Dear Colleagues:

On behalf of SAGES and the Program Committee, we would like to extend to you a warm invitation to attend the 2011 SAGES Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. We know that surgeons are under unprecedented pressure to be more productive with fewer resources and the addition of more rigorous maintenance of certification requirements adds to this load making it difficult to decide in which educational meetings to participate. As the largest national society of general surgeons, SAGES conducts an Annual Meeting that provides outstanding up-to-date information in the fields of general, gastrointestinal, endoscopic, and minimally invasive surgery and is truly a worthwhile investment of your educational time.

When reviewing the preliminary program, you will see that the 2011 meeting contains many new topics focused on providing busy surgeons information that they can readily adopt into daily practice. Many of the sessions have been structured to meet MOC requirements making it easier for members to maintain their Board certification. You will also find that SAGES is using electronic media to help personalize this meeting for its members by making the program electronically searchable and accessible on hand held devices and providing information via e-mail and text messaging during the meeting so attendees can stay abreast of exciting events.

The 2011 SAGES Annual Meeting will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. In this exciting city with its beautiful River Walk you will find a meeting that provides:

• Easy air access from most major cities in the world
• 5 hands-on courses
• 6 didactic postgraduate courses
• Numerous panels, symposia, video and scientific sessions
• MOC compliant sessions
• World-class faculty
• The most collegial atmosphere of any surgical meeting, anywhere!
• An exhibit hall that showcases the latest cutting edge minimal access surgery products
• Fabulous social events

If you go to just one surgical meeting in 2011, this is the one! We look forward to seeing you there in March.

Sincerely,

Brian J. Dunkin, MD, SAGES Program Chair
Jo Buyske, MD, SAGES President