The Operative Word

In this episode, Lillian Erdahl, MD, FACS, is joined by Clifford Ko, MD, FACS, from UCLA. They discuss Dr Ko’s recent article, “Impact of American College of Surgeons Verification Programs: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” a framework-based systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the association between ACS verification programs and surgical quality. Across diverse programs and outcomes, verification is consistently associated with improvements in safety, effectiveness, efficiency, equity, and patient-centered care.   Disclosure Information: Dr Erdahl, moderator, has no relevant financial conflicts to disclose. Dr Ko, moderator, is an employee of the American College of Surgeons.   Cohen ME, Remer SL, Grieco A, et al. Impact of American College of Surgeons Verification Programs: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Published online April 30, 2026. doi:10.1097/XCS.0000000000001980   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

In this episode, Thomas K Varghese, Jr, MD, FACS, is joined by Erika Rangel, MD, FACS, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital. They discuss Dr Rangel’s recent article, “Flexibility Stigma and the Double Bind of Family Formation in Medical and Surgical Residency,” which found that flexibility stigma in residency discourages pregnant and parenting trainees from using needed work-life accommodations, creating harmful double binds between training expectations and personal well-being. Structural and cultural reforms are essential to support equity, retention, and trainee health.   Disclosure Information: All relevant conflicts have been mitigated and Drs Varghese and Rangel, moderators, have no relevant financial conflicts 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. This activity has been designated as Credit to Address Regulatory Mandates in the following categories: Cultural Competency and Behavioral Health. Individuals MUST check with their state or local medical board, hospital, or organization to verify that the content does meet the specific requirements. Listeners can earn CME credit for this podcast for up to 2 years after the original air date.   Rangel EL, Zeineddine J, Lovejoy MC, et al. Flexibility Stigma and the Double Bind of Family Formation in Medical and Surgical Residency Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Published online May 21, 2026. doi:10.1097/XCS.0000000000002046   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

In this episode, Lillian Erdahl, MD, FACS, is joined by Morgan Pettigrew, MD, from UT Southwestern. They discuss Dr Pettigrew’s recent article, “Artificial Intelligence Simplification of English and Spanish Surgical Consent Forms: 1-Size Does Not Fit All,” which found that while ChatGPT-4.0 improved the readability of English surgical consent forms, it did not improve readability of Spanish forms. To address this disparity, the authors developed a custom-trained GPT that improved readability of English and Spanish consent forms.   Disclosure Information: All relevant conflicts have been mitigated and Drs Erdahl and Pettigrew, moderators, have no relevant financial conflicts 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.   Pettigrew, Morgan F MD; Nunez-Rocha, Ricardo E MD; Govindu, Sai R BS; Castillo, Samy MD; Heslin, Ryan T MD; Bain, Andrew P MD; Abreu, Andres A MD; Fatimah, Nafeesah MD; Polanco, Patricio M MD, FACS; Wang, Sam C MD, FACS. Artificial Intelligence Simplification of English and Spanish Surgical Consent Forms: 1-Size Does Not Fit All. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 243(1):p 202-214, July 2026. | DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001890   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

In this episode, Thomas K Varghese, Jr, MD, FACS, is joined by Serena Lofftus, MD, and James Wu, MD, FACS, from UCLA. They discuss Drs Lofftus and Wu’s recent article, “Patient-Based Decision Making for Opioid Prescriptions After Ambulatory Breast Operation: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” which evaluated whether incorporating patient choice into postoperative prescribing decisions could reduce opioid prescribing and consumption after ambulatory breast operation without negatively affecting pain control or quality of life.   Disclosure Information: Drs Varghese, Lofftus, and Wu have no relevant financial conflicts of interest 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. Of the AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM listed above, a maximum of 0.25 hours meet the requirements for Prescribing Opioids/Controlled Substances.* *The content of this activity may meet certain mandates of regulatory bodies. Please note that ACS has not and does not verify the content for such mandates with any regulatory body. Individual physicians are responsible for verifying the content satisfies such requirements. Lofftus, Serena Y MD1,4; Graham, Danielle S MD, PhD1,4; Le, Julie MD, FACS1,2; Zhu, Catherine Y MD1,3; Kaufman, Noy MD4,5; Huy, Tess C MD1,4; Kusske, Amy M MD, FACS1,4; Teshome, Mediget MD, FACS1,4; Baker, Jennifer L MD, FACS1,4; Wu, James X MD, FACS4,6. Patient-Based Decision Making for Opioid Prescriptions After Ambulatory Breast Operation: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of the American College of Surgeons ():10.1097/XCS.0000000000001974, April 13, 2026. | DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001974   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

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 no relevant financial conflicts 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