Stay Certified

Continuous Certification Assessments

All Continuous Certification Assessments focus on the latest and most important developments in practice to assist diplomates in staying up to date. Diplomates demonstrate their surgical knowledge on a continual basis through this assessment process.

About the Assessment

One assessment required every two years for each certification

A biannual online assessment process has replaced the traditional ten-year recertification exam. Diplomates are not required to take their first Continuous Certification Assessment until the year their certificate expires. Once a diplomate registers for their first assessment, they are enrolled in the Continuous Certification Program.

Diplomates will have up to two weeks to complete the assessment once they begin, with the opportunity to save their progress and continue at a later time during this two-week period.

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Assessment Registration and Completion

Once a diplomate registers for their first assessment, they are enrolled in the Continuous Certification Program

Registration for all Continuous Certification Assessments is available annually during the Continuous Certification Assessment window, from late-summer to mid-fall.

To register for an assessment, diplomates must be meeting all requirements of the ABS Continuous Certification Program. This includes staying up to date with CME requirements and submitting reference forms every five years. Diplomates can check their status anytime by going to My Continuous Certification. For guidance on how to update ongoing certification requirements, please see this document.
When a diplomate registers for their first assessment, a fee will be required at the time of registration and every year thereafter.
Diplomates who are currently certified but not meeting Continuous Certification requirements will need to re-enter Continuous Certification to register for the new assessment.
Diplomates will have up to two weeks to complete the assessment once it is launched, with the opportunity to save progress and continue at a later time during this two-week period.

A diplomate’s personal two-week time limit will start the moment they click the “Start Test” button within their ABS portal – diplomates should not click this button until they are absolutely sure that they are ready to begin the assessment.

How to Register for a Continuous Certification Assessment

To register for and complete a Continuous Certification Assessment, diplomates must be up to date on all ongoing program requirements. To complete registration:

Log in to the ABS diplomate portal.
Using the left-side menu, navigate to the Continuous Certification page.
Complete any ongoing certification requirements that are marked in yellow, including payment of the annual fee.
Complete the program attestation.
Registration is complete! Come back during the assessment window to complete this year’s assessment.

8/26 - 11/12

2024

Continuous Certification Assessment

Location: Virtual

Fee: $285

Registration Start: 8/1/2024 - 11/12/2024

If your assessment was in progress when the ABS website blackout occurred on Sunday, Nov. 3, or you attempted to begin your assessment during this time, your assessment window has been extended to 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.

The $285 annual fee covers one assessment every other year, free access to all assessment reference materials, and general Continuous Certification Program participation.

10/15 - 10/28

2024

Continuous Certification Readmission Examination

Location: Pearson VUE testing centers

Fee: $1,700

Registration Start: 8/1/2024 - 10/21/2024

This exam is for surgeons who either: (1) did not successfully complete the lapsed pathway; or (2) are not eligible to enter the lapsed pathway.

Assessment Content and References

Continuous Certification Assessments focus on the latest and most important developments in practice

All assessments are developed using references from an ABS partner journal or open-access articles that are selected by question authors each year. Assessments primarily focus on important, evidence-based updates to surgical practice. Reference lists are published each year ahead of the assessment administration window.

2024 General Surgery Assessment References

All general surgery diplomates must complete a 20-question “Core” module and are able to select a second 20-question module of their choosing from four practice-related areas. All 40 questions will be presented in random order.

2024 Vascular Surgery Assessment References

Vascular surgery diplomates will be presented with 40 questions in random order that address important topics in vascular surgery including atherectomy, fibromuscular dysplasia, intramural hematoma, lymphedema, vascular trauma, and more.

2024 Pediatric Surgery Assessment References

Pediatric surgery diplomates will be presented with 40 questions in random order that address important topics in pediatric surgery including appendicitis, chemotherapy, fibroadenoma, lung bud anomalies, pancreatitis, urotrauma, venous access, and more.

2024 Surgical Critical Care Assessment References

Surgical critical care diplomates will be presented with 40 questions in random order that address important topics in surgical critical care including acute valvular disorders, complications of transplantation, head and spinal cord injury, hypothermia, limb salvage, septic shock, venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, and more.

2024 Complex General Surgical Oncology Assessment References

Complex general surgical oncology diplomates will be presented with 40 questions in random order that address important topics in complex general surgical oncology including anal canal carcinoma, atypical ductal hyperplasia, ganglioneuroma, hepatocellular adenoma, desmoplastic melanoma, and more.

2024 Hand Surgery Assessment References

Hand surgery diplomates will be presented with 40 questions in random order that address important topics in hand surgery, including compression neuropathies, enchondromas, ligament injury, nerve injury management, tendinopathies, vasospastic disease, and more.

Complex General Surgical Oncology Continuous Certification Assessment: We have integrated CGSO diplomate feedback regarding the Continuous Certification Assessment and have updated the content to better match diplomate practices. Specifically, we have increased the hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) content, as this area of practice is most commonly reported among our diplomates.

Testing Notes and Strategies

Tips for navigating the assessment

Please keep the following in mind during the assessment:

No matter the specialty, the 40 questions on the assessment will be delivered in a random order.
One question is displayed at a time, which must be answered to proceed. It is not possible to navigate backwards to previously answered questions
Due to the forward-only navigation, it is recommended that the rationale be read in full before moving on to the next question.
Every time an answer is submitted for scoring, progress is saved. If the assessment is continued on a different computer or technical difficulties are experienced, previous work will not be lost.
Diplomates should independently track the number of correct and incorrect answers. Diplomates must get at least 16 questions correct on the first attempt in order to be given access to the questions for a second attempt. If a participant is not on track to get 16 correct, it would be worthwhile to change the approach proactively.
Correctly answering 80% (32 questions) is required to pass, with two chances to answer. A score of at least 40% (16 questions) must be achieved on the first attempt to qualify for a second attempt in the same testing administration. Participants are encouraged to do their best on all assessment attempts.
If presented with a difficult question, reviewing the references that the ABS has provided for that topic can facilitate a focused literature review. It may not be necessary to use the specific references cited to determine the correct answer.

Scoring

Diplomates receive a preliminary score report immediately after assessment completion

The preliminary score report that appears in a diplomate’s ABS portal immediately after completing a Continuous Certification Assessment is provided as confirmation of completion until the assessment window closes for all candidates. Once the window closes, ABS psychometricians will review all results and validate all assessments.

Final score reports with detailed feedback will be provided to diplomates in their portal within four to six weeks after the close of the assessment window. Diplomate certification status, which reflects the final results of the assessment, will be available on the ABS website in January of the following year.

Certification Status

Certification status is contingent on meeting all program requirements

Once participating in the Continuous Certification Program, a diplomate’s certification status will be contingent on passing the assessment every other year, as well as meeting the other program requirements. Failing an assessment in the year it is due will not immediately affect certification status. Diplomates in good standing will be able to retake the assessment the following year if necessary (grace year).

Issuance of Certificates

New certificates do not include an expiration date

Upon passing their first Continuous Certification Assessment, diplomates will be issued a new certificate without an expiration date, typically within three to six months following the close of the assessment window in a given year. A diplomate’s current certification status can be verified at any time using the Check a Certification tool on the ABS website.

Grace Year

Grace years are provided to diplomates who do not pass an assessment when it is due or if they are unsuccessful in their assessment attempt

The ABS encourages diplomates to do their best on all assessment attempts. However, in the event that a diplomate does not pass an assessment in the year that it is due, they may be eligible to receive a grace year:

If a diplomate fails to attain 40% on their first attempt or the passing score of 80% by their second attempt, a grace year may be provided in the year following the assessment.
To receive the grace year, diplomates must be current with their annual fee payment and all additional Continuous Certification Program requirements.
If eligible to receive a grace year, the diplomate will remain certified through the end of the following year with the opportunity to maintain that certificate by passing the assessment in the grace year.
Diplomates who are currently in a grace year and do not pass the assessment will lose their certification on Dec. 31 of that year.
Diplomates who do not remit payment for their annual fee in the year that they are due to complete an assessment will not automatically receive a grace year in the following year and will lose their certification on Dec. 31 of that year.
Diplomates participating in the lapsed pathway are not eligible to receive a grace year.

Additional Information

There are multiple components that make up the Continuous Certification Program

Diplomates must remain up to date with all ongoing requirements of the ABS Continuous Certification Program in order to register for an assessment in a given year. This includes meeting CME requirements, completing practice improvement activities, and timely payment of the annual fee.

Continuous Medical Education (CME) and Self-Assessment

Once diplomate a diplomate passes their first Continuous Certification Assessment, their CME requirement will change to 125 CME credits with no self-assessment required beginning Jan. 1 of the following year.

Practice Improvement

The goal of the practice improvement requirement is for diplomates to regularly assess their performance by reviewing their outcomes, addressing identified areas for improvement, and evaluating the results. This can be satisfied by ongoing participation in a local, regional or national outcomes registry or quality assessment program.

Once a diplomate enrolls in the Continuous Certification Program, an annual fee will be required. The annual fee reflects the ongoing development of all aspects of the program, including diplomate status tracking, public reporting of diplomate status, self-service features like the CME Repository, and the modular assessment process which requires hundreds of new questions annually with explanations and references, as well as an online delivery platform.

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 Continuous Certification Program manager.