I. ABS Research Mission Statement
The American Board of Surgery (ABS) conducts research, both internally and collaboratively, to assess the value of initial and continuous certification and to understand the relationship of certification to surgical training, clinical practice, lifelong learning, and assessment.
II. Procedure for Submitting Research Proposals
The ABS accepts proposals from individuals and organizations requesting data and/or analytic support from the ABS. Priority is given to requests that align with the mission of the ABS and its research agenda. Projects that are not necessarily aligned with the ABS research agenda may be considered on an individual basis. The ABS considers the following topics to be high priorities for research:
- Training and maintaining a diverse workforce capable of caring for a diverse society
- Residency training (e.g., quality of training, competency-based assessment via Entrustable Professional Activities, factors related to exam success, focused practice)
- The value of ABS certification (e.g., linking board certification to clinical outcomes, practice site, population served, etc.)
- Evaluation of ABS Continuous Certification Program across a variety of metrics from perception to clinical outcomes
- Relationship between quality improvement activities and clinical outcomes and experience (e.g., video-based assessment)
- Development and evaluation of assessment strategies, including psychometrics (evaluating psychometric processes for optimal exams), novel assessment techniques, etc.
Proposals must be submitted to the ABS with a summary of the proposed project via the Research Request Form.
The ABS Research Committee meets quarterly to evaluate proposals and make determinations regarding ABS approval for the project. All proposals will be subject to a Data Use Agreement (DUA) and the ABS may also require remuneration for projects that require staff resources.