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Focused Practice Designations
Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Focused Practice Designation
The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Focused Practice Designation recognizes surgeons who dedicate a significant percentage of their practice to the comprehensive care of patients who seek treatment for obesity and metabolic diseases including primary and revisional bariatric surgery, management of bariatric complications and endoscopy.
Intro
The MBS FPD recognizes general surgeons who have focused a significant portion of their time in the practice of bariatric surgery
Focused Practice Designation (FPD) is a designation of ABMS member boards that recognizes diplomates who have focused their practice on one particular aspect of a given field of medicine or surgery that is not already recognized by specialty or subspecialty certification.
Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (MBS) is an example of the development of focused practice within the specialty of general surgery. Most surgeons performing MBS are general surgeons who have focused a significant portion of their time in the practice of bariatric surgery and develop the infrastructure to support a comprehensive MBS program. Therefore, MBS is truly a variation of general surgery rather than a subspecialty of surgery.
The ABS wishes to acknowledge the leadership of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) in applying for and developing this designation. The ABS has worked in conjunction with the ASMBS to define the standards of practice, participation, and knowledge that are required to be identified as a surgeon who focuses their practice on MBS. The MBS FPD can be achieved through a combination of fellowship training and/or clinical practice that is dedicated to the treatment of the obese patient population.
Eligibility & Requirements
Requirements must be met at the time of application to the exam
To be eligible for this exam, applicants must meet the following requirements:
Training
Must have completed three years of clinical experience in MBS, which may include experience gained during fellowship training.
MBS Experience
Must have current privileges and clinical activity in MBS, with a minimum of three years of clinical practice experience with a focus in MBS. Diplomates who have completed 12 months in an MBS fellowship training program may count the length of their fellowship program towards the focused practice requirement.
– 100 lifetime stapling cases (75 may come from an accredited fellowship and at least 25 stapling cases must occur after fellowship) *50 of the 100 lifetime stapling procedures must be anastomotic, or must include an anastomosis
– Performing an average of 25 MBSAQIP-approved stapling cases annually, averaged over the previous three years
Professional Activity
Be actively engaged in the practice of MBS as indicated by holding full surgical privileges in this discipline at a MBSAQIP-accredited center. Additionally, eligible candidates must be actively participating in the MBSAQIP registry.
In addition to the above requirements, one must be capable of performing independently the entire scope of MBS practice without accommodation or with reasonable accommodation.
How to Apply
Apply through the ABS surgeon portal
If a diplomate meets the requirements for this designation as defined above, they may access the application through the Apply & Register page in their ABS surgeon portal.
As part of the application review process, the ABS will verify that the applicant holds privileges at an MBSAQIP-accredited center.
Items Required
- Application form, completed and submitted through the ABS portal
- Application fee, submitted online (credit card only)
The steps above must be completed by the application deadline to be considered for this year’s examination in MBS, to be administered at Pearson VUE centers.
Following approval of their application, applicants may move to the registration section to complete registration, submit payment for the examination (credit card only), and schedule a testing center location
3/24 - 4/14
2025
Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Focused Practice Designation Examination
Location: Pearson VUE testing centers
Fee: $750
Application Deadline: 2/28/2025
Fee: $550
Examination Details
Exams are completed at a secure testing center
The MBS FPD exam consists of about 150 multiple-choice questions designed to evaluate a surgeon’s knowledge of metabolic and bariatric surgery principles and applied science.
It is a one-day exam lasting approximately 4.5 hours and is held at Pearson VUE testing facilities across the U.S. The exam is administered in two 120-minute sessions, with an optional 10-minute break after the first session. Once a session has concluded, examinees will not be able to revisit those questions.
Results are posted approximately 4-8 weeks after the exam; surgeons will be notified by email when they are available. The exam’s contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or disclosed in any manner.
Maintaining Designation
Certification in general surgery must be maintained
All diplomates with an MBS FPD must actively maintain their general surgery certification through participation in the ABS Continuous Certification Program, including completion of the General Surgery Continuous Certification Assessment every other year. Additional requirements directly related to maintenance of the FPD will apply, with additional information on this process forthcoming.
Contact
Our exam managers are here to help
Most questions can be answered with the information available on our website. For specific inquiries, please contact the MBS FPD coordinator.
CME Credit
Diplomates may apply to the AMA to receive credit for successfully completing an FPD examination
Diplomates who pass the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Focused Practice Designation Examination may apply to the AMA to receive 50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. The AMA will also grant credit for teaching at a live CME activity, being first author on a published article, and obtaining a medically related advanced degree. Please see the AMA website and the direct CME application for details.