Overview
The pathway is intended for surgeons who are in active practice in the United States and who are not currently admissible for ABS certification. Surgeons who practice in other countries and aspire to practice in the United States are not eligible for this pathway.
Program sponsorship is required in order for a surgeon to pursue this pathway. Applicants must meet all pathway requirements as defined. Application to the Nontraditional Pathway to ABS Certification is a multi-phase process requiring specific information and/or documentation at each stage. Applicants meeting the criteria for the first stage will be eligible to enter this pathway and must remain in practice at the same institution/location while completing the certification examination process.
Surgeons who previously applied for ABS certification through the now defunct Academic Pathway to ABS Certification may re-enter the certification process through the Nontraditional Pathway to ABS Certification provided that they meet the necessary requirements as outlined.
Interested applicants to this pathway must request an ABS surgeon portal user account by Oct. 1 of a given year in order to apply for the next scheduled Admissibility Examination, the first exam required in this pathway.
Examination Process and Admissibility
Successful completion of the Admissibility Examination is the first step in this process. Once the applicant has successfully completed the Admissibility Exam, they will be permitted to apply to the following year’s Qualifying Examination (QE) provided that they meet the minimum time-based requirements for application at that time. Following successful completion of the relevant QE, the applicant will be permitted to register for the Certifying Examination (CE), the final exam required to complete this pathway.
Upon application approval, the individual will be granted three opportunities within three years to pass the relevant Admissibility Exam. Following successful completion of the Admissibility Exam, pathway applicants will have no more than seven academic years to complete the certification process, including passing both the relevant QE and CE.
Applicants to the Nontraditional Pathway to ABS Certification may not re-enter the pathway if they fail to complete it, nor may they appeal any decisions or determinations made by the ABS with regards to their application materials or examination performance.
During the time that the individual is applying for and taking the examinations required to achieve ABS certification, they will be considered “in the examination process.” Upon passing the CE, the individual will be deemed certified in the specialty for which they completed the examination process and must participate in the ABS Continuous Certification Program to maintain their certificate.
Additional Information
For full details regarding the Nontraditional Pathway to ABS Certification, including deadlines and information/documentation required at each stage of the process, please see the Nontraditional Pathway to ABS Certification website page.
AUGUST 27, 2025 |