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Ann Thorac Surg 1996;62:635
© 1996 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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President's Page

The International Community of Cardiothoracic Surgeons

President, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

The organization of thoracic surgery into its own professional community is a relatively recent event, at least in comparison with the origin of the universe. The original intent, as with all specialties, was to focus the attention of its members on a narrow area of medicine in an effort to develop excellence of skills and methods of treatment that could not otherwise be achieved. As is usually the case, the scope of work expanded, became more complex, and required greater professional and social organization; thus the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, Residency Review Committee, Thoracic Surgery Directors Association, and an umbrella professional society, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), evolved. These organizational devices have served us well in our North American community, but just as commerce has become international, so has medicine. The origins and early rapid advances in cardiothoracic surgery were largely in North America, as the rest of the world dug out from the impact of World War II. For the past 25 years, that has no longer been the case. The contributions of the world outside North America equal or exceed those within, and the sharing of ideas, education, and culture has contributed greatly to patients and surgeons alike. We are at the threshold of a huge leap forward in communications as the Internet becomes an indispensable part of our everyday lives. (As for those of you who doubt this, stay uninvolved and uninformed at your own risk; it will just make it easier for the cutting-edge boys to pick your pockets.)

With the expansion of the cardiothoracic surgical community into a worldwide neighborhood, there will necessarily be changes in the structure and objectives of our professional framework. Although it would not be desirable to have a single worldwide cardiothoracic society, for many obvious reasons, it would be useful to merge into one confederation those issues of common interest and importance for cardiothoracic surgeons throughout the world. These might include such things as a common worldwide database, a shared curriculum for cardiothoracic surgical education and training, collaborative clinical studies, and discussions of new technology and procedures.

To get this initiative underway, I met with the Council of the European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery (EACTS) in London on May 10th, and the two societies (the STS and the EACTS) agreed to share involvement both by including representatives from each group in the Council meeting of the other and by joining together on the Internet, initially through the STS web site. Six members of the EACTS were selected to be the Societies' members on the Internet Committee.

I also met with the Council of the South American Association of Thoracic Surgery in Ascuncion, Paraguay, later in May. There was enthusiastic support from that group for collaboration with the STS in achieving our shared goals. We have begun efforts to develop relationships with the cardiothoracic community throughout South America, and several members of the STS who reside in South America are on the STS Internet Committee.

The Korean Society of Thoracic Surgeons is represented on the Internet Committee, and its members are in the process of becoming Internet associates of the STS through the worldwide web. The Korean Society is highly technologically oriented, and its leadership is leading the way. This is also true of Japan, Australia, and India. I was in Damascus in late May, having traveled there from Ascuncion, a trip that makes the world seem not so small. The surgeons of the International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery--Middle East and North African Chapter met in Damascus, under the presidency of Dr Sami Kabbani, and were very receptive to our proposal to join in this joint effort to bring together cardiothoracic surgeons for mutual benefit.

We are at the beginning of an exciting new time for our specialty. Despite the continued pessimism of those who see only gray skies, the future is going to be filled with new opportunities and challenges, and we must be prepared to enjoy them. There is great need for people with vision and energy, and an endless horizon for those who will make the effort.

Footnotes

Address reprint requests to Dr Replogle, Ingalls Memorial Hospital, One Ingalls Dr, Suite W536, Harvey, IL 60426.

This article has been cited by other articles:

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				B. E. Keogh CTSNet: building bridges between national societies Ann. Thorac. Surg., July 1, 1998; 66(1): 294 - 295. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. T. Pezzella International Aspects of Cardiac Surgery Ann. Thorac. Surg., April 1, 1998; 65(4): 903 - 904. [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Robert L. Replogle Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Replogle, R. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Replogle, R. L.