The Association for Surgical Education was formed in 1980 and its 850 members represent over 190 medical schools and institutions throughout the United States and Canada. The mission of the Association for Surgical Education is to promote, recognize, and reward excellence, innovation and scholarship in surgical education.

Specific objectives include:

• developing innovative teaching aids and programs and effective educational interventions;
• designing effective faculty development programs for surgical educators;
• promoting and supporting research in the surgical education field;
• and maintaining an educational clearinghouse which offers a variety of materials to be used by faculty and students in surgical education.

Since 1980, the goals and the activities of the ASE have been predicated on seeking and promulgating educationally and scientifically sound answers to the many complex questions, issues and concerns that are integral to the advancement of surgical education.

In 1993 the ASE established the ASE Foundation to secure and distribute grant funds to researchers, educators and clinicians interested in investigating such questions and issues. The Foundation's mission is to advance the quality of surgical education in North America by raising and disseminating funds to underwrite high impact, innovative research projects and educational programs that will address the critical issues related to surgical education.