The ABS began exploring EPAs as a potential foundation for competency-based surgical training and initial board certification in 2016, following several years of discussion around various strategies to improve traditional time-based residency training models. The ABS then developed five index EPAs and piloted them at 28 diverse surgical residency programs from 2018-2020.
Many medical professionals have been involved in ABS discussions around EPAs, and even more have volunteered their time, their expertise, and even their surgical training programs in an effort to bring this training model to fruition for U.S.-based surgical residency programs. We would like to thank all of those who have been involved in this initiative and those will be involved as we continue to develop and implement EPAs.
Pilot Progam Participants
ABS EPA Pilot Program Map
Boston Medical Center (Boston University School of Medicine)
Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
East Carolina University (ECU), Brody School of Medicine (Vidant Medical Center)
Einstein Healthcare Network
Gundersen Medical Foundation
Indiana University School of Medicine
Maine Medical Center (Tufts University School of Medicine)
New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center
Northwestern University
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Stanford University
State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University
Swedish Medical Center
University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Arizona College of Medicine
University of California, Irvine
University of Connecticut (Uconn) Health
University of Florida (UF) College of Medicine
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota Medical School
University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Rochester Medical Center
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA)
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Washington University in St. Louis/Barnes-Jewish Hospital
West Virginia University (WVU) Medicine
Wright State University, Boonshoft School of Medicine
ABS General Surgery EPA Task Force or Working Group Volunteers
EPA Advisory Council
George Sarosi, M.D. - Chair
John Mellinger, M.D. - Chair
Karen Brasel M.D.
Jo Buyske, M.D.
Daniel Dent, M.D.
Jan Franko M.D.
Eric Holmboe, M.D.
Mary Klingensmith, M.D.
Jeffrey Matthews, M.D.
Sarkis Meterissian, M.D.
Rebecca Minter, M.D.
Valentine Nfonsam, M.D.
Gurjit Sandhu, Ph.D.
EPA Scope Council
Russell Berman, M.D.
Karen Brasel, M.D.
Constance Cashen, D.O.
Marcie Feinman, M.D.
Liane Feldman, M.D.
Amy Hildreth, M.D.
Thomas Huber, M.D.
Ben Jarman, M.D.
D. Rohan Jeyarajah, M.D.
Mary Klingensmith, M.D.
John Mellinger, M.D.
Harry Papaconstantinou, M.D.
Aurora Pryor, M.D.
Pramod Puligandla, M.D.
Allison Robinson, M.D.
George Sarosi, M.D.
EPA Revision Working Group
Brenessa Lindeman, M.D. - Chair
Jennifer Choi, M.D.
Don Hess, M.D.
James Korndorffer, Jr., M.D.
Kelsey Montgomery, M.D.
Mayur Narayan, M.D.
Stephanie Nitzschke, M.D.
Brian Shames, M.D.
Justine Broecker, M.D. - Resident member
Taylor Coe, M.D. - Resident member
EPA Best Practices Working Group
Jacob Greenberg, M.D. - Chair
Mackenzie Cook, M.D.
Nicole Garcia, M.D.
Jason Johnson, D.O.
Brianne Nickel, M.A., C-TAGME
V. Prasad Poola, M.D.
Rabih Salloum, M.D.
Laura Torbeck, Ph.D.
Kyle Cassling, M.D. - Resident member
Amy Holmstrom, M.D. - Resident member
Christina Theodorou, M.D. - Resident member
Erin White, M.D., MBS - Resident member
Rebecca L. Williams, M.D., Ph.D. - Resident member