GI Surgery Summit White Paper: Recruiting and Training the Next Generation of Surgeons.

Background: There is ongoing debate on surgical training and its evolution to meet the demands of a complex and changing healthcare environment.

Methods: A GI Surgery Summit held in January 2024 included prominent leaders and rising talents from the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO), Association for Academic Surgery (AAS), and Society of University Surgeons (SUS). This meeting was convened to address the multifaceted current and future challenges of surgery.

Results: This paper addresses the topic of recruitment and training of the next generation of surgeons in the US and abroad, and reflects a collective focus on surgical education to ensure delivery of high-quality care in an increasingly sophisticated medical and surgical landscape CONCLUSION: The discussions and recommendations from the 2024 GI Surgery Summit underscore the critical need to support diversity, embrace innovative educational frameworks, build a robust global surgical workforce, and foster a culture of wellness and support. By focusing on these key areas, we can ensure that the future leaders of surgery are not only skilled and knowledgeable, but also resilient and compassionate, ready to meet the evolving challenges of the healthcare landscape.