Surgeon Wellness

Surgeon wellness is crucial for delivering high-quality patient care and maintaining the overall health of the profession. Despite this, burnout is prevalent, with over 50% of surgeons experiencing burnout symptoms.

Because we know that a large number of surgeons have reported suffering symptoms of burnout, the American Board of Surgery is committed to promoting surgeon well-being.

A commitment to surgeon wellness

Promoting surgeon well-being

The American Board of Surgery is committed to promoting surgeon well-being by:

  • Reducing the certification-related demands on trainees and diplomates
  • Evaluating existing and proposed ABS procedures for potential risks to surgeon well-being.
  • Introducing new programs to support wellness
  • Collecting feedback on the impact of ABS actions on surgeon well-being

Wellness for Diplomates

How the ABS is striving to enhance resident and trainee well-being

Through different initiatives and collaborations, the ABS continues to streamline processes and make changes to ease the burden of diplomates. Keep reading below to learn more about some of the changes that have already been enacted and those that are planned.

Continuous Certification

Assessment registration and all requirements completed 100% online
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Reduction in CME requirements following first successful assessment attempt and removal of self-assessment
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A two-week window for assessment rather than evaluating performance based on a single exam day

Automatic Transfer of CME

CME is now automatically transferred to the ABS through the ABS collaboration with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME®)

Multiple ABS Certifications

No need to duplicate most requirements if a diplomate holds multiple certificates from the ABS
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Discounted annual fee for second specialty

Removal of Burdensome Requirements

Operative experience report requirement eliminated in 2022
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Professional reference form requirement eliminated in 2024

New ABS Code of Ethics and Professionalism

Diplomates are responsible for reviewing the ABS Code of Ethics and Professionalism and signing corresponding attestation
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Enhanced attestation replaces the previous requirement for reference letters completed by institutional leaders

Multiple ABMS Board Certifications

The ABS is currently working on ways to ease the burden of diplomates who hold certifications from multiple ABMS boards
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Goal to collaborate with other ABMS boards to reduce the amount of duplicate work for these diplomates

Wellness for residents & trainees

How the ABS is working to improve resident/trainee well-being

Online applications for all examinations

In most cases, there is no need to mail in application materials.

Virtual certifying examinations (oral exams)

The ABS has made certifying examinations virtual, eliminating the need for candidates to travel to another state or stay overnight in a hotel.

Medical license not required to take General Surgery or Vascular Surgery Initial Certification Examinations

A full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the U.S. or Canada is not required to register for the GSQE, GSCE, VSQE, or VSCE. However, a full and unrestricted state medical license is required before a candidate will be considered certified by the ABS.

Support for The Surgical Education Numbered Trials (SENT)

The ABS has provided support to the FIRST Trial, which analyzed resident duty hour policies, and the SECOND Trial, which studied resident burnout and well-being.

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Updated leave policies

All ABS leave policies have been revised to include additional time for trainees to handle personal matters such as a new child or a personal illness.

Entrustable Professional Activities

EPAs are being introduced for all specialties. These structured observations by faculty provide more guidance and feedback to trainees, with clearer objectives for end of training - senior trainees who are entrusted for multiple procedures may enter the workforce with more confidence for independent practice.

Resources

Resources to support surgeon wellness

Click the tile to view the resources available from each organization.

American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons offers resources, webinars, and more to support surgeon well-being.

American Medical Association

The American Medical Association has compiled a resource page with ideas to reduce physician burnout and how to rediscover joy in medicine.

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education shares strategies for physician well-being.

National Academy of Medicine

The National Academy of Medicine has established the Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience.

American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics has published several articles exploring ways individuals and organizations can foster joy in the field of pediatrics.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings

The Mayo Clinic Proceedings paper defines three phases of well-being and outlines the steps to achieve Well-being 2.0.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Striving for Well-being 2.0

The article Physician Well-being 2.0: Where Are We and Where Are We Going? by Dr. Tait Shanafelt discusses the evolution of physician well-being from the “era of distress” to the current state known as Well-being 1.0 and proposes steps toward achieving Well-being 2.0.

Dr. Shanafelt identifies three phases of the physician workforce’s well-being journey:

Era of Distress

This phase was marked by a lack of awareness regarding physician well-being and a focus primarily on institutional needs, often neglecting the personal well-being of healthcare professionals.

Well-being 1.0

In this phase, there is an increased awareness of the importance of physician well-being, with a focus on creating resources to help individual physicians cope with stress and burnout.

Well-being 2.0

This next phase emphasizes action and systemic changes to address the root causes of occupational distress and improve professional fulfillment. It involves leadership commitment to redesigning systems to support sustainable workloads, flexible leave policies, and adequate time for rest and recovery.

The article underscores the need for leadership to acknowledge physicians as humans and actively involve them in the process of system redesign. It also highlights the importance of creating a culture where healthcare professionals feel safe to provide feedback, which is crucial for continuous improvement and ensuring the changes meet their needs.

Suggest a Resource
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