User login
Continuous certification – Not just one more hoop to jump through
Maintenance of Certification (MOC) is an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) requirement for their 24 member boards. The MOC process has received much criticism, especially in recent years. To date, a 5-hour exam at a secure testing center every 10 years covering comprehensive vascular surgery knowledge has been the routine. This requirement had the surgeon take off a day from work for the exam, in addition to the time it took to prepare. Burnout, at least in part, is related to the sheer volume of busywork not directly relevant to being a practicing surgeon.
The American Board of Surgery is sensitive to both the relevance of MOC and needs of the diplomate, and is striving to make appropriate changes. Diplomates were surveyed regarding MOC and the accompanying exam in both 2016 and 2017. Using this input, the development of the 10-year exam format was studied carefully by the board directors and executive staff, all of whom are active in the clinical practice of surgery, and a new process now known as Continuous Certification was introduced. The intent of the new Continuous Certification Assessment (to replace the every-10-year MOC exam) is to be an activity that is convenient, timely, and more reflective of the surgeon’s daily practice. The assessment is to be done every 2 years and is online, open book, and taken at a place of the examinee’s choosing, such as the home or in the office. Another key feature of the continuous certification process is that the total number of CME required is decreased and the self-assessment requirement is eliminated.
In November 2018, I took the first General Surgery Continuous Certification Assessment. There was approximately a 2-month window to register, and online registration was simple, taking only about 15 minutes to complete. All the references were listed on the ABS website and the vast majority were open access and directly linked to the article. For those articles that were not open access, there was a link to the PubMed abstract. I downloaded all of the articles (actually this part my assistant did) and requested five articles from the library. I did not review the articles in advance, but used them when going sequentially through the assessment questions. Depending on the article, I read it or looked up the specific aspect I was looking for. I worked on the test three different times – at the airport during a long layover, at home, and at my office. After answering each question, I received feedback on what was the correct answer and a one-paragraph explanation which I read completely. After completing all 40 questions, each question for which I had an incorrect answer (not more than one or two of course, Ha!) was shown again with the opportunity to answer the question. The total time took me was about 4.5 hours. All in all, it was a good experience, and I learned something.
The general surgery assessment is modular. Twenty questions (half) were core surgery topics, and the other twenty questions came from one of four specialty modules of the examinee’s choice – breast, abdomen, alimentary tract, or comprehensive general surgery. I took the core and the abdomen modules. The core topics were, for the most part, areas that a surgeon who does patient care would find relevant (for example, perioperative management of a patient on corticosteroids, postoperative delirium, and prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism).
A couple of other details should be mentioned about this new process. From the time of initiation of the assessment, there are 2 weeks allocated for completion. One needs 80% correct to pass. If the examinee receives less than 80% but higher than 40% on the first assessment attempt, he/she will have a second attempt to answer the questions that were incorrect on the first try. If a cumulative score of less than 80% is achieved after the second attempt, a grace year will be provided, which is an extension of certification for 1 year with the opportunity to take the next year’s assessment. If after the grace year (four attempts) the diplomate is unsuccessful, then a secure exam is required to regain certification.
Overall, there has been much positive feedback. Of the 2,164 diplomates taking the Continuous Certification Assessment, only 21 were unsuccessful. Therefore, the pass rate was over 99% for the inaugural year. The average examinee took just over 3 hours to complete the assessment.
In 2018, the 10-year recertification examination in vascular surgery with 10 years of credit was given for the last time. The Vascular Surgery Continuous Certification Assessment is in preparation now and will roll out in the fall of 2019. It will follow a format similar to general surgery with 40 questions on a number of topics in vascular surgery. However, the vascular surgery assessment will not be modular. This activity will incorporate general knowledge (for example, from consensus guidelines), as well as late breaking trials. So far, this process looks to be a better one, as well as more efficient and relevant for the busy surgeon.
Dr. Gahtan is professor and chief, division of vascular surgery and endovascular services, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse.
Maintenance of Certification (MOC) is an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) requirement for their 24 member boards. The MOC process has received much criticism, especially in recent years. To date, a 5-hour exam at a secure testing center every 10 years covering comprehensive vascular surgery knowledge has been the routine. This requirement had the surgeon take off a day from work for the exam, in addition to the time it took to prepare. Burnout, at least in part, is related to the sheer volume of busywork not directly relevant to being a practicing surgeon.
The American Board of Surgery is sensitive to both the relevance of MOC and needs of the diplomate, and is striving to make appropriate changes. Diplomates were surveyed regarding MOC and the accompanying exam in both 2016 and 2017. Using this input, the development of the 10-year exam format was studied carefully by the board directors and executive staff, all of whom are active in the clinical practice of surgery, and a new process now known as Continuous Certification was introduced. The intent of the new Continuous Certification Assessment (to replace the every-10-year MOC exam) is to be an activity that is convenient, timely, and more reflective of the surgeon’s daily practice. The assessment is to be done every 2 years and is online, open book, and taken at a place of the examinee’s choosing, such as the home or in the office. Another key feature of the continuous certification process is that the total number of CME required is decreased and the self-assessment requirement is eliminated.
In November 2018, I took the first General Surgery Continuous Certification Assessment. There was approximately a 2-month window to register, and online registration was simple, taking only about 15 minutes to complete. All the references were listed on the ABS website and the vast majority were open access and directly linked to the article. For those articles that were not open access, there was a link to the PubMed abstract. I downloaded all of the articles (actually this part my assistant did) and requested five articles from the library. I did not review the articles in advance, but used them when going sequentially through the assessment questions. Depending on the article, I read it or looked up the specific aspect I was looking for. I worked on the test three different times – at the airport during a long layover, at home, and at my office. After answering each question, I received feedback on what was the correct answer and a one-paragraph explanation which I read completely. After completing all 40 questions, each question for which I had an incorrect answer (not more than one or two of course, Ha!) was shown again with the opportunity to answer the question. The total time took me was about 4.5 hours. All in all, it was a good experience, and I learned something.
The general surgery assessment is modular. Twenty questions (half) were core surgery topics, and the other twenty questions came from one of four specialty modules of the examinee’s choice – breast, abdomen, alimentary tract, or comprehensive general surgery. I took the core and the abdomen modules. The core topics were, for the most part, areas that a surgeon who does patient care would find relevant (for example, perioperative management of a patient on corticosteroids, postoperative delirium, and prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism).
A couple of other details should be mentioned about this new process. From the time of initiation of the assessment, there are 2 weeks allocated for completion. One needs 80% correct to pass. If the examinee receives less than 80% but higher than 40% on the first assessment attempt, he/she will have a second attempt to answer the questions that were incorrect on the first try. If a cumulative score of less than 80% is achieved after the second attempt, a grace year will be provided, which is an extension of certification for 1 year with the opportunity to take the next year’s assessment. If after the grace year (four attempts) the diplomate is unsuccessful, then a secure exam is required to regain certification.
Overall, there has been much positive feedback. Of the 2,164 diplomates taking the Continuous Certification Assessment, only 21 were unsuccessful. Therefore, the pass rate was over 99% for the inaugural year. The average examinee took just over 3 hours to complete the assessment.
In 2018, the 10-year recertification examination in vascular surgery with 10 years of credit was given for the last time. The Vascular Surgery Continuous Certification Assessment is in preparation now and will roll out in the fall of 2019. It will follow a format similar to general surgery with 40 questions on a number of topics in vascular surgery. However, the vascular surgery assessment will not be modular. This activity will incorporate general knowledge (for example, from consensus guidelines), as well as late breaking trials. So far, this process looks to be a better one, as well as more efficient and relevant for the busy surgeon.
Dr. Gahtan is professor and chief, division of vascular surgery and endovascular services, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse.
Maintenance of Certification (MOC) is an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) requirement for their 24 member boards. The MOC process has received much criticism, especially in recent years. To date, a 5-hour exam at a secure testing center every 10 years covering comprehensive vascular surgery knowledge has been the routine. This requirement had the surgeon take off a day from work for the exam, in addition to the time it took to prepare. Burnout, at least in part, is related to the sheer volume of busywork not directly relevant to being a practicing surgeon.
The American Board of Surgery is sensitive to both the relevance of MOC and needs of the diplomate, and is striving to make appropriate changes. Diplomates were surveyed regarding MOC and the accompanying exam in both 2016 and 2017. Using this input, the development of the 10-year exam format was studied carefully by the board directors and executive staff, all of whom are active in the clinical practice of surgery, and a new process now known as Continuous Certification was introduced. The intent of the new Continuous Certification Assessment (to replace the every-10-year MOC exam) is to be an activity that is convenient, timely, and more reflective of the surgeon’s daily practice. The assessment is to be done every 2 years and is online, open book, and taken at a place of the examinee’s choosing, such as the home or in the office. Another key feature of the continuous certification process is that the total number of CME required is decreased and the self-assessment requirement is eliminated.
In November 2018, I took the first General Surgery Continuous Certification Assessment. There was approximately a 2-month window to register, and online registration was simple, taking only about 15 minutes to complete. All the references were listed on the ABS website and the vast majority were open access and directly linked to the article. For those articles that were not open access, there was a link to the PubMed abstract. I downloaded all of the articles (actually this part my assistant did) and requested five articles from the library. I did not review the articles in advance, but used them when going sequentially through the assessment questions. Depending on the article, I read it or looked up the specific aspect I was looking for. I worked on the test three different times – at the airport during a long layover, at home, and at my office. After answering each question, I received feedback on what was the correct answer and a one-paragraph explanation which I read completely. After completing all 40 questions, each question for which I had an incorrect answer (not more than one or two of course, Ha!) was shown again with the opportunity to answer the question. The total time took me was about 4.5 hours. All in all, it was a good experience, and I learned something.
The general surgery assessment is modular. Twenty questions (half) were core surgery topics, and the other twenty questions came from one of four specialty modules of the examinee’s choice – breast, abdomen, alimentary tract, or comprehensive general surgery. I took the core and the abdomen modules. The core topics were, for the most part, areas that a surgeon who does patient care would find relevant (for example, perioperative management of a patient on corticosteroids, postoperative delirium, and prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism).
A couple of other details should be mentioned about this new process. From the time of initiation of the assessment, there are 2 weeks allocated for completion. One needs 80% correct to pass. If the examinee receives less than 80% but higher than 40% on the first assessment attempt, he/she will have a second attempt to answer the questions that were incorrect on the first try. If a cumulative score of less than 80% is achieved after the second attempt, a grace year will be provided, which is an extension of certification for 1 year with the opportunity to take the next year’s assessment. If after the grace year (four attempts) the diplomate is unsuccessful, then a secure exam is required to regain certification.
Overall, there has been much positive feedback. Of the 2,164 diplomates taking the Continuous Certification Assessment, only 21 were unsuccessful. Therefore, the pass rate was over 99% for the inaugural year. The average examinee took just over 3 hours to complete the assessment.
In 2018, the 10-year recertification examination in vascular surgery with 10 years of credit was given for the last time. The Vascular Surgery Continuous Certification Assessment is in preparation now and will roll out in the fall of 2019. It will follow a format similar to general surgery with 40 questions on a number of topics in vascular surgery. However, the vascular surgery assessment will not be modular. This activity will incorporate general knowledge (for example, from consensus guidelines), as well as late breaking trials. So far, this process looks to be a better one, as well as more efficient and relevant for the busy surgeon.
Dr. Gahtan is professor and chief, division of vascular surgery and endovascular services, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse.
Expanding the role of the Vascular Surgery Board-ABS
Despite increasing financial and regulatory pressures, mainstream vascular surgery must continue to uphold high standards and excellence in clinical care. Achieving this benchmark can only be done by providing rigorous postgraduate training followed by a comprehensive evaluation and certification process.
To receive accreditation, new training programs, working with the support of their local graduate medical education committee and Designated Institutional Official, need to complete the formal application process of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Those completed applications, following screening by ACGME staff, are forwarded to the ACGME’s Review Committee for Surgery for evaluation and accreditation determination. For some programs, the application process may require a site visit by ACGME field staff.
Vascular surgery residents and fellows who have successfully completed an ACGME-accredited program may then apply for board certification in vascular surgery, a process by which the individual applies to the Vascular Surgery Board of the American Board of Surgery (VSB-ABS) to take a written qualifying exam and then an oral certifying exam. It is only by maintaining this process that vascular surgery, the medical community, and the public at large can be assured that a board-certified vascular surgeon has met the rigorous requirements of both the ACGME and VSB-ABS for knowledge and training in vascular surgery.
It has been shown time and again that patients value board certification. In fact, in a 2003 Gallup poll,95% of the respondents felt that physicians should be board certified and 95% felt that maintenance of this certification was important (JAMA. 2004;292:1038-43).
The VSB-ABS has undergone many changes since its inception. Initially, the American Board of Surgery issued a certificate of added qualifications to vascular surgeons who met its criteria and passed the proper exams. The first certificate was issued to E. Jack Wylie, MD, on June 30, 1982.
In 2015, the VSB-ABS eliminated this requirement and incorporated core surgical management into the Vascular Surgery Qualifying Examination. This strategic change again affirmed the independence of vascular surgery as a specialty. The total number of board-certified vascular surgeons and number of training programs are summarized in Table 1.
The mission of the VSB-ABS is to serve the public and the specialty of surgery by providing leadership in surgical education and practice, by promoting excellence through rigorous evaluation and examination, and by promoting the highest standards for professionalism, lifelong learning, and the continuous certification of surgeons in practice. The VSB-ABS is responsible for setting the requirements for board certification in vascular surgery, including the creation and administration of the Vascular Surgery Qualifying (written) and Certifying (oral) Examinations. In addition, the VSB-ABS is responsible for the Vascular Surgery In-Training Examination and Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Examination. With the increasing number of graduates from vascular surgery training programs and the changing needs of our dynamic specialty, the VSB-ABS also is working on the following important initiatives.
Expansion of the VSB-ABS
The VSB-ABS currently consists of eight board members elected from the following four national vascular societies: the Society for Vascular Surgery, the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery, the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, and the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Society.
Maintenance of Certification
The American Board of Medical Specialties, the umbrella organization for all 24 medical specialty boards, established in 2003 that all of its member boards must adopt a continuous process of MOC.
In addition, each board was charged with developing requirements addressing each of these four areas: professional standing, lifelong learning and self-assessment, cognitive examination, and evaluation of performance in practice. While the ABS and VSB-ABS have sought to make MOC requirements as flexible as possible, we recognize that MOC needs improvement. Thousands of ABS diplomates were sent a survey this past fall regarding MOC so we could better understand the concerns of surgeons with the current process. The VSB-ABS recognizes these concerns and is currently considering various options to make MOC more relevant and convenient for vascular surgeons. Later this year, we anticipate sending a survey to better gain meaningful input specifically from vascular surgery diplomates regarding the need and options for change.
SCORE for Vascular Surgery
The VSB-ABS has also been hard at work in collaboration with the APDVS to produce SCORE for Vascular Surgery (“V-SCORE”), a structured curriculum for vascular surgery trainees using the SCORE Portal. SCORE for Vascular Surgery is being designed to emphasize the important topics that every vascular trainee should know and expect to be tested on. The curriculum outline is available at www.surgicalcore.org as a PDF document. The curriculum materials are available to vascular surgery training programs from the same website with a subscription and will be continuously updated to remain current.
Creation of a Certifying Examination Committee
This calendar year, a Certifying Examination Committee to write case scenarios and maintain updated images for the oral examination will be formed. This committee will be selected from a pool of qualified diplomates. The request for volunteers to be considered will be released shortly.
In summary, many changes are occurring in the structure and the activities of the VSB-ABS in order to have broader representation from the vascular community and be responsive to diplomate concerns, all the while maintaining a high standard for certification and recertification/MOC. Future regular updates from the VSB-ABS are planned to keep our diplomates informed.
Despite increasing financial and regulatory pressures, mainstream vascular surgery must continue to uphold high standards and excellence in clinical care. Achieving this benchmark can only be done by providing rigorous postgraduate training followed by a comprehensive evaluation and certification process.
To receive accreditation, new training programs, working with the support of their local graduate medical education committee and Designated Institutional Official, need to complete the formal application process of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Those completed applications, following screening by ACGME staff, are forwarded to the ACGME’s Review Committee for Surgery for evaluation and accreditation determination. For some programs, the application process may require a site visit by ACGME field staff.
Vascular surgery residents and fellows who have successfully completed an ACGME-accredited program may then apply for board certification in vascular surgery, a process by which the individual applies to the Vascular Surgery Board of the American Board of Surgery (VSB-ABS) to take a written qualifying exam and then an oral certifying exam. It is only by maintaining this process that vascular surgery, the medical community, and the public at large can be assured that a board-certified vascular surgeon has met the rigorous requirements of both the ACGME and VSB-ABS for knowledge and training in vascular surgery.
It has been shown time and again that patients value board certification. In fact, in a 2003 Gallup poll,95% of the respondents felt that physicians should be board certified and 95% felt that maintenance of this certification was important (JAMA. 2004;292:1038-43).
The VSB-ABS has undergone many changes since its inception. Initially, the American Board of Surgery issued a certificate of added qualifications to vascular surgeons who met its criteria and passed the proper exams. The first certificate was issued to E. Jack Wylie, MD, on June 30, 1982.
In 2015, the VSB-ABS eliminated this requirement and incorporated core surgical management into the Vascular Surgery Qualifying Examination. This strategic change again affirmed the independence of vascular surgery as a specialty. The total number of board-certified vascular surgeons and number of training programs are summarized in Table 1.
The mission of the VSB-ABS is to serve the public and the specialty of surgery by providing leadership in surgical education and practice, by promoting excellence through rigorous evaluation and examination, and by promoting the highest standards for professionalism, lifelong learning, and the continuous certification of surgeons in practice. The VSB-ABS is responsible for setting the requirements for board certification in vascular surgery, including the creation and administration of the Vascular Surgery Qualifying (written) and Certifying (oral) Examinations. In addition, the VSB-ABS is responsible for the Vascular Surgery In-Training Examination and Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Examination. With the increasing number of graduates from vascular surgery training programs and the changing needs of our dynamic specialty, the VSB-ABS also is working on the following important initiatives.
Expansion of the VSB-ABS
The VSB-ABS currently consists of eight board members elected from the following four national vascular societies: the Society for Vascular Surgery, the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery, the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, and the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Society.
Maintenance of Certification
The American Board of Medical Specialties, the umbrella organization for all 24 medical specialty boards, established in 2003 that all of its member boards must adopt a continuous process of MOC.
In addition, each board was charged with developing requirements addressing each of these four areas: professional standing, lifelong learning and self-assessment, cognitive examination, and evaluation of performance in practice. While the ABS and VSB-ABS have sought to make MOC requirements as flexible as possible, we recognize that MOC needs improvement. Thousands of ABS diplomates were sent a survey this past fall regarding MOC so we could better understand the concerns of surgeons with the current process. The VSB-ABS recognizes these concerns and is currently considering various options to make MOC more relevant and convenient for vascular surgeons. Later this year, we anticipate sending a survey to better gain meaningful input specifically from vascular surgery diplomates regarding the need and options for change.
SCORE for Vascular Surgery
The VSB-ABS has also been hard at work in collaboration with the APDVS to produce SCORE for Vascular Surgery (“V-SCORE”), a structured curriculum for vascular surgery trainees using the SCORE Portal. SCORE for Vascular Surgery is being designed to emphasize the important topics that every vascular trainee should know and expect to be tested on. The curriculum outline is available at www.surgicalcore.org as a PDF document. The curriculum materials are available to vascular surgery training programs from the same website with a subscription and will be continuously updated to remain current.
Creation of a Certifying Examination Committee
This calendar year, a Certifying Examination Committee to write case scenarios and maintain updated images for the oral examination will be formed. This committee will be selected from a pool of qualified diplomates. The request for volunteers to be considered will be released shortly.
In summary, many changes are occurring in the structure and the activities of the VSB-ABS in order to have broader representation from the vascular community and be responsive to diplomate concerns, all the while maintaining a high standard for certification and recertification/MOC. Future regular updates from the VSB-ABS are planned to keep our diplomates informed.
Despite increasing financial and regulatory pressures, mainstream vascular surgery must continue to uphold high standards and excellence in clinical care. Achieving this benchmark can only be done by providing rigorous postgraduate training followed by a comprehensive evaluation and certification process.
To receive accreditation, new training programs, working with the support of their local graduate medical education committee and Designated Institutional Official, need to complete the formal application process of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Those completed applications, following screening by ACGME staff, are forwarded to the ACGME’s Review Committee for Surgery for evaluation and accreditation determination. For some programs, the application process may require a site visit by ACGME field staff.
Vascular surgery residents and fellows who have successfully completed an ACGME-accredited program may then apply for board certification in vascular surgery, a process by which the individual applies to the Vascular Surgery Board of the American Board of Surgery (VSB-ABS) to take a written qualifying exam and then an oral certifying exam. It is only by maintaining this process that vascular surgery, the medical community, and the public at large can be assured that a board-certified vascular surgeon has met the rigorous requirements of both the ACGME and VSB-ABS for knowledge and training in vascular surgery.
It has been shown time and again that patients value board certification. In fact, in a 2003 Gallup poll,95% of the respondents felt that physicians should be board certified and 95% felt that maintenance of this certification was important (JAMA. 2004;292:1038-43).
The VSB-ABS has undergone many changes since its inception. Initially, the American Board of Surgery issued a certificate of added qualifications to vascular surgeons who met its criteria and passed the proper exams. The first certificate was issued to E. Jack Wylie, MD, on June 30, 1982.
In 2015, the VSB-ABS eliminated this requirement and incorporated core surgical management into the Vascular Surgery Qualifying Examination. This strategic change again affirmed the independence of vascular surgery as a specialty. The total number of board-certified vascular surgeons and number of training programs are summarized in Table 1.
The mission of the VSB-ABS is to serve the public and the specialty of surgery by providing leadership in surgical education and practice, by promoting excellence through rigorous evaluation and examination, and by promoting the highest standards for professionalism, lifelong learning, and the continuous certification of surgeons in practice. The VSB-ABS is responsible for setting the requirements for board certification in vascular surgery, including the creation and administration of the Vascular Surgery Qualifying (written) and Certifying (oral) Examinations. In addition, the VSB-ABS is responsible for the Vascular Surgery In-Training Examination and Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Examination. With the increasing number of graduates from vascular surgery training programs and the changing needs of our dynamic specialty, the VSB-ABS also is working on the following important initiatives.
Expansion of the VSB-ABS
The VSB-ABS currently consists of eight board members elected from the following four national vascular societies: the Society for Vascular Surgery, the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery, the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, and the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Society.
Maintenance of Certification
The American Board of Medical Specialties, the umbrella organization for all 24 medical specialty boards, established in 2003 that all of its member boards must adopt a continuous process of MOC.
In addition, each board was charged with developing requirements addressing each of these four areas: professional standing, lifelong learning and self-assessment, cognitive examination, and evaluation of performance in practice. While the ABS and VSB-ABS have sought to make MOC requirements as flexible as possible, we recognize that MOC needs improvement. Thousands of ABS diplomates were sent a survey this past fall regarding MOC so we could better understand the concerns of surgeons with the current process. The VSB-ABS recognizes these concerns and is currently considering various options to make MOC more relevant and convenient for vascular surgeons. Later this year, we anticipate sending a survey to better gain meaningful input specifically from vascular surgery diplomates regarding the need and options for change.
SCORE for Vascular Surgery
The VSB-ABS has also been hard at work in collaboration with the APDVS to produce SCORE for Vascular Surgery (“V-SCORE”), a structured curriculum for vascular surgery trainees using the SCORE Portal. SCORE for Vascular Surgery is being designed to emphasize the important topics that every vascular trainee should know and expect to be tested on. The curriculum outline is available at www.surgicalcore.org as a PDF document. The curriculum materials are available to vascular surgery training programs from the same website with a subscription and will be continuously updated to remain current.
Creation of a Certifying Examination Committee
This calendar year, a Certifying Examination Committee to write case scenarios and maintain updated images for the oral examination will be formed. This committee will be selected from a pool of qualified diplomates. The request for volunteers to be considered will be released shortly.
In summary, many changes are occurring in the structure and the activities of the VSB-ABS in order to have broader representation from the vascular community and be responsive to diplomate concerns, all the while maintaining a high standard for certification and recertification/MOC. Future regular updates from the VSB-ABS are planned to keep our diplomates informed.