Joint SVS and ABS Statement: Training and Certification

STATEMENT FROM THE SOCIETY FOR VASCULAR SURGERY (SVS) AND THE AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY (ABS) REGARDING VASCULAR SURGERY TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION

The following Joint SVS/ABS statement was unanimously endorsed by the SVS Board of Directors.

At the June 2007 meeting of the SVS and subsequently, the leadership of the SVS focused on the continuing development of the primary certificate in vascular surgery, and the evolution of vascular surgery as a separate specialty, independent of general surgery, and developed a series of issues which it wished the ABS to address.

A meeting was held in December between the leadership of these organizations, and the agreements reached were subsequently approved at the ABS January Board meeting. These issues are summarized below.

(1) The Vascular Surgery Board of the ABS (VSB-ABS), since its inception in 1997, has had full control with regard to vascular surgery certification standards and examination development. The ABS will update its bylaws to formally recognize the responsibilities and authority of the VSB-ABS to make all decisions related to vascular surgery training and certification, within American Board of Medical Specialty regulations.

(2) With the dramatic change in the nature of vascular surgery during the last 10 years, and the increased role of endovascular technologies, general surgery residents are no longer trained to treat the full spectrum of arterial vascular disease, and vascular surgery fellowship training is now essential for finishing residents who wish to practice in this area.

(3) The ABS has adopted the Surgical Council on Resident Education (SCORE) documents that will replace the essential content areas and primary components, which have previously defined the content of general surgery training. Specifically, the SCORE document defines the areas which general surgery residents are expected to master.

With regard to vascular surgery skills, general surgery residents will be expected to become competent in AV access, amputations, varicose vein surgery, and emergency operations that involve blood vessels. They will be exposed to other vascular operations but it is not expected that their training would be sufficient to gain comprehensive skills for the assessment and management of the full spectrum of vascular diseases.

(4) ABS will update the Booklet of Information and Your Surgeon is Certified brochure to reflect the changes in the content of general surgery training. A separate Booklet of Information for Vascular Surgery is currently in preparation along with one entitled Your Surgeon is Certified in Vascular Surgery.

These materials are being developed by the Vascular Surgery Board. The wording will reflect the recommendation that future surgeons who wish to practice comprehensive vascular surgery should complete an ACGME-accredited vascular fellowship and obtain the VS certificate.

(5) With regard to increasing vascular surgery expertise on the RRC, the ABS will work with the ACS and petition the ACGME to increase the number of representatives on the RRC.

Specifically, they will request the addition of 3 members, one of whom will always be a vascular surgeon such that there will always be 3 designated vascular surgeons on a 15 member RRC to address vascular surgery issues that come before the RRC.

(6) The SVS will recognize and promote the role of the VSB-ABS as the sole body that has authority and responsibility for defining vascular surgery training requirements, certification standards, and examinations.

The leadership of the SVS, VSB-ABS and ABS look forward to working together to improve the education of all surgeons as surgical knowledge and technology evolve.

K. Wayne Johnston, M.D.
President, SVS

Timothy C. Flynn, M.D.
Chair, American Board of Surgery

Pat Clagett, M.D.
President-Elect, SVS

John Ricotta, M.D.
Chair, VSB-ABS

Jack L. Cronenwett, M.D.
Chair, Vascular Specialty Action
Committee (VSAC)

Frank R. Lewis, M.D.
Executive Director,
American Board of Surgery