Resident & Associate Society
Resident & Associate Society Mission Statement
“The Resident and Associate Society (RAS) of the Florida Chapter of the American College of Surgeons (FCACS) serves to familiarize surgical trainees and young surgeons with Chapter programs and leadership. FCACS provides an avenue for participation in ACS affairs while fostering development and the use of leadership skills in organized surgery. The society provides opportunities for opinions and concerns of young surgeons and trainees to be heard by the Chapter leadership.”
RAS Committee Goals
To encourage the future leaders in surgery and assist in their development as leaders in the profession of surgery, the Florida Chapter and the ACS.
To develop Florida Chapter activities and resources relevant to resident and young surgeon concerns.
To provide representation for residents and young surgeons throughout the state.
To create a forum for discussion of common issues in graduate surgical education.
To educate medical students, residents, and young surgeons about the Florida Chapter, the ACS and the value of fellowship.
Quick Links
Join the Florida Chapter - https://floridachapteroftheamericancollegeofsurgeons.wildapricot.org/join
ACS COVID-19 Resources - https://www.facs.org/covid-19
Current Leadership
Brian K. Yorkgitis, DO, FACS - brian.yorkgitis2@jax.ufl.edu
Upcoming Events
No events are planned at this time.
Recent Events
This wellness event designed for medical students and surgical trainees featured data on fertility among surgeons, personal stories, and expert insight into how you can plan for your future family while pursuing professional goals.
The Florida Chapter American College of Surgeons Resident and Associate/Medical Student Committees at times participate in joint events. On 4/14/2021, medical students from all over were able to connect with residents for insight about what life is like as a resident at various institutions statewide. Click on the video below for just one of a series of many events being held for our residents and medical students.
2021 – 2022 Committee Leadership
Chair: Nicholas Laconi, MD
Nicholas.Laconi@surgery.ufl.edu
Nick was raised in Florida, hailing from the Tampa Bay area. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Florida. He then obtained a Master’s degree in Medical Sciences from the University of South Florida while conducting basic science research for the division of pediatric surgery. He attended the University of Florida College of Medicine for his Medical Doctorate and continued his General Surgery residency at the University of Florida. During his academic development time, Nick is pursuing a simulation fellowship at UF’s Center for Experiential Learning & Simulation (CELS) where he utilizes his passion for medical education to design surgical curriculum that implements technical and simulation elements to improve both resident and medical student education. He has an interest in robotic simulation for residents, procedural task training curriculum, and perioperative leadership/communication.
Vice-Chair: Andrea Riner, MD
Andrea was born and raised in Middletown, Maryland. She attended the University of Maryland, College Park and received Bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Spanish Language and Literature. Following her undergraduate studies, she then attended Boston University where she obtained a Master in Public Health degree, concentrating in Epidemiology and International Health. Her studies took her to Kenya and South Africa to work on public health projects, but also affirmed her desire to become a doctor. While completing pre-requisite courses for medical school, she worked for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and then a xenotransplantation lab at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Andrea obtained her medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore and moved to Gainesville in 2017 to pursue her General Surgery training at University of Florida (UF). She is currently a post-doctoral research fellow under The Program for Applied Research and Development in Genomic Medicine (PARADIGM) through the UF College of Pharmacy. Her project is focused on investigating racial/ethnic disparities in pancreatic cancer and its associated cachexia utilizing genomics and transcriptomics, under the mentorship of Dr. Jose Trevino and Dr. Steven Hughes, as well as members of PARADIGM. Andrea is passionate about cancer health disparities, global cancer care, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion in the surgical workforce.
Secretary: Kelly Herremans, MD
Kelly was raised across the country as a United States Air Force military brat. She then settled in Gainesville, FL to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and subsequently her medical degree at the University of Florida. She is now working to become a “triple gator” as she completes her General Surgery residency at UF. Kelly is presently working as a Program for Applied Research and Development in Genomic Medicine (PARAGIDM) research fellow with a focus on pancreatic cancer health disparities, immuno-oncology and the oral microbiome. She plans to pursue a fellowship and career in Surgical Oncology. Kelly is particularly passionate about the promotion of wellness, diversity and inclusion in surgical training.
Regional Representatives
The mission of regional representatives is to represent residents within their region and bring concerns of surgical residents up for discussion at the monthly RAS Committee meeting.
Northern Regional Representative: TBD
Central Regional Representative: Anthony DeSantis, MD
Anthony grew up in the Tampa area and completed a bachelor's degree at Florida State University. After college he joined the United States Marine Corps and served as an infantry officer with 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment, deploying to Fallujah, Iraq and the western pacific. Following his military service Anthony attended medical school at the University of South Florida (graduating with a concentration in heathcare systems engineering), where he chose to remain for his residency training in general surgery. He is currently completing a 2-year basic and translational science research fellowship focused on vascular smooth muscle regulation in the settings of hemorrhage and inflammation. Anthony is additionally a member of USF's OnetoMap data analytics lab, which uses machine-learning and data science techniques to perform clinical outcomes research.
Southern Regional Representative: Olivia D’Angelo, MD
Olivia was raised in the Tampa Bay area. She attended Emory University where she completed a bachelors degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Spanish. After college, she worked in a clinical research laboratory in the department of critical care and anesthesia at Massachusetts General Hospital. After spending a year in Boston, she returned to Emory to obtain her medical degree. Currently, she is in her third year of general surgery residency at the University of Miami - Jackson Memorial Program.
Committee Members:
Tara Barry, MD
Hallie Quiroz, MD
Justine Broecker, MD
Olivia D'Angelo, MD
Nicholas Laconi, MD
Anthony DeSantis, MD
Gareth Gilna, MD
Andrea Riner, MD
Kelly Herremans, MD
Membership
Membership in the Florida Chapter – Resident and Associate Society is automatic for resident members and associate fellows of the Florida Chapter of the American College of Surgeons.
Become a member of the Florida Chapter: https://floridachapteroftheamericancollegeofsurgeons.wildapricot.org/join
Reasons to Participate
The Florida Chapter is committed to the surgical trainees of the State of Florida. It is our priority to provide value to our members at all levels, including the following:
Awards for top oral and poster presentations at our annual meeting
Eligibility for travel grants that facilitate your participation at Chapter and national events
Engagement in stimulating events including the Surgical Olympics and Surgical Jeopardy at our annual meeting
Participation in educational programs that provide life-long learning
Opportunities for networking and professional engagement at our annual meeting and other events
Learn about advocacy and shape policy at the Annual Legislative Days meeting in Tallahassee
Receive a monthly e-news letter with current updates and legislative alerts
Receive up to date event information on Chapter and College affairs
Develop a camaraderie with fellow surgical residents and surgeons throughout the state of Florida
We continue to work diligently to provide our members the most value for their participation. Your feedback and suggestions are important as we continue to create content for our members. Please email Nicholas.Laconi@surgery.ufl.edu with your suggestions.
How to be involved
Individuals interested in being considered for appointment to the RAS Committee should send their interest to Nicholas.Laconi@surgery.ufl.edu.
Annual Florida Chapter ACS Meeting
The Florida Chapter annual meeting is a great opportunity to get involved with the Florida Chapter, meet new colleagues, and network. For more information, click here.
Do You Have RAS Photos or Accomplishments to Share?
Please submit any resident, fellow, and associate outstanding achievements to be displayed on the website by emailing florida@facs.org.