ADVANCING ACADEMIC GLOBAL SURGERY: EQUITY METRICS AND ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ACADEMIC GLOBAL SURGERY, 2017–2025 katayounsmadani@gmail.com

PW07-10

ADVANCING ACADEMIC GLOBAL SURGERY: EQUITY METRICS AND ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ACADEMIC GLOBAL SURGERY, 2017–2025

7

United States

Oral or Poster

Academic global surgery has expanded rapidly over the past decade. The Association of Academic Global Surgery (AAGS, founded 2017) provides a multi-stakeholder home to advance scholarly work, education and program development in the field. We describe AAGS’s development and measurable contributions from 2017–2025.

We conducted a descriptive analysis of AAGS administrative records (membership database, committee meeting records, event logs), Council of Institutional Representatives rosters, and publicly available outputs (publications, statements, symposia). Strategic priorities were derived from a 2022 gap-analysis process. Outcomes were categorized across six predefined domains using Large Language Model-assisted thematic mapping with dual-reviewer human verification.

As of 2025, 62% of members are based in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); leadership composition is on track for 50% LMIC representation by end-2025. Across 12 thematic committees and a Council of Institutional Representatives, AAGS contributed to progress in: (1) foundational knowledge (consensus definitions/competencies), (2) academic infrastructure (new/diversified training pathways), (3) scholarly output (peer-reviewed publications and conference programming), (4) professional networks (cross-institutional mentorship and trainee engagement), (5) policy/practice legitimacy (position statements and accreditation process), and (6) interdisciplinary recognition (co-sponsored sessions and joint initiatives). A thematic map of results is presented in Figure 1.

As an adaptive and equity-centered organization, AAGS has played a pivotal role in shaping global surgery into a recognized academic discipline. Future priorities include the expansion and accreditation of academic global surgery programs and the advancement of equitable career pathways.