Good afternoon to you all. After more than 30 years as Full Member of Asociación Argentina de Cirugía (AAC), I feel very proud and satisfied to occupy the position of President.

Our institution has overcome the pandemic staying on its feet and the 92nd Argentine Congress of Surgery has been another proof of its strength. We have come to Mar del Plata following the decision of the Assembly and we have managed to maintain the scientific level that characterizes our annual event. Here we had the opportunity to meet with colleagues, disciples and masters nationwide, and to connect and exchange experiences with outstanding foreign professionals. During this year we have witnessed the effort and commitment of Dr. Fernando M. Iudica, who took care of the smallest details for the organization. Let’s give a big round of applause for him and I take this opportunity to extend my sincere congratulations to him.

Regarding the project for this management, we will base our work on two non-delegable missions of the Association. The first mission will be the academic activity, training and continuing education of our members to ensure that belonging to the AAC generates an added value to our profession. The other mission will be to provide support in labor and trade union matters. Surgeons should only be concerned about their patients’ well-being and not about how and when their fees are paid. Inevitably, both issues are connected: we cannot neglect education, since we will only be able to fight for a decent payment if we have well-trained surgeons. This goal is easier to achieve with qualified professionals. Therefore, professional accreditation through the College Committee and its integration with the two new Committees on Education and on Surgical Specialties, which have been included to update the organization chart and optimize the training processes, will be fundamental for the future of our Association. We will work hard to maintain and, if possible, raise the academic quality of our educational programs. In this context, the new courses for the year 2023 will be the PECTU (Continuing Education Program in Trauma and Emergencies) course and the Annual Course in Head and Neck Surgery.

Finally, I would like to invite all members to actively participate in the different projects proposed by AAC, to bring us your suggestions and opinions even if they are different, as discrepancies can be minimized to achieve a common goal. I am sure that federalism consists of giving all surgeons nationwide the opportunity to participate; therefore, the doors of this house are open, and we look forward to counting on you. Thank you for all, thank you all for this high honor!