AAGL

What AAGL does

AAGL (American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists), founded in 1971 by Dr. Jordan M. Phillips, is a US-based 501(c)(6) professional medical association headquartered in Cypress, California, dedicated to minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (MIGS). The organization serves more than 7,500 members across 110 countries, comprising practicing gynecologic surgeons, OB/GYN residents and fellows, medical students, allied health professionals, and allied MIGS societies — and counts the world's foremost MIGS authorities among its membership.

AAGL's product portfolio centers on the EMIGS (Essentials in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery) certification program, which combines 80+ narrated didactic lectures, a psychometrically validated cognitive exam, and a five-task manual skills assessment performed on the proprietary patent-pending LaparoBowl using certified Inovus LapAR and Limbs & Things trainer hardware. EMIGS is the only ABOG-approved alternative to the FLS examination for board certification. The CBGF (Complex Benign Gynecology Fellowship, formerly FMIGS) operates across 52 hospital sites in six countries with 700+ alumni. Supporting assets include JMIG (a top-quartile Ob/Gyn journal, Impact Factor 4.1), the SurgeryU on-demand surgical video library, the annual Global Congress (the largest MIGS gathering worldwide), NewsScope monthly publication, AAGL Connect community platform, EndoExchange listserv, 9 Special Interest Groups, and ACCME-compliant CME programming.

AAGL monetizes through tiered annual membership dues ($445 developed-country physicians, $200 emerging-country, $65 fellows/residents/allied health, $50 students, $400 industry/corporate partners), one-time EMIGS certification fees ($375 member / $820 non-member for didactics), Global Congress registration and sponsorship, industry advertising across digital and event channels, and major donor relationships with med-device OEMs including Intuitive Surgical and Olympus (Partner-tier donors), Karl Storz and Ethicon (Colleague-tier), and CooperSurgical and Medtronic. The Foundation of the AAGL (FAAGL) operates as a 501(c)(3) to fund research, education, and global outreach. Distribution leverages 40+ affiliated MIGS societies worldwide, multi-year international congress commitments (Warsaw 2027, Monterrey 2027, San Diego 2027), and hardware-partner ecosystem with Inovus Medical and Limbs & Things.

Name

AAGL

Legal name

American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists

Website

https://aagl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AAGL is a US-based 501(c)(6) professional medical association founded in 1971 that serves 7,500+ minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons across 110 countries through the ABOG-approved EMIGS certification, a 52-site CBGF fellowship, the JMIG journal, SurgeryU video library, and the annual Global Congress.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cypress

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from practicing physicians ($445 developed countries, $200 emerging countries), fellows/residents/allied health ($65), medical students ($50), and industry partners ($400)
2. Congress Registration and Sponsorship: Revenue from annual Global Congress registration fees (in-person and virtual), plus industry sponsorship, exhibit, and advertising opportunities
3. Industry Advertising and Sponsorship: Website advertising, webinars, digital publications, job board, and general industry partnership opportunities providing access to the membership of 7,100+ MIGS professionals
4. CME Education Products: EMIGS program fees including didactics ($375 for members vs $820 non-members), cognitive exam, and skills testing; plus Surgical Teaching (JMIG subscription)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

AAGL is a professional medical association providing education, certification, fellowship training, scientific publication, and community services for gynecologic surgeons worldwide. Its core offerings include the EMIGS standardized certification program (ABOG-approved), the CBGF fellowship training across 52 hospital sites, the JMIG peer-reviewed journal, the SurgeryU video library, the annual Global Congress, and nine Special Interest Groups covering subspecialty areas such as robotics, endometriosis, fibroids, and urogynecology.

Product overview

AAGL is a professional medical association, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of educational programs, certification services, publications, and member resources for gynecologic surgeons. The core portfolio includes JMIG (the scientific journal), SurgeryU (video education platform), EMIGS (certification program), CBGF (fellowship program), the annual Global Congress event, NewsScope publication, AAGL Connect community forum, EndoExchange listserv, Special Interest Groups, CME offerings, and patient education materials. These are service-based offerings for medical professionals rather than software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FMIGS: Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery - comprehensive training program for gynecologic postgraduates
• EMIGS
• CBGF
• JMIG
• SurgeryU
• NewsScope
• AAGL Connect
• EndoExchange

Products and services

• EMIGS (Essentials in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery) Comprehensive standardized program for education and assessment of MIGS knowledge and skills, ABOG-approved as an alternative to FLS examination. Includes EMIGS Didactics (80+ narrated lectures), EMIGS Cognitive exam (psychometrically validated), and EMIGS Manual Skills assessment (5 laparoscopic tasks in proprietary LaparoBowl). For practicing gynecologic surgeons, OB/GYN residents, and fellows seeking certification.
• CBGF (Complex Benign Gynecology Fellowship) Two and three-year comprehensive training program in advanced gynecologic endoscopy offered through 52 hospital sites across USA, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Ireland. Focused on evidence-based medicine, anatomical principles, instrumentation, operative laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, and robotics. Has graduated 700+ fellows.
• JMIG (Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery) Official scientific journal of AAGL, publishing peer-reviewed research on minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. Ranks in the top quartile of Ob/Gyn journals with an Impact Factor of 4.1.
• SurgeryU 24/7 online video library featuring surgical videos and talks in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery led by expert surgeons from around the world. Exclusive member benefit.
• Global Congress Annual international congress on MIGS, the largest gathering of MIGS surgeons globally. Features scientific sessions, workshops, MED Talks, panels, and networking opportunities. In-person and virtual attendance options.
• NewsScope AAGL's monthly member publication featuring articles on difficult cases, new developments in MIGS, and reports on women's healthcare.
• AAGL Membership Annual membership program for gynecologic surgeons, residents, fellows, allied health, medical students, and industry partners. Tiered pricing from $50 (medical students) to $445 (practicing physicians in developed countries). Includes access to SurgeryU, JMIG, EMIGS Didactics, CME discounts, SIG access, and AAGL Connect.
• Industry Partnerships Program Advertising, sponsorship, and promotional program providing medical device, pharmaceutical, and healthcare companies access to AAGL's 7,100+ member audience through website ads, webinars, congress exhibits, digital publications, and job board placements. Industry partner membership at $400/year.
• Patient Information Sheets Educational materials for patients covering diagnostic hysteroscopy, dilation and curettage, hysteroscopic myomectomy, laparoscopic/robotic myomectomy, endometriosis treatment, radiofrequency ablation of fibroids, hysterectomy, and supracervical hysterectomy. Available in English and Spanish.

Quantifiable outcome

• JMIG Impact Factor increased from 1.575 (2013) to 4.1 (current), ranking 16/85 Ob/Gyn journals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Medical Industry Partners (Advertisers/Sponsors)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAAGL's industry partnership program allows medical device, pharmaceutical, and healthcare companies in the MIGS field to advertise and sponsor content across the AAGL website, publications, webinars, congress, and job board. Partners gain access to AAGL's network of 7,100+ members including key decision-makers in gynecologic surgery practices and institutions.
• 40+ Affiliated/Associated MIGS Societies WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAGL has affiliated/associated relationships with 40+ MIGS societies across Africa, North America, South America, Asia, Australia, and Europe. These societies receive certain benefits and support from AAGL, and their members are offered discounted AAGL membership through partnership arrangements. Societies also collaborate with AAGL in hosting International Congresses on MIGS.
• Inovus MedicalcoreTechnology or IntegrationAAGL partnered with Inovus Medical to fulfill all orders for EMIGS consumables, supplies, and replacement parts, including the LapAR task trainer boxes certified for EMIGS training and testing.
• Limbs and ThingscoreTechnology or IntegrationLimbs and Things trainer box models (50302, 50303, 50304, and 50306) are certified for EMIGS training and testing alongside the Inovus Medical LapAR.
• American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ABOG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABOG formally approved the EMIGS program as an alternative to the FLS examination for board certification, validating AAGL's standardized training and assessment program.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG): ACOG is the largest U.S. OB/GYN professional society with 60,000+ members and dominant CME, practice guideline, and advocacy capabilities that span all of obstetrics and gynecology. It is a broad incumbent whose MIGS-related content (committees, CME, Practice Bulletins) competes with AAGL's specialized offerings but reaches the same physician base.
• International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO): FIGO is the global professional federation of national OB/GYN societies operating across 130+ countries with broad scope across women's health. It overlaps with AAGL's international reach and affiliated society network, and competes for global CME partnerships and policy influence, though AAGL retains MIGS-specific depth.

Emerging players

• American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS): AUGS is a focused OB/GYN subspecialty society for urogynecology and pelvic floor disorders with its own fellowship programs, journal, and annual meeting. It overlaps with AAGL's Urogynecology/Vaginal Surgery SIG and competes for similar MIGS-adjacent content, members, and industry sponsorships in a narrower clinical niche.

Others

• American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ABOG): ABOG is the credentialing body that certifies OB/GYN specialists and approved AAGL's EMIGS program as an FLS alternative. While not a direct peer (it sets standards rather than competing for members), it is the most consequential institutional partner that determines AAGL's ability to monetize certification programs.

Regional players

• European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (ESGE): ESGE serves the European gynecologic endoscopy community with annual congresses, journals, and fellowship programs comparable to AAGL's FMIGS/EMIGS portfolio. It is a direct peer in scope but primarily serves a different geographic market, making it a regional counterpart rather than a head-to-head competitor in the Americas.

Direct peers

• Society of Gynecologic Surgeons: The Society of Gynecologic Surgeons is a U.S.-based professional society focused on gynecologic surgery education, research, and annual scientific meetings. It is the most direct peer to AAGL in the gynecologic surgery specialty association space, sharing the same membership base of MIGS surgeons and competing for similar academic publishing and CME engagement.
• International Society for Gynecologic Endoscopy (ISGE): ISGE is a global professional society dedicated to gynecologic endoscopy, with a similar member profile (gynecologic surgeons performing minimally invasive procedures), annual congress, and journal publication activities. It is the most direct international peer to AAGL in MIGS education and certification.
• Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS): SLS is a multi-specialty professional society promoting minimally invasive surgery education, with overlapping membership of gynecologic surgeons performing laparoscopy. It shares AAGL's FLS-aligned certification and laparoscopic training mission across general surgery, gynecology, and urology, making it a direct peer in MIGS education.

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aagl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aagl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about AAGL