The West Chapter of the Mexican Academy of Surgery elected its new 2016-2017 board. The elected President is Dr. Alejandro Bravo Cuellar, meanwhile, the Academic Vice-Chancellor of the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara (UAG), Dr. Jorge Manuel Sánchez will be holding the position of Vice President, and next year is expected to act as president of the group. In this event Dr. Bravo Cuellar said that one Mexico’s challenges are the modernization of health systems “For example, the IMSS is doing it, and it is one of the most important challenges, particularly improving the quality of service” Dr. Cuellar also mentioned the issue of viral infections as a common problem in the country, one that is difficult to control and involves the joint participation of the population and the authorities. At the meeting, it was recognized that this year, with support from Dr. Sánchez González, there will be efforts to boost academic activities in universities and hospitals in the form of seminars, courses, publishing projects and also to reach students and teachers of medicine for improvement in each of its branches. The Academic Vice-Chancellor of UAG expressed that at the national level; the association has more than 320 members and is one of the most important bodies of scientific and medical research in the country, as well as a vital counselor to the federal government.