American College of Surgeons - Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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Fellowship Extended to South American Surgeons 7 to postpone further thought of an immediate visit to the southern continent. Upon the signing of the armistice, it became apparent that, with the educational institutions of Europe disorganized and European travel discouraged, the time was particularly opportune for the revival of our plans to visit the surgeons of the various countries of our own South America. The suggestion came almost simultaneously from our President, Dr. W. J. Mayo, and several members of the Board of Regents of the College, and with an assurance on the part of the President that he personally would make the trip, our correspondence was hurriedly revived, travel arrangements promptly made, and January 7 set as the time for our departure. On December 20, the Secretary General laid the tentative plans before the Board of Regents, and they were received with hearty approval. As a preliminary, committees of surgeons in Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay were selected, and we com- municated to the individual members of each committee the object of our contemplated visit, informing them at the same time of the approximate time of our arrival. The following extract from this correspondence will reveal more definitely our plans: . The principal object of our tour is to enlist the interest of the surgical profession of your countries in the American College of Surgeons, with the idea of ultimately extending to the surgeons of South America an invitation to become Fellows of the College. . Could you arrange to have a small group of from five to ten of your surgeons meet with us at the time of our visit to discuss our problem? Fellowship in the American College of Surgeons is open to all general surgeons and surgical specialists. Therefore, in selecting the group for the preliminary conference, you may take into consideration these specialties. At our conference we would suggest that the following matters be considered: i. As a means of promoting a closer affiliation between the professions of the South and North American continents, will the surgeons of your country desire to become Fellows of the American College of Surgeons on an equal basis with the siu-geons of North America? 2. Should you favor such affiUation, will you have prepared in advance and furnish to us at our conference a carefully selected

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6 American College of Surgeons general principle of practice not collect fees for others referring patients to him; nor permit other doctors to collect fees for him; nor make joint fees with physicians or surgeons referring patients to him for operation or consultation. 8. As evidence of his qualifications in the technique of surgery, the candidate is requested to submit in complete detail the case records of fifty consecutive major operations which he has per- formed himself. 9. In addition to the complete case records of fifty consecu- tive major operations, the candidate is asked to submit in brief abstract a report of at least fifty other major operations in which he has acted as assistant or which he has performed himself. 10. Surgeons widely recognized by the profession as progres- sive leaders and exponents of finished technique may, by a unan- imous vote of the Board of Regents, be admitted to Fellowship on recommendation of the Committee on Examinations. 11. The Regents of the College reserve the right to alter, as they may think proper, the regulations respecting admission of Fellows to the College. FELLOWSHIP IN THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS EXTENDED TO SOUTH AMERICAN SURGEONS Since the inception of the American College of Surgeons, its organizers have had in mind that the College should become comprehensively American, eventually including in its Fellowship all worthy surgeons of the American continents. During 19 14 and 191 5 a preliminary correspondence with the surgeons of South America was entered into by the Office of the College under the guidance of a special Spanish-speaking secretary, who conducted the correspondence in Spanish. This was under- taken as a precursor of a visit that was to be made in the winter of 1915-1916. The Eiu-opean War, which was threatening the usefulness and safety of the shipping routes of the Western Hemi- sphere, coupled with our own interest in the conflict, compelled us

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8 American College of Surgeons list of the eminent surgeons of your country who, because of their standing in the profession, should be recommended for Fellowship in the College without examination? 3. Will you be prepared to suggest to us at the conference a plan that will aid in bringing about a closer relationship between the surgeons of your country and the surgeons of the United States and Canada? In the four countries visited, namely, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay, our reception was most flattering and cordial. The group of surgeons with whom we had corresponded were ready and anxious to co-operate with us in our desire to bring about an affiliation through the College between the professions of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. A concrete result of our visit is revealed by the fact that thirty-five South American surgeons were received into Fellowship at the 1920 Convocation of the College at Montreal. Fourteen of these surgeons are from Peru, eleven from Chile, two from Argen- tina, and eight from Uruguay. Committees on Credentials have been estabUshed in each of the countries visited, and a considerable number of candidates for Fellowship are under consideration for future membership. This visit to South America was prehminary to similar con- ferences that will be held with other republics of that interesting continent — con ferences that will, we trust, result in mutual benefit through the interchange of professional opinions and courtesies between the surgeons of the two American continents.