Dear Colleagues,

I hope this message finds you all well and you are enjoying the start of Fall. The American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) has been a society that has been near and dear to my heart for my entire career. It is an honor to serve as your President the last six months, and I continue to be in awe of the impactful and innovative work the AHNS leadership has been implementing. I would like to take this opportunity to update you on some of these initiatives, as well as some important developments in the field of Head and Neck Surgery that deserve your attention:

• Continuing the work of Dr. O’Malley, I have created concentrated working groups to address some of the key action items from a leadership retreat held earlier this year. The working groups are focused on: marketing, non-surgical member incorporation into our society, evaluating our mission and values and evaluating our partnership with journal affiliations.
• We have stronger engagement with our international partners and colleagues, especially as we gear up for the 2023 International Conference, and our continuing development of an International Advisory Board will ensure that our membership reflects our patient population across the globe.
• We have evolved and learned valuable lessons from the pandemic, one of which is that virtual education is here to stay. We are proud to continue to offer our virtual educational series. Our sections and services have done an amazing job providing insightful and thought-provoking material to our members and the public. All of our content can be found on our website, https://www.ahns.info/meetings/virtual-education/
• Stay tuned for a special webinar at the end of the year that will highlight what the AHNS has been doing for its membership and how to become more involved.
• Research remains at our core. Soon we will announce our enhanced research grant process, open to all AHNS members, and congratulations again, on the research project we helped support through our relationship with Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), entitled, “Precision therapy for Fanconi anemia and HPV-related head and neck cancers”
• Our Advanced Training Council oversaw another robust match and continues to ensure our fellowships adhere to the highest educational standards. The AHNS Executive Committee has carefully considered the future of fellowship training and potential certification, and after significant discussions with internal and external consultants, we are confident in our current structure. However, we understand the shifting landscape of physician education and certification and are always available for additional conversations.
• The ABOHNS is working with the American Board of Surgery to offer additional certification for complex endocrine surgery, in association with the AHNS, the AAO-HNS and other endocrine societies. We are representing the public and your interest in this process and will have a formal update soon in the form of a Town Hall. More to be announced in the next several weeks.
• The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS) submitted an application to become an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Member Board, which was made publicly available recently. The ABOMS is currently a member of the American Dental Association (ADA), which serves as the umbrella organization for dental certifying bodies in the US. The application is publicly available on the ABMS website (hyperlink listed below). Public comments can be submitted until January 15, 2023. This is the opportunity for AHNS members to independently provide input, if desired. The AHNS leadership and I will be commenting on behalf of the organization after evaluating the application and its implications for the public and our membership. ABOMS Application to ABMS
• Please save the date and submit an abstract for the 11th International AHNS Head and Neck Conference to be held July 8-12, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec. The theme of the meeting is “Welcoming Back the World: Striving for Innovation, Quality, Compassion and Collegiality.” The meeting will begin with a joint collaboration between the AHNS and the AACR. For more information, please visit https://www.ahns2023.org/.

Thank you again for your membership in the AHNS and your trust in our society to provide opportunities for professional advancement, networking, education and research. I hope you have a pleasant Fall Season and the beginnings of a joyous holiday season, and please do not hesitate to reach out to me through our AHNS headquarters office ([email protected]). Stay well!

Brian B. Burkey, MD, MEd
President, AHNS