E40: From Surgeon Well-Being to Artificial Intelligence: 2025 Highlights

In this episode, JACS Editor-in-Chief Tom Varghese, MD, FACS, and Digital Media Editor Lillian Erdahl, MD, FACS, review 6 impactful articles from the past year, highlighting key themes shaping modern surgical practice. Dr Erdahl focuses on the surgeon as a subject, discussing research on moral distress, second-victim syndrome, health policy challenges, and peer surgical coaching. Dr Varghese then explores advances in surgical science, including pragmatic applications of artificial intelligence for risk prediction and operative documentation, as well as comparative evidence on robotic, laparoscopic, and open operation. Together, they emphasize clinically relevant research, thoughtful innovation, and ongoing critical inquiry to support surgeons and improve patient care. Listen to the podcast episodes mentioned at facs.org/operative-word.

Articles discussed:

1. Surgeon Perception and Attitude Toward the Moral Imperative: Institutionally Addressing Second Victim Syndrome in Surgery
2. A Framework for Managing Moral Challenges Related to Health Policy for the Surgeon
3. What About the Coach? Mixed Methods Study Assessing the Experience of Coaches in a Peer Surgical Coaching Program
4. Validation of Artificial Intelligence-Based POTTER Calculator in Emergency General Surgery Patients Undergoing Laparotomy: Prospective, Bi-Institutional Study
5. Enhancing Accuracy of Operative Reports with Automated Artificial Intelligence Analysis of Surgical Video
6. Robotic vs Laparoscopic vs Open Ventral Hernia Repair: Insights from a Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

Disclosure Information: Drs Varghese and Erdahl have nothing to disclose.

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.

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