By: Brigitte T
The American Board of Surgery (ABS) was established in 1937. The leaders of this organization felt Surgery had become a full-time specialty and acknowledged a need to differentiate trained surgeons from doctors in general practice.
The ABS was founded to improve the specialty of Surgery and to protect the public. Could you imagine what General Surgery would be today if this organization wouldn't have been created? Any general practice doctor performing any type of surgery? That seems unthinkable nowadays.
There is an exam every January in General Surgery residency programs called the American Board of Surgery Inservice Training Examination (ABSITE®). The ABSITE is a multiple-choice exam designed to measure the progress attained by residents in their knowledge of applied science and management of clinical problems related to surgery.
If you have already taken the exam you need to have a plan for this exam, plenty of sleep, making sure you are not on call, understanding key performance factors and having a strong knowledge base.
This yearly exercise is not used for promotion but is designed to keep residents aware of accomplishments and deficiencies as they move towards the American Board of Surgery (ABS) qualifying and certifying examinations administered after the training is complete. Those must be passed for ABS certification and designation as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
One of the other important uses of the ABSITE is to make sure residency program directors and coordinators know just how their program is at educating residents.
As I researched the purpose and reason behind the ABS and ABSITE I am thankful that the board of directors that took the time to develop an organization that helps protect the public and improve surgeons knowledge as they prepare to become board certified.
How will you prepare for the ABSITE? Do you have all the tools and a plan to knock out this exam? ABSITE Smackdown! review book & online video lectures, the only ABSITE review book that comes with video lectures, is here to help you prep and knockout the ABSITE!