The History Of AUGIS

The History Of AUGIS The concept of an Association for Surgeons with an interest in upper gastrointestinal disease initiated from within the Association of Surgeons during 1995. The Specialties Board and the Surgical Gastroenterology Group recognised the desire of many surgeons to have appropriate representation in Gastrointestinal Surgery At the time other Groups within General Surgery had developed powerful representative voices. Vascular, breast and transplant surgeons had formed effective specialty groups. The Association of Coloproctology (ACPS) had developed partly from within the Coloproctology Section of the Royal Society of Medicine. That Association had defined "Coloproctology", "a Coloproctology Unit", "Surgeons with an interest in Coloproctology" and "Training in Coloproctology". ACPS considered it had a responsibility to ensure that its specialty was fully recognised and indeed ensured that the Specialist Advisory Committee in General Surgery recognised coloproctology as a sub-specialty in its own right. In order to respond to these developments on behalf of upper gastrointestinal surgeons, a steering group composed of senior representatives of the respective academic societies interested in upper gastrointestinal disease met during 1995 and 1996 to consider the foundation of a new Association to mirror the Association of Coloproctology. Initial reluctance to form yet another Association was overcome as the aims were defined. It was recognised that the Association would encompass the science and practice of surgery of the oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, small bowel, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, biliary tree and spleen. Within the sub-specialty are two sub-divisions; disorders of the oesophagus and stomach (oesophago gastric surgery) and disorders of the liver, pancreas and biliary tract (HPB surgery) which can be further sub-divided to allow specialisation in the treatment of liver disorders to include hepatic resection and transplantation. The inaugural meeting of the Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland was held in Glasgow in 1996 under the Presidency of Professor Robin Williamson. The Association has increased in size and influence under the successive presidencies of Mr. Christopher Russell, Professor Derek Alderson and Professor James Garden. It continues to promote its principles and objectives of improving the delivery, the results and outcome of conditions of the oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, liver and biliary tract requiring surgical treatment. Membership of the Association is open to all surgeons, both trained and in training, who have a major sub-specialty interest in upper gastrointestinal surgery. Affiliate membership is also open to those who wish to promote the objectives of the Association in advancing the science and practice of upper gastrointestinal surgery and the promotion of research in this field. An overseas membership category will be considered by its annual meeting in Cambridge in 2004. The Association meets under the umbrella of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland at its spring meeting and at its own free-standing autumn meeting. This latter meeting provides an educational forum designed to promote standards in training in upper gastrointestinal surgery and endoscopy. Both national and international speakers are invited and the Association is generously supported by a lectureship through the British Journal of Surgery Society. The presentation of high quality scientific and clinical papers has been a feature of the autumn meeting.