In this episode, Drs. Patrick Georgoff, Teddy Puzio, and Jason Brill are joined by special guest Dr. Pat Murphy, who helps us delve into the evolving field of acute care surgery (ACS), exploring its history, challenges, and the nuances of defining full-time employment in this demanding specialty. The discussion highlights the origins of ACS as a response to unmet emergency surgical needs and its three foundational pillars: trauma surgery, emergency general surgery, and surgical critical care, with additional roles like surgical rescue evolving over time. Dr. Murphy share insights into the workload, including night shifts, call schedules, and the toll on surgeons' health, emphasizing the importance of fair compensation, equitable shift distribution, and transparency in job expectations. The episode underscores the value ACS surgeons bring to hospitals, likening them to essential infrastructure like firefighters, with their impact often unrecognized in traditional productivity metrics like RVUs.