The Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS) was organized by a small group of thirty-five distinguished pioneering surgeons led by Dr. Gregorio T. Singian on September 12, 1936. Upon the approval of its by-laws on October 10, 1936, the organization embarked on its avowed mission of elevating the standards of surgical practice in the country. It aimed at the attainment of greatness through unselfish men dedicated to service, especially the healing of patients, and in the further unceasing search for the elusive surgical secrets that benefit humankind, and the continuous professional update of its members.

The Charter Fellows of the PCS include: Drs. Honoria Acosta-Sison, Rufino Abriol, Valentin Afable, Conrado Ayuyao, Alfredo Baens, Miguel Canizares, Gervasio Cuyugan, Aurelio Dayrit, Facundo Esquivel, Januario Estrada, Sr., Gumersindo Garcia, Rudolfo Gonzales, Fortunato Guerrero, Nicanor Jacinto, Ricardo Jara, Alfredo Jocson, Enrique Lopez, Rafael Ma. Moreta, Paul Palencia, Carmelo Reyes, Baldomero Roxas, Guillermo Rustia, Luis Santos, Victor Sevilla, Gregorio Singian, Castor Surla, Manuel Tuazon, Basilio Valdez, Antonio Vasquez, Gerardo Vasquez, Herminio Velarde, Sr., Augusto Villarama, and Francisco Villaroman. The recorgnized Founder and First President was Dr. Gregorio Singian.

The Board of Regents met regularly until August 29, 1941 when World War II temporarily interrupted its activities. After the war, with normal conditions being slowly re-established, the first regular scientific meeting was held on March 30, 1946 at the Guanzon Memorial Hall of the Philippine General Hospital. In July of that year, the first medical specialty journal called the Philippine Journal of Surgery was published. The journal was adopted by other surgical specialties until it was finally named the Philippine Journal of Surgical Specialties (PJSS), a name still being used up to the present time. There was no looking back for the PCS from then on.