The Canadian Association of General Surgeons is a

professional association A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) is a group that usually seeks to advocacy, further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in ...

for

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

surgeon In medicine, a surgeon is a medical doctor who performs surgery. Even though there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon is a licensed physician and received the same medical training as physicians before spec ...

s in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. It was founded in 1977.

History

The Canadian Association of General Surgeons held its inaugural meeting on 11 May 1977 at the Royal York Hotel in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, Canada, to which all general surgeons in Canada were invited. Both the

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada () is a regulatory college which acts as a national, nonprofit organization established in 1929 by a special Act of Parliament to oversee the medical education of specialists in Canada. The ...

and the Professional Corporation in

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

appreciated the importance of

continuing education Continuing education is the education undertaken after initial education for either personal or professional reasons. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada. Recognized forms of post-secondary learning activities within the d ...

and consultation with National Specialties Societies, and supported the establishment of the Canadian Association of General Surgeons in order to represent what were then 2000 general surgeons across the country.

Organization

The Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS) is the main national organization representing the interests of General Surgeons in Canada. The mission for CAGS is "The Canadian Association of General Surgeons promotes the training, education, continuing professional development, thoughtful practice and research essential to the provision of the exemplary surgical care Canadians expect and deserve". The vision of CAGS is that "The Canadian Association of General Surgeons is the voice of the specialty of General Surgery in Canada". CAGS is sponsoring society of the

Canadian Journal of Surgery The ''Canadian Journal of Surgery'' is a bimonthly peer-reviewed open access medical journal covering surgery. It was established in 1957 and is published by the Canadian Medical Association. The current editors-in-chief are Edward J. Harvey and ...

. CAGS offers its members a range of educational opportunities, supports surgical research, and provides a forum for Canadian General Surgeons to discuss the issues that challenge the specialty of General Surgery. CAGS sponsors a yearly meeting called the Canadian Surgery Forum. This meeting is held in a different major Canadian city each year. It also administers a yearly in-training examination administered for all residents enrolled in Canadian general surgery training programs free of charge. This examination is also offered at a fee for any CAGS member at the annual Canadian Surgery Forum. In support of research, CAGS operates a research fund called the Canadian Surgical Research Fund (CSRF). This fund was created in the 1980s to promote research by general surgeons and general surgery residents in clinical and basic science. The CSRF currently funds two

research project Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...

s per year and sponsors an annual research retreat for general surgery residents across Canada. CAGS is composed of many committees including the examination committee, the resident committee, the international surgery committee, as well as various subspecialty committees (such as the

oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's Etymology, etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγ ...

committee and the head and neck surgery committee).

Membership

Membership in CAGS falls under one of eight different categories: # Active Member: Must be certified to practice General Surgery in North America # Associate Resident: Must be enrolled in a Canadian General Surgery Program # Associate Fellow: Must be enrolled in a Fellowship Program in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

# Affiliate Member:

Allied health Allied health professions (AHPs) are a category of health professionals that provide a range of diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative services in connection with health care. While there is no international standard for defining ...

professional,

technician A technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skill and technique, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Specialisation The term technician covers many different special ...

office manager Office management is a profession involving the design, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance of the process of work within an office or other organization, in order to sustain and improve efficiency and productivity. Office management is ...

, or other medical specialist (outside of General Surgery). # International Member: Must be enrolled in surgical training outside of North America and must provide two letters of support from active CAGS Members. # Medical Student: Must be enrolled in

medical school A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...

# Senior/Retired Member: Must be a retired medical practitioner who has held a valid certificate in general surgery in North America, and has been an Active Member for a minimum of five years # Honorary Member: Must have been an active member and nominated by the CAGS Executive

Arms

References

External links

Canadian Association of General Surgeons
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canadian Association Of General Surgeons Medical associations based in Canada Organizations based in Toronto