shaping the future of surgery

​New Case Minimums for General Surgery Residents    
  • At least 850 operative procedures in five years as operating surgeon
  • At least 200 operative procedures in the chief resident year
  • At least 40 cases in surgical critical care, with at least one in each category
 The ABS will also change training requirements to be consistent with the RRC-Surgery.
​RESIDENT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS

In June 2012, the ABS approved a new requirement for assessment of operative and clinical performance as part of a broader ongoing effort to standardize the knowledge and skills expected of general surgery residents.
 
Assessment Requirement
  • Applicants who complete their general surgery residency training after 2016  will be required to obtain during residency at least 6 operative performance assessments and 6 clinical performance assessments, conducted by their program director or other faculty members.
  • When signing an individual's application, the program director will be asked to attest that these 12 assessments have been completed. However the applicant bears ultimate responsibility for ensuring these assessments are performed while in residency. The completed assessment forms will not be collected by the ABS.
  • Posted below are evaluation forms that may be used to fulfill this requirement. While no specific form is mandated, programs are strongly encouraged to use either these forms or an equally validated form. 
  • Clinical/CEX forms labeled as CAMEO (Clinical Assessment & Management Examination) & Mini CEX
  • Operative-Lap Surgery Assessment & Open Surgery Assessment

Laparoscopic Appendectomy

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Laparoscopic Colectomy

Small Bowel Resection - Colectomy

Creation of AV Fistula

Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia

Open Inguinal Hernia

Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia

Open Ventral Hernia

Partial Mastectomy With Axillary Management/Breast Biopsy

Total/Skin-Sparing Mastectomy With Axillary Management

Parathyroidectomy

Thyroidectomy

ABS Flexible Endoscopy Curriculum
Global Assessment of Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Skills  - GAGES Forms
GAGES - Upper GI Endoscopy Score sheet 
​GAGES - Colonoscopy Score sheet 
GENERAL SURGERY TRAINING & CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
​
Program and Time Requirements
  • A minimum of 5 years of progressive residency education satisfactorily in a general surgery program accredited by the ACGME or RCPSC. (See also Osteopathic Trainees Policy)
  • Sixty months of progressive training at no more than 3 residency programs. If credit is granted for prior foreign training, it will count as one program. See also Limit on Number of Programs and Credit for Foreign Medical Education.
  • At least 48 weeks of full-time clinical activity in each residency year, regardless of the amount of operative experience obtained.The 48 weeks may be averaged over the first 3 years of residency, for a total of 144 weeks required, and over the last 2 years, for a total of 96 weeks required. See our Leave Policy for further details; all time away from training must be accounted for on application form.
  • A categorical PGY-3 year in an accredited general surgery residency program. Note that completing three years at PGY-1 and -2 levels does not permit promotion to PGY-4; a categorical PGY-3 year must be completed and verified by the ABS' resident roster. The only exception is in cases where 3 years' credit has been granted for prior foreign graduate training.
  • At least 54 months of clinical surgical experience with increasing levels of responsibility over the 5 years, with no fewer than 42 months devoted to the content areas of general surgery.
  • During all junior years (PGY 1-3), no more than 6 months assigned to non-clinical or non-surgical disciplines, and no more than 12 months allocated to any one surgical specialty other than general surgery.
  • The final two residency years in the same program.
 
Specific Requirements
  • The programs Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Advanced Trauma Life Support® (ATLS®) and Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery™ (FLS).  Applicants are not required to be currently certified in these programs; they must only provide documentation of past certification.
  • At least 6 operative and 6 clinical performance assessments conducted by the program director or other faculty members while in residency. The ABS will not collect these forms, but will ask the program director to attest they have been completed.
  • The ABS Flexible Endoscopy Curriculum for applicants who will complete residency in the 2017-2018 academic year or thereafter. The curriculum contains several "levels" that must be attained during residency. The final level includes successful completion of the Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery™ (FES) program. Applicants will need to provide documentation of FES certification with their application.
 
Chief Resident Year
  • Acting in the capacity of chief resident in general surgery for a 12-month period, with the majority of the 12 months served in the final year.The term "chief resident" indicates that a resident has assumed ultimate clinical responsibility for patient care under the supervision of the teaching staff and is the most senior resident involved with the direct care of the patient.
  • The entire chief resident experience in either the content areas of general surgery or thoracic surgery, with no more than 4 months devoted to any one area. All rotations at the PGY-4 and -5 levels should involve substantive major operative experience and independent decision making.
 
Operative Experience
  • A minimum of 750 operative procedures in five years as operating surgeon, including at least 150 in the chief resident year. Applicants may count up to 50 cases as teaching assistant toward the 750 total; however these cases may not count toward the 150 chief year cases.
  • A minimum of 25 cases in surgical critical care, with at least one in each of the seven categories: ventilatory management; bleeding (non-trauma); hemodynamic instability; organ dysfunction/failure; dysrhythmias; invasive line management and monitoring; and parenteral/enteral nutrition.
  • A minimum of 25 cases as teaching assistant by the completion of residency (applies to applicants completing residency in the 2014-2015 academic year or thereafter).
  • A minimum of 250 operations by the end of the PGY-2 year for applicants who began residency in July 2014 or thereafter. The 250 cases can include procedures performed as operating surgeon or first assistant. Of the 250, at least 200 must be either in the defined categories, endoscopies, or e-codes*. A maximum of 50 non-defined category cases may be applied to this requirement. The 250 cases must be completed over 2 consecutive residency years, ending with the PGY-2 year.
    *E-Codes: General surgery residents can use e-codes to receive ACGME case log credit for vascular surgical procedures. E-codes allow more than one resident to take credit for an arterial exposure and repair. The resident who accomplishes the exposure should add an "E" to the case ID for the system to allow credit for a second procedure on the same patient. The relevant CPT codes to use are: 35201 (Repair blood vessel, direct; neck); 35206 (upper extremity); 35216 (intra-thoracic without bypass); 35221 (intra-abdominal), and 35226 (lower extremity). Four categories are available under Trauma for residents to enter arterial exposures.
For specific inquiries regarding ABS training requirements, please send an email to the ABS coordinator.
 
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