drug Screening for Adolescent Trauma Patients

    In this episode, Lillian Erdahl, MD, FACS, is joined by Jordan Rook, MD, from UCLA, and Lorraine Kelley-Quon, MD, FACS, from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Keck School of Medicine of USC. They discuss Drs Rook and Kelley-Quon’s recent article, “Expanding the Public Health Role of Pediatric Trauma Centers: Drug Screening for Adolescent Trauma Patients,” in which the authors found that biochemical drug screening for injured adolescents is decreasing at pediatric trauma centers, despite increasing national adolescent overdose deaths. Given high rates of substance use among injured adolescents, this is a missed opportunity to intervene on problematic substance use and prevent future adolescent overdose deaths.   Disclosure Information: Drs Rook, Kelley-Quon, and Erdahl have nothing to disclose. To earn 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for this episode of the JACS Operative Word Podcast, click here to register for the course and complete the evaluation. Listeners can earn CME credit for this podcast for up to 2 years after the original air date.   Rook, Jordan M MDa,b; Spurrier, Ryan G MD FACSc,d; Lee, Jenna S MDc; Safavi, Arash MD MHSC FACSc,d; Barrington-Trimis, Jessica PhDe; Ignacio, Romeo C MD MS MPath FACSf; Juillard, Catherine J MD MPH FACSa; Kelley-Quon, Lorraine I MD MS FACSc,d,e. Expanding the Public Health Role of Pediatric Trauma Centers: Drug Screening for Adolescent Trauma Patients. Journal of the American College of Surgeons ():10.1097/XCS.0000000000001596, August 22, 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001596    Learn more about the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing original contributions on all aspects of surgery, including scientific articles, collective reviews, experimental investigations, and more.   #JACSOperativeWord

    23 min
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4.7
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

In this series the hosts talk to authors featured in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS), the official scientific journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Information

  • Creator
    The American College of Surgeons
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Operative Word

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