Date: October 9, 2026 View in browser

Attn. Dr. [CLIENT_NAME] : Did you register yet?

Ontario Association of General Surgeons

Celebrating 30 Years of Service!

Attn. Ontario General Surgeons

OAGS Members & Expired Members

2026 OAGS Surgical Symposium - Sat., Nov.7 (full day)

Hilton Toronto Hotel

145 Richmond St. W., Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Conventions Level

Target Audience: General Surgeons, Fellows, Residents, Physician Assistants

Early Bird Event Registration - Deadline Extended Oct.24 - Register Now

Hilton Hotel Group Rate $289/nt - Deadline Extended Oct. 16 - Book a Room Now

FINAL EXTENSIONS

OAGS Member Portal: [CLIENT_NAME]

Reminder: If you were a member of the OAGS within the last 2-3 years, you may have an account waiting for you. Both current members and expired members can login to the OAGS MEMBER PORTAL through our primary/event websites. Login using the email address we have on file for you as your username: [EMAIL] . You can renew your membership dues, register for events at discounted rates, and update your own profile information.

NOTE: If you use a new email or for any new members logging in for the first time, there may be a 24-48hr delay until we review and approve access. If you're having trouble logging in, contact the OAGS office.

Login to OAGS Member Portal

REGISTRATION: 2026 OAGS Surgical Symposium - Sat., Nov.7, 2026

Early Bird deadline extended: Oct.24

2026 OAGS SURGICAL SYMPOSIUM REGISTRATION

If planning to attend, advanced registration is required for both OAGS Members /Non-Members. Paying your dues does not automatically register you for events. Members can register for free, but you must ensure that you renew your dues in order to activate member discounts and credits owing. The best way to do this is to login to your personal OAGS account through the MEMBER PORTAL. Upon registering, a QR code ticket will be emailed to you automatically. Keep it and bring it with you to scan in on the day of the event.

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE Extended: OCT. 24

OAGS Current Members can Register for FREE before end of day Oct.24

Non-Members can receive a discounted rate by Oct. 24

Both Member and Non-Members will be charged an additional late fee of $100 AFTER Oct. 24

Did I Pay My Dues? Did I Register Yet?

Step 1: Login to the MEMBER PORTAL using the original email address you have on file

Step 2: Click the MEMBERSHIP Tab - check if dues are paid. If not, pay here.

Step 3: Click the AGENDA Tab - check if you have a ticket for a particular event. If not...

Step 4: Click the EVENTS Tab - you can register for events here if your tickets do not appear in Agenda.

Reminders:

Member discounts will be applied JUST BEFORE FINAL CHECKOUT! If the event fee still appears in the total balance, double check you've paid your dues.
If the system won't allow you to pay your dues or register for an event, it is programmed to stop duplicates. Double check the steps above to ensure your haven't already paid or registered.
If you're still having problems, clear your cookies/ cache, try a different browser, or contact the OAGS office.
If you recently paid your dues as a new member but cannot login to the portal, the system is programmed to hold new applications for license / enrollment verification. Try again in 48hrs or contact the OAGS office after we've had time to approve.

Login to OAGS Member Portal
Renew your dues and/or register for events now!

NON-MEMBERS: HOW TO REGISTER FOR SYMPOSIUM

For those who do not fulfill the criteria to be an OAGS Member but still wish to attend the Symposium, more details can be found here.

Check out our anniversary page.

Both board alumni and members are welcome to contribute a memory, comment or photo.

Happy 30th Anniversary!

Help us celebrate 30 years of service this November at our Symposium. We'll have commemorative lapel pin, pens, other give aways, prize draws and cake. Don't miss it!

Early Bird Rate Deadline Extended: October 24

Did you register yet? Current OAGS members can attend the fall Symposium FOR FREE IF you register before the FINAL early bird deadline of Oct. 24. After that date, a late fee of $100 will be charged. This will be the FINAL extension.

Venue & Group Rate @ $289/nt

Hilton Toronto Hotel

145 Richmond St. West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Underground Self Park or Valet Available (not validated)

All-day Buffet

Group Rate: $289/nt (1 King or 2 Queens)

FINAL Deadline: Oct. 16 more rooms were added, but won't last long

Tick Tock! Book in the Block!: Make Your Reservation Now

Program

This year's 2026 OAGS Surgical Symposium program is packed with another great slate of across-the-board topics: Hernia (parastomal, ventral, complications), breast nodal disease, acute severe colitis, periop med (preop and frail pts), laparoscopy complications, anastomosis, diverticulitis, upper GI, CMPA medicolegal risk, practice transition, billing corner.

Program

International Keynote

This year's International Keynote Speaker is Dr. Eric Pauli, MD FACS FASGE FEBS-AWR (Hon). Currently serving as a board member of The American Hernia Society, he is the David L. Nahrwold Professor of Surgery, Chief of the Division of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery and Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs at the Penn State Health, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.

Details

Speaker Roster

Other headliners include: UofT Professor Emeritus Dr. Paul Greig, Drs. R. Bechara (Queen's U), C. Eskicioglu (McMaster U), V. Jairath (Western U), R. Mimeault (CMPA), K. Nadeau (NOSM), F. Saleh (TMU), P. Stotland (UofT), T. Zwiep (Western U), and more to come!

Speakers

This just in!

Our peri-op medicine panel has been confirmed featuring WesternU geriatric specialist Dr. Rachel Kyle and Unity Heath Toronto anesthetist Dr. Calvin Diep who has an interest in periop risk stratification, optimization and postop monitoring: Panel Talk: Perioperative Medicine Guidelines - Clinical pearls/med mgmt for the preop patient / Surgery on the Frail - Tips for improving outcomes

Help Spread the Word

Please post our flyer in your surgeons' lounge. Like/repost our social media updates. Members and Non-members welcome: Surgeons, fellows, residents, physician assistants.

Event Flyer - download PDF

Reception at the Shangri-La!

Friday, November 6, 6pm-8pm

188 University Ave., Toronto

Kick off the weekend early! Join us the Friday evening before the conference to connect with fellow OAGS members, old classmates and colleagues from across Ontario. Surgeons, fellows, residents are invited for a chance to unwind. 🥂 Enjoy complimentary passed appetizers and beverages in the elegant Lobby Lounge & Bar at the Shangri-La Toronto, Fri, Nov. 6. It's just across the street from our Surgical Symposium happening the next day at the Hilton.

Courtesy of our proud Excellence Sponsor BNS Group (Scotiabank and MD Financial Management)

CPD

This event is seeking CPD accreditation.

Prize Draws!!!

Members: Win some amazing prizes when you participate on our event app gamification. You could win:

1 OAGS Annual Membership for 2027 (Active & Resident)
1 OAGS Anniversary YETI Rambler 591 ML Tumbler
1 of 6 OAGS stitch logo branded royal blue surgical caps
1 of 3 Soapnote gift bags
Indigo gift cards

MedHedzz Surgical Caps

If you don't win one of our surgical caps during our Surgical Symposium next month, no worries. We've arranged a 10% discount with Canadian-owned Medhedzz Surgical Designs for our OAGS members with the OAGS stitched logo. More details coming soon.

Event App

EventMobi event app will have everything you need when you attend our symposium this fall: presentation Q&A, evaluations, surveys, additional PDFs, attendance list, messaging, chat, push notifications, real time updates, exhibit hall contacts, prize draws, and more!

NOTE: Registrants will be emailed a link to login to this event app in the coming weeks. Once received, login so you're ready to participate during the conference. Stay tuned.

Medical Students

Do you have medical students who might be interested in the General Surgery postgrad program? Once again, we are extending a complimentary event registration to the OAGS Surgical Symposium (Sat only) with a limit of 2 med students per Ontario program. In return, they can help out at the morning registration desk or Q&A, while also enjoying the meeting in its entirety. They must be vouched for by a current OAGS actively practising member well in advance. If interested, reach out to the OAGS via email and copy your student: info@oags.org

OAGS Annual Board Election

Please be advised this year's annual OAGS board election is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5pm during the OAGS Annual Members' Business Meeting after the academic portion of the OAGS Surgical Symposium. As per the OAGS bylaws, half of the board is up for re-election, most of whom will be incumbents, but there will be at lease 1 or 2 vacancies. If you're interested in policy and advocacy of the profession, consider running. NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN until Oct. 24! More Details

OAGS Annual Members' Business Meeting

NOTICE - Please be advised that the OAGS Annual Members' Business Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5pm during the 2026 OAGS Surgical Symposium, Hilton Toronto, Toronto Ballroom. This is a private meeting restricted to Active Members only. Agenda items include reports from OAGS President, Treasury, Resident Rep, OMA Section Update. Duration: 1 hr.

Nursing Room

On conventions level, we can accommodate anyone needing a private area for nursing complete with a lounge seating, table, power, and a bar fridge for milk storage. Please reach out to us in advance and we will have it arranged for the day of the OAGS Surgical Symposium event.

On-site Child Care

Due to lack of interest, this service will NOT be offered this year.

Exhibit Hall

We welcome returning and new sponsors. There is still room, so please ask your sales reps if they're interested in exhibiting / supporting our event. There are plenty of branding opportunities as well!!

Check out our Sponsorship Page

Wellness Corner

A wellness corner will be available again this year with complimentary foot/hand reflexology for our members/ registrants. This will be offered for the first half of the Symposium on Saturday for 15 minute sessions during breaks. Sign up sheet will be available on the app. Come check it out!

Job Board

Jobs, Locums, Fellowships - Are you looking for a replacement at your hospital or practice? Maybe you're looking for a change of scenery or pace? Offering a fellowship? We'll be offering identifiable ribbons to attach to your name tags on the day of the symposium and also a dedicated Jobs page on our event app.

REMEMBER: Current OAGS members can post their job ads for FREE on our website, which will be promoted on all 6 social media channels.

2026-27 OAGS Resident Research Grant Competition Now Open

Funding: up to $5,000
Application deadline: December 31, 2026
Winner Announcement: Feb/Mar 2027

Invitation Promotion

WebsiteDetails

Vacancy: OAGS Lead Resident Liaison

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our current OAGS Resident Representative Dr. Tyler McKechnie of McMaster University for his dedication and service for the last several years as he completes his term (2021-2026) at the year-end.

General Surgery resident candidates currently enrolled in an Ontario GenSurg Resident program are encouraged to apply online between now and November 30. Applicants MUST be current OAGS members. The board will review all applications and an announcement will be made in December. The actual term will begin Jan. 1st.
Details: download
APPLY NOW