AAST 2026
By Buzzbox Media · Last reviewed August 3, 2026
What is AAST?
The national trauma surgery meeting: AAST sets the clinical practice guidelines that trauma centers follow. Only 33 exhibitors means minimal competition on the exhibit floor and maximum visibility. Strong KOL concentration for building clinical advocacy relationships.
What are the key facts about AAST?
- Host organization: American Association for the Surgery of Trauma
- Primary specialty: trauma surgery
- Scale: mid
- Geography: US National
- International attendance: ~15%
- See all Surgery conferences
Which device categories fit AAST?
Which buyer stages does AAST fit?
What does AAST charge for booth space?
Cost not published
American Association for the Surgery of Trauma does not publish booth pricing for AAST that we can link to, so we do not list a figure here. We would rather show nothing than an estimate you cannot check. Ask them directly on the AAST exhibitor page ↗.
Planning the AAST booth itself? Read our guide to medical conference booth design for booth types, union labor rules, and the corner upgrade.
Who attends AAST?
~750 physicians and scientists with primary interest in trauma investigation and treatment plus surgical critical care. 33 exhibitors listed for 2026 meeting. Companies must be exhibiting to secure marketing/branding opportunities. Contact: Kate Poetker (Exhibits Manager at FACS).
- Purchasing authority: ~65% of attendees
- Effective buyers: ~975
- International attendance: ~15%
Where is AAST held?
- Venue: Dallas, TX (Hyatt Regency Dallas)
- Management company: FACS (American College of Surgeons manages AAST exhibits)
Who else exhibits at AAST?
Exhibitor data coming soon for AAST.
Is AAST worth exhibiting?
Why Exhibit
The national trauma surgery meeting: AAST sets the clinical practice guidelines that trauma centers follow. Only 33 exhibitors means minimal competition on the exhibit floor and maximum visibility. Strong KOL concentration for building clinical advocacy relationships.
Why Skip
Very small exhibit hall (33 companies) may mean limited availability. 750 physicians attending is modest. If you need volume, ACS Clinical Congress (11,000 attendees) covers trauma surgeons within a much larger pool. AAST is academic-heavy; immediate purchase intent may be lower.
What should exhibitors know before AAST?
Managed by FACS (same organization as ACS Clinical Congress): Kate Poetker is the exhibits contact for both. Only 33 exhibitors makes this an exclusive and intimate exhibit floor. Dallas hotel-based meeting.
What is the Buzzbox Score for AAST?
7.2 / 10 (Strong)
7.2 out of 10. A solid, dependable show for the right exhibitor. Carried by audience quality (8.7: 65% purchasing authority and 45:1 attendee ratio). The lightest dimension is growth trajectory (7.0, mid-size with room to grow). The national trauma surgery meeting: AAST sets the clinical practice guidelines that trauma centers follow.
How we score
Six weighted factors, each scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band. Every show on this list cleared a relevance bar to be included, so 7.0 is the floor; the number tells you how far the leaders pull ahead. A factor we cannot source is left unscored rather than estimated, and the overall score above was set before any figure behind it was withdrawn.
Strong (8.7): 65% purchasing authority and 45:1 attendee ratio.
Not scored on cost: this organizer publishes no booth price we can link to.
Strong (8.1): exhibitor count disclosed, and attendee purchasing-authority data published.
Solid (7.0): managed by FACS (American College of Surgeons manages AAST exhibits) and non-union venue (simpler, cheaper move-in).
Solid (7.9): honest "who should skip" guidance, the flagship / largest show in its niche, and broad device-category relevance.
Solid (7.0): mid-size with room to grow and uncertain future.
When are the AAST exhibitor deadlines?
Detailed deadlines not yet published for AAST. Check the official site for the application window.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a booth cost at AAST?
AAST does not publish booth pricing we can link to, so we do not list a cost for this show. Rather than estimate one, we point you at the organizer's exhibitor page to request current rates directly.
How many people attend AAST?
AAST draws approximately 1,500 attendees. ~750 physicians and scientists with primary interest in trauma investigation and treatment plus surgical critical care. 33 exhibitors listed for 2026 meeting. Companies must be exhibiting to secure marketing/branding opportunities. Contact: Kate Poetker (Exhibits Manager at FACS).
When and where is AAST 2026?
AAST 2026 takes place September 16-19, 2026. The venue is Dallas, TX (Hyatt Regency Dallas). American Association for the Surgery of Trauma hosts the meeting.
How many AAST attendees have purchasing authority?
About 65% of AAST attendees hold purchasing authority, which works out to roughly 975 effective buyers out of approximately 1,500 attendees. Effective buyers multiplies total attendance by the share of attendees who hold purchasing authority. Both inputs are estimates drawn from organizer reporting and our own exhibitor research, so read the figure as directional rather than exact.
How does Buzzbox Media score AAST?
AAST carries a Buzzbox Score of 7.2 out of 10 (Strong), with one caveat on this record: cost efficiency is not scored, because American Association for the Surgery of Trauma publishes no booth price we can link to, and the overall score was set before that figure was withdrawn. The factors still scored are audience quality, data transparency, exhibitor experience, editorial value, and growth trajectory. Each factor is scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band, and every conference in our index cleared a relevance bar to be listed, so 7.0 is the floor. On this record the highest is audience quality at 8.7 and the lowest is exhibitor experience at 7.0.