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Complex General Surgical Oncology
Qualifying Examination
The Complex General Surgical Oncology Qualifying Examination is offered annually as the first of two exams required for board certification in complex general surgical oncology.
Intro
About the Complex General Surgical Oncology Qualifying Examination
The Complex General Surgical Oncology Qualifying Examination (CGSO QE) is offered annually as the first of two exams required for board certification in complex general surgical oncology (CGSO). The exam consists of about 200 multiple-choice questions, lasting approximately five hours, designed to assess a surgeon’s cognitive knowledge of CGSO.
The exam is administered in three 90-minute sessions, with optional breaks after sessions one and two. Once a session has concluded, candidates are not able to revisit those questions.
Results are posted approximately four to eight weeks after the exam; candidates will be notified by email when they are available. The exam’s contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or disclosed in any manner.
When Can I Take My Exams?
Seven-year limit to certification, four-year limit to the QE
The admissibility period for the CGSO QE begins immediately upon completion of training. Candidates are strongly encouraged not to delay in applying for and taking the CGSO QE for the first time as delays may adversely affect performance.
- Candidates will have no more than seven academic years following completion of their complex general surgical oncology fellowship to complete the certification process (i.e., pass both the CGSO QE and CGSO CE).
- The seven-year period begins immediately upon completion of residency.
- Upon application approval, applicants will be granted up to four opportunities within four years to pass the QE.
- If a candidate delays in applying for the CGSO QE after training, or does not take the exam when offered, they will lose exam opportunities.
This exam is offered only once per academic year. During the exam admissibility period, individuals who postponed or were unsuccessful will be contacted each year regarding the next exam; a new application is not necessary.
The above limits are absolute. Individuals who exceed any of the above restrictions will lose their admissibility and must contact the ABS regarding the readmissibility requirements in effect at that time.
2/3 - 2/5
2025
Complex General Surgical Oncology Certifying Examination
Location: Virtual
Fee: $1,700
Registration available following the release of 2024 CGSO QE results.
9/16
2025
Complex General Surgical Oncology Qualifying Examination
Location: Pearson VUE testing centers
Fee: TBD
Application Deadline: 7/1/2025
Late App Deadline: 7/15/2025
Application and examination fees are TBD.
Exam Requirements
Candidates must be meeting all requirements at the time of application to the CGSO QE
To be eligible for this exam, applicants must have satisfactorily completed a CGSO training program accredited by the ACGME or a general surgical oncology training program accredited by the RCPSC. During training, candidates must have obtained increasing levels of responsibility to become fully prepared for independent practice.
In addition, candidates must be actively engaged in the practice of CGSO as indicated by holding full surgical privileges in this discipline at an accredited health care institution or be currently engaged in pursuing additional graduate education in another recognized surgical specialty. The only exception to this requirement is active military duty.
Medical License Requirement
Candidates for certification in complex general surgical oncology must possess a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the U.S. or Canada. Applicants are required to immediately inform the ABS of any conditions or restrictions in force on any active medical license they hold. Temporary, limited, educational or institutional licenses will not be accepted, even if the candidate is currently in a fellowship.
Applying for the Qualifying Exam
Applicants are encouraged to begin the application process as soon as possible
The application process for the CGSO QE is posted each year in the spring. Applicants are encouraged to begin the application process as soon as possible.
Candidates who need testing accommodations at the center must submit a request at the time of application, per our Examination Accommodations and Examination of Persons with Disabilities policies.
Once the online application process is available, applicants are required to submit the following items:
This form covers information regarding the applicant’s undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate medical education.
Operative logs uploaded prior to meeting the required cases numbers will be deleted and a note regarding its deficiencies will be posted to the applicant’s portal. Applicants are responsible for monitoring their portal and uploading the case log meeting all case requirements.
All cases cited must be from the complex general surgical oncology fellowship.
Trainees in U.S. programs: Upload a PDF of your entire ACGME Defined Category and Minimum Report (preferred) or the ACGME Experience Report by Role.
New case number requirements were implemented by the ACGME for surgeons who began complex general surgical oncology fellowship training on or after July 1, 2016. These surgeons will be required to have met the new case requirements by the time of their application to the CGSO QE, including the following minimum case numbers:
| Oncologic Area | Minimum Case Number | Multidisciplinary Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Breast | 40 | 25 |
| Endocrine | 15 | 15 |
| Gastrointestinal (not HPB) | 50 | 25 |
| Hepatobiliary/Pancreatic | 35 | 25 |
| Melanoma/Soft Tissue Sarcoma | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 170 | 120 |
| Â | 70 additional cases in one or more of these oncologic areas | Â |
| Total Cases | 240 | 120 |
| Â | Â | Â |
| Multidisciplinary Management Experiences | 120 with subcategorization as shown above | Can have overlap of surgical cases and cases documenting multidisciplinary management |
Review, sign and date the attestation online. Approval of the application is contingent upon approval by the applicant’s program director, who will be contacted separately.
Note: To avoid the late fee, the signature form must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. ET on the deadline date.
Submit the nonrefundable credit card payment (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) where indicated; a completed application form must be submitted first. A separate exam fee will also be required once the application is approved.
Note: The total application fee due will be based on when the application fee is paid. To avoid the late fee, payment of the application bee must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. ET on the deadline date.
Application Approval
Once all items are submitted, applicants will be able to complete the second step and register for the exam while their application is undergoing review.
After registering, an Exam Admission/Authorization Letter will be posted to the applicant’s ABS portal within 2-5 business days. The Exam Admission/Authorization letter will not be mailed or emailed. Once posted, applicants will need to log on to their portal to access the Exam Admission/Authorization letter in order to schedule a test center with Pearson VUE immediately.
The ABS provides Pearson VUE with the applicant’s mailing address that is on file at the time of registration. If this information is not updated, an incorrect mailing address will be transmitted to Pearson VUE. To facilitate the best exam center scheduling experience with Pearson VUE, applicants should ensure that the ABS has a current mailing address at the time of registration.
If requesting accommodations, applicants must have submitted the appropriate forms and documentation and have obtained ABS approval prior to registering for the examination. Registering and scheduling an exam center without prior ABS approval will result in an examination appointment without accommodations.
Be advised that testing centers have limited capacity and may fill up well before the exam date, particularly in urban areas. Applicants should contact Pearson VUE as soon as the admission letter is posted to their ABS portal to reserve space at a local testing center. If applicants delay, they will likely have to travel outside of the local geographical area in order to schedule the exam.
If the application process is not complete, materials or fees submitted cannot be carried over to another year.
Exam Irregularities, Results, and Next Steps
Results are typically available six weeks after the exam
If a candidate experiences an irregularity during their examination, they must notify the exam manager IMMEDIATELY BUT NO LATER THAN ONE (1) BUSINESS DAY following the exam. Requests received after that time will not be considered.
Results are posted approximately 4-6 weeks after the exam; candidates will be notified by email when they are available. Exam results will not be reported over the telephone.
Upon successful completion of the CGSO QE, candidates will be admissible to the Complex General Surgical Oncology Certifying Examination (CGSO CE) and may register for the next exam.
Individuals who were unsuccessful on the exam and have opportunities remaining will be contacted the following year when registration is available for the next exam.
Contact
Our exam managers are here to help.
Most questions can be answered with the information available on our website. For specific inquiries, please contact the complex general surgical oncology exam manager.
Next Steps