Swine Influenza Update The SSAT is monitoring the swine flu situation. The World Health Organization has not recommended international travel restrictions. At this time we do not anticipate any changes to the 50th Annual Meeting timing, location, or programming. Updates will be provided both here and at www.ddw.org as needed. Updated May 6, 2009, 9:00 a.m. ET

	50th Annual Meeting at Digestive Disease Week, May 30 – June 3, 2009, in Chicago, Illinois
		The Preliminary Program with abstracts is now online, including complete poster abstracts.
		SSAT member registration and housing for the 2009 Annual Meeting is now open at www.ddw.org. Register before the Early Bird deadline of April 24, 2009, and registration is only $75 (and complimentary for Candidate and Resident SSAT members). After April 24th, registration fees increase $100.
		Download the abridged Program Book ( 0.8 MB), or log into the Members Only Area to download the complete Program Book, including Foundation donor listings.
		Download the Program Book Abstract Supplement ( 2.1 MB). If you are planning on printing out this Abstract Supplement, consider downloading the version with two pages per sheet.
		Download the Schedule-at-a-Glance ( 0.2 MB), which contains a one-page listing of SSAT scientific programming with times and locations, followed by a more graphic presentation that clearly illustrates parallel sessions.
		Download the Program Preview Brochure ( 2.7 MB)

2009 Postgraduate Course: Acute Care Gastrointestinal Surgery: Thinking on Your Feet—A Case-Based Course
The 2009 SSAT Postgraduate Course will be held on Sunday, May 31, 2009, during the 50th Annual Meeting and in conjunction with Digestive Disease Week. This course will review a selection of topics vital to the gastrointestinal specialist. Although the emphasis will be on acute gastrointestinal surgical problems, a multidisciplinary approach will be presented to provide diagnostic and treatment options. Audience participation will be encouraged. At the conclusion of this course participants will clearly understand the current evaluation of—and surgical options to treat—urgent surgical conditions of the esophagus and stomach, acute surgical problems of the midgut viscera, colorectal and perianal emergencies, and hepaticopancreaticobiliary emergencies, as well as how to deal with special late-night vexing surgical quandaries. Topics will be presented by experts using case examples, technical innovations, imaging modalities, clinical algorithms, and outcome analyses. During or at the conclusion of each session there will be opportunity for audience questions and interaction with panelists. Supplement your Annual Meeting registration by signing up for the 2009 Postgraduate Course, for which SSAT members receive preferred rates; register now at www.ddw.org.

Download the 2009 Postgraduate Course Preliminary Brochure ( 2.75 MB)

SSAT Foundation Establishes the Carol and Tom R. DeMeester U.S./Canadian Traveling Fellowship Endowment Fund
The Board of Trustees of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract Foundation is pleased to announce the establishment of the Carol and Tom R. DeMeester U.S./Canadian Traveling Fellowship Endowment Fund. In announcing the establishment of this endowment fund, the Foundation Board is asking the Society membership to consider a generous donation to the DeMeester Fellowship Fund at this time. Furthermore, at its May 2008 meeting, the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract Board of Trustees voted to match all donations to the DeMeester Fellowship, as well as the SSAT Foundation, dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000. Thus, your generous gift now can be twice as valuable. Make a donation today! The Foundation welcomes secure online donations via credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express), as well as gifts of checks and securities.

The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract Foundation was founded in 2000 to support the mission, goals and objectives of the SSAT by serving as its fundraising and marketing arm. Since its inception the Foundation has received financial support from the Society and its members that vastly exceeded all expectations. That continuing commitment has advanced our efforts to build the base for extraordinary research and education opportunities that will go on in perpetuity. More...

JOGS Online Access and Manuscript Submission
The Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery (JOGS) articles are now published Online First in electronic form weeks before distribution of the print journal—even before the print issue and page numbers have been assigned. This is not a preprint service, but rather the publications in their final form. SSAT members in good standing are just two steps away from accessing their JOGS subscriptions and reading both Online First articles and those in print publication: 1) Log into the Members Only Area, then 2) click on the JOGS cover.

JOGS now offers its authors a web-based manuscript submission and review tracking system called Editorial Manager, which allows for quick and efficient processing of manuscripts. Read the revised Instructions to Authors, then log directly into Editorial Manager, where you may upload your manuscript files following the instructions provided on the screen.