Andrew Smith
President Elect Summer Update 2024
I must initially acknowledge the incredible charitable work that our immediate past president Nick Maynard has undertaken in Gaza in the past few months at significant risk to himself. His media interviews have painted a very difficult and dangerous situation.
It has been humbling to have been the first individual to have been elected by the Society’s membership. In the short period since taking on the role, I have supported Arin Saha as Director for Education, attending the ASM site visit in Manchester and the educational committee meetings. An excellent program is in development with innovative tweaks to our established format. Together with Iain Cameron and Shahid Farid, I have assisted in the development of the AUGIS safe laparoscopic cholecystectomy and bile duct injury program.
I have appraised some of our brilliant and productive SSLs! Together with the RCSEng we intend to advertise for the next Pancreas and Upper GI cancer SSLs in the near future. We are in the process of obtaining ongoing funding from our charitable partners to support their salaries. I have enjoyed attending the EDI committee meetings - the new mentorship program and EDI guidance for meetings are both very positive initiatives.
I’m looking forward to the next few years and helping to progress our Society and build on the excellent work of and our predecessors. Please get in touch with me if there are areas or themes that you think AUGIS should be involved in or aspects that we could improve upon.