38th General Thoracic Surgical Club Annual Meeting

March 12-16, 2026 | The Big Island, Hawaii

CME Credits can be claimed between March 16 - April 17, 2026

If you have questions regarding your submission or the certificate, please contact
Trish Brignoni at tbrignoni@akhcme.com

Activity Overview
The purpose of this meeting is to provide a forum for general thoracic surgeons to learn the most up to date information on research, patient care, pathophysiology, surgical techniques and educational methods to maintain the optimum surgical care of general thoracic patients. This activity is designed to facilitate improved competence, performance-in-practice and patient outcomes.

Target Audience
This symposium is designed for an audience of physicians, physician assistants and other healthcare providers who practice thoracic surgery.

Objectives
After completing the educational activity, participants should be able to:

Keynote: Journey in Clinical Trials - How did I get here?
- Demonstrate skills in actively engaging in clinical trials research, as measured by their ability to identify key steps in initiating and participating in a clinical trial.
- Focused Review of Cooperative Group Trials
- Identify and apply at least three strategies for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration that support career growth.

Update on Industry Trials - What's active or pending
- Identify and highlight current and pending clinical trials activated through the cooperative group mechanism and provide updates to members regarding trial accrual progress.

Important Papers in Thoracic Surgery 2025
- Review and critically analyze landmark papers published in 2025 that are relevant to thoracic surgery practice, as demonstrated by their ability to summarize key findings and implications for practice.
- Demonstrate enhanced clinical competence and improved performance in thoracic surgery by successfully applying newly acquired knowledge in real-world scenarios. Measurable outcomes will include documented improvements in surgical techniques, adherence to best practices, and positive impacts on patient care, as assessed through case studies, performance evaluations, and patient outcome metrics.

Summary/Review of Empty Spaces
- Summarize existing trials and identify areas where new ideas and initiatives are needed.

Where should we go next?
- Review audience-proposed ideas and foster collaboration on emerging research areas.

Esophageal cancer updates
- Analyze current management strategies for resectable esophageal cancer.
- Assess the role of neoadjuvant radiation in treatment plans.
- Critically appraise emerging protocols, including the SANO trial and CROSS study, as measured by their ability to integrate evidence-based practices into clinical decision-making.

There is no debate
- Identify and apply key components of minimally invasive esophagectomy.
- Demonstrate an enhanced understanding of planned esophagectomy approaches.
- Address and critically discuss current controversies in the field, as measured by improvements in surgical decision-making and procedural competency.

Thoracic Surgery Database Update
- Apply risk calculators such as STS, interpret updates from the TSOG and AATS Quality Gateway databases, and assess the clinical utility of emerging tools like DB5 to enhance decision-making in thoracic surgery.

Technical Details – Let’s Riff
- Optimize procedural planning and enhance intraoperative safety by effectively applying 3D segmentectomy techniques and conducting robotic fire drills to manage equipment-related emergencies.

GTSC Surgical Movie Night
- Explain the technical aspects of various general thoracic surgical procedures and actively engage in discussions on surgical decision-making and techniques.
- Demonstrate enhanced competence by applying best practices in thoracic surgery, improve performance in clinical procedures, and implement strategies that lead to measurable improvements in patient outcomes.

Abstracts
- Summarize and present key findings from new research in thoracic surgery.
- Demonstrate improved competence by applying evidence-based practices in thoracic surgery, enhance performance in clinical decision-making, and implement strategies that lead to measurable improvements in patient outcomes.

Surgery for Lung Cancer
- Apply the latest IASLC staging updates to clinical decision-making.
- Assess recent advancements in the management of resectable lung cancer and incorporate them into practice.
- Identify and evaluate emerging trends and future directions in thoracic oncology.

Confessions from my practice
- Implement optimal pain control strategies to improve surgical outcomes in thoracic surgery.
- Determine the appropriate indications for sublobar resection based on current evidence.
 - Develop evidence-based management plans for GGOs and subsolid lesions.

Lawyers, boards and money
- Develop effective strategies for testifying in malpractice suits to enhance courtroom performance.
- Review and apply recent updates from the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS) to maintain professional competency.
- Demonstrate the ability to transition traditional presentations into informal, conversational formats to improve audience engagement.

Super Bowl of X-Rays
- Analyze unusual radiographic findings and determine accurate diagnoses and treatment plans through a case-based, team-based competition.
- Apply diagnostic reasoning skills to enhance clinical competence, improve performance in practice, and contribute to better patient outcomes.

Commercial Support
There is no commercial support for this activity.

Disclosures
It is the policy of AKH Inc. to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in all of its continuing education activities. The author must disclose to the participants any significant relationships with ineligible companies whose products or devices may be mentioned in the activity or with the commercial supporter of this continuing education activity. Identified conflicts of interest are mitigated by AKH prior to accreditation of the activity. AKH planners and reviewers have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use and Investigational Product
This educational activity may include discussion of uses of agents that are investigational and/or unapproved by the FDA. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer
This course is designed solely to provide the healthcare professional with information to assist in his/her practice and professional development and is not to be considered a diagnostic tool to replace professional advice or treatment. The course serves as a general guide to the healthcare professional, and therefore, cannot be considered as giving legal, nursing, medical, or other professional advice in specific cases. AKH Inc. specifically disclaim responsibility for any adverse consequences resulting directly or indirectly from information in the course, for undetected error, or through participants misunderstanding of the content. If you would like to opt out from future communications from AKH please send an email to optout@akhcme.com with your information with "Opt Out" in the subject line.