Continuous Certification Assessment Entry Pathway
General surgery, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery, surgical critical care, and/or complex general surgical oncology certificate holders who have a certificate that has recently lapsed have the option of regaining their certification using the Continuous Certification Assessment process. In a change from the initial pathway pilot that was available to lapsed general surgery diplomates from 2018-2020 and lapsed specialty diplomates from 2019-2021, this entry pathway is currently only available to ABS certificate holders whose certificate has lapsed or expired in the last two years (December 31, 2024, or later).
Five-Year Period
Registration to enter the lapsed pathway in 2026 for any ABS specialty will be available Aug. 4, 2026.
Once registered, diplomates will be required to take and pass the assessment each year for five consecutive years. Diplomates will regain their ABS certification in the same year that they pass the first assessment in this five-year period. Their continued certification will be contingent on passing the assessment each year, as well as meeting the other Continuous Certification Program requirements.
During this five-year period, participants will not receive any grace years or be eligible for the retired designation until the five-year period has been successfully completed.
Diplomates must complete and pass the assessment each year during this five-year period.
If a diplomate misses or fails an assessment during this five-year period, they will no longer be able to participate in this pathway and will need to pass a secure examination to regain their certification and re-enter the Continuous Certification Program. See section Readmission to Continuous Certification below, for additional information.
Diplomates who are enrolled in the Lapsed Pathway and do not take or do not pass an assessment during the five-year period have the opportunity to remain certified by registering for the next year’s readmission exam. Following the successful completion of the exam, these diplomates will be automatically re-enrolled in the Lapsed Pathway and will pick up the pathway in the year that they left off. For additional details, please see the Readmission to Continuous Certification section below.
After the five-year period, diplomates will then take the assessments on the standard biennial schedule, with a grace year available in the alternating year if necessary.
Registration
Registration for this pathway will require the following items be submitted through the ABS website:
- CME: Information regarding the completion of 150 Category 1 CME credits related to the surgeon’s practice from the past five years (calendar years or more recent 60-month period), of which at least 50 must include self-assessment (test or quiz that requires at least 75% correct).
- Institutional References: Reference forms completed by the chair of surgery and chair of credentials committee at the institution where the diplomate performs most of their work. If necessary, another physician(s) of comparable rank may complete the form.
- Practice Improvement: Verification of the surgeon’s participation in one or more practice improvement activities, if clinically active.
- Ethics & Professionalism Attestation: Diplomates must review the ABS Code of Ethics and Professionalism and complete the corresponding attestation when registering for a Continuous Certification Assessment.
- Fee: Administrative fee of $500.
Diplomates with Both a Current Certificate and a Lapsed Certificate
Diplomates who hold an active ABS certificate in any specialty and a lapsed certificate in another specialty can take advantage of this pathway without paying the additional administrative fee.
However, diplomates in this situation will still be required to take and pass the Continuous Certification Assessment each year for five consecutive years for the specialty in which they are lapsed. Continued certification will be contingent on passing the assessment each year, as well as meeting the other Continuous Certification Program requirements.
Diplomates may enroll in the Continuous Certification Program for their lapsed certificate, even if they are not yet enrolled in the program for the certification that they currently maintain. Once a diplomate registers for their first Continuous Certification Assessment and enrolls in the program, an annual fee of $285 will be required. If a diplomate maintains more than one ABS certification, they will be charged an additional annual fee of $150 for each additional certification after they take their first Continuous Certification Assessment in that specialty.
Checking Status
Diplomates whose certificates have recently lapsed or who hold other ABS certificates may already have some of the previously listed items on file and should visit their ABS portal home page for information on their status.
All forms are currently available on the ABS website, and diplomates must complete their outstanding requirements prior to assessment registration. While submission of materials is conducted entirely via the portal, the information submitted is subject to audit by the ABS.
Changes to certification status from “Not Certified” to “Certified” will be updated within five to ten business days of successfully completing an assessment.
Assessment Fees
Participation in the new assessment process requires an annual fee of $285 for all diplomates, which covers one assessment every other year and general program participation. A small additional fee of $50 will be charged for each of the two extra assessments required during the five-year period (in years two and four).
To continue meeting ABS certification requirements, diplomates must be current with their annual fee payment. If a diplomate does not pay their annual fee each year during the five-year lapsed pathway period, they will not be able to register for that year’s assessment and their enrollment in this pathway will be terminated.
Readmission to Continuous Certification
If a diplomate’s ABS certificate expired prior to 2024, or if they miss or fail an assessment during the five-year period of the lapsed pathway, a traditional recertification exam will again be required to regain ABS certification for those who do not avail themselves of this pathway or who fail to meet requirements once enrolled.
If successful in completing this secure exam, they will be certified in the specialty for which they took the exam and will be automatically enrolled in the ABS Continuous Certification Program Pathway for Lapsed Certificate Holders. The five-year pathway begins in the year immediately following successful completion of the readmission exam. For additional details about the Lapsed Pathway, please see the Five-Year Period section above.
Note: To be eligible to apply for the secure readmission exam, individuals must be or become up to date with the ongoing requirements of the Continuous Certification Program.
2026 General Surgery Readmission Updates
As of 2026, the general surgery Continuous Certification Readmission Examinations have been redesigned to be shorter and more clinically relevant for busy surgeons. Formerly a full-day exam, the redesigned exam is a 4.5 hour exam completed at a Pearson VUE testing center.
The fee for the 2026 readmission exam is $1,700, and the exam will be available in Oct. 19-30, 2026. The registration deadline for the 2026 readmission exam is Oct. 23, 2026.
For specific inquiries regarding this policy, or to gain access to the application or study materials for any of the Continuous Certification Readmission Examinations, please contact the Continuous Certification Program manager.
The current posted version of this policy supersedes all prior versions.