COURSE

JACS Operative Word Podcast March 2026: Episode 42

Instructions

The purpose of the JACS Operative Word Podcast is to give listeners the opportunity to claim CME credit for time spent learning about recent articles published in JACS. This session is ideal for faculty, program directors, residents, and medical students. Learners will become more competent in current surgical literature and up-to-the-minute surgical research and techniques.  Learn more about theJournal 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. 

Episode 42: Results of an American College of Surgeons Prospective National Quality Improvement Collaborative to Successfully Overcome Barriers to Cancer Care Across the US

In this episode, Thomas K Varghese, Jr, MD, FACS, is joined by Laurie J Kirstein, MD, FACS, from Memorial Sloan Kettering. They discuss Dr Kirstein’s recent article, “Results of an American College of Surgeons Prospective National Quality Improvement Collaborative to Successfully Overcome Barriers to Cancer Care Across the US,” in which 194 American College of Surgeons (ACS)-accredited cancer programs caring for 99,057 patients participated in a National Quality Improvement Collaborative led by the ACS, “Breaking Barriers,” which reduced radiotherapy non-adherence by over 30% at the patient and hospital levels across multiple program types, census regions, and disease site..

Picture of JACS Operative Word Podcast March 2026: Episode 42
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About this course

Faculty Credentials

Diplomates of the American Board of Surgery
By participating in an ACS-accredited activity, you may choose to participate in the automatic transfer of your CME credits to the ABS via the ACCME if you are a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery (ABS). This is a free service.

Opt in to Automatically Send your CME Data to the ABS
The direct automatic transfer applies to all learners who have an ACS profile, are Diplomates of the ABS, and have provided their ABS ID and date of birth in the ACS MyCME Portal on the Board Certification page.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Access MyCME and Opt in to Transmit Your CME Data

  1. Log in to your MyCME Portal
  2. Select the Board Certification tab
  3. Enter the American Board of Surgery
  4. Enter your ABS ID
  5. Enter your Day and Month of birth
  6. Next go to the Send CME Data tab
  7. Toggle to Opt In (green) “Yes! I choose to opt in and permit the ACS to automatically transfer all my ACS-accredited CME data to my chosen specialty board earned March 1, 2021, and forward.” 

Please note if you have previously successfully transmitted your ACS-accredited CME credits to the ABS via ACCME, then you can skip steps 2-6, and go directly to the Send CME Data tab, and Toggle to Opt In (green).

Once you have opted to automatically transfer your CME credits to the ABS, please allow 24 hours for the credit to appear in your ABS CME Repository.

You may opt out at any time.

For more information or to request assistance, contact mycme@facs.org.

Disclosure Information

In accordance with the ACCME Accreditation Criteria, the American College of Surgeons must ensure that anyone in a position to control the content of the educational activity (planners and speakers/authors/discussants/moderators) has disclosed all financial relationships with any commercial interest (termed by the ACCME as “ineligible companies”, defined below) held in the last 24 months (see below for definitions). Please note that first authors were required to collect and submit disclosure information on behalf all other authors/contributors, if applicable.

Ineligible Company

The ACCME defines an “ineligible company” as any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services used on or consumed by patients. Providers of clinical services directly to patients are NOT included in this definition.

Financial Relationships

Relationships in which the individual benefits by receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, ownership interest (e.g., stocks, stock options or other ownership interest, excluding diversified mutual funds), or other financial benefit.  Financial benefits are usually associated with roles such as employment, management position, independent contractor (including contracted research), consulting, speaking and teaching, membership on advisory committees or review panels, board membership, and other activities from which remuneration is received, or expected.  

Conflict of Interest

Circumstances create a conflict of interest when an individual has an opportunity to affect CME content about products or services of an ineligible company with which he/she has a financial relationship.

The ACCME also requires that ACS manage any reported conflict and eliminate the potential for bias during the educational activity.  Any conflicts noted below have been managed to our satisfaction. The disclosure information is intended to identify any commercial relationships and allow learners to form their own judgments. However, if you perceive a bias during the educational activity, please report it on the evaluation. 

 

Editorial Committee Disclosures

Thomas Varghese Jr, MD, FACS, Podcast Host – Nothing to disclose

Lillian Erdahl, MD, FACS, Podcast Host – Nothing to disclose

Speaker Disclosures

Laurie J Kirstein, MD, FACS, Podcast Guest - Nothing to disclose

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

  • Gain improved understanding of the most up-to-date surgical literature and techniques.
  • Consider opportunities to apply new knowledge or skills gained to practice and/or patient care.

Contact

Target Audience

  • Practicing Surgeons

  • Physicians

  • Allied health professionals

 

CME Accreditation

Continuing Medical Education Credit Information

Accreditation

The American College of Surgeons is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

The American College of Surgeons designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

American College of Surgeons and ACGME Logos

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program.

 

CME Credit Claiming Information

ALL ATTENDEES MUST COMPLETE THE COURSE EVALUATION in order to claim a CME Certificate or a Certificate of Completion. The course evaluation will appear once you take and complete this course. The following requirements will need to be completed:

  • Review all course materials
  • Complete course evaluation

Participants may only claim a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ per episode for the JACS Operative Word Podcast. CME credit for each episode can be claimed for up to two years after the original air date.