Flexible Endoscopy Curriculum

During their general surgery residency, applicants to initial certification in general surgery will be required to have completed the ABS Flexible Endoscopy Curriculum.

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Intro

Designed to be completed during residency

Introduced in 2014, the ABS Flexible Endoscopy Curriculum was designed to provide a stepwise instructional program for residents to acquire the essential knowledge and skills to perform flexible endoscopy.

Applicants to the General Surgery Qualifying Exam (GSQE) must complete the curriculum, which culminates in successful completion of the Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery™ (FES) program, during residency training.

About the Curriculum

A stepwise instructional program with five levels

The Flexible Endoscopy Curriculum provides a stepwise instructional program for residents to acquire the essential knowledge and skills to perform flexible endoscopy. It contains five levels; for each level, there are a variety of suggested resources, including direct links to content on the SCORE Portal.

The ABS does not mandate the use of any particular resource and encourages programs to take advantage of any resources for endoscopic training that are already present at their institution. Purchase of a simulator is not necessary.

Resident Progress Tracking

Track resident progress by level

Programs should track residents’ progress by documenting when each level of the Flexible Endoscopy Curriculum is completed. The ABS will collect this information each year as part of its resident roster update. In addition, when signing an individual’s application for certification, the program director will be asked to attest that the curriculum has been completed.

Level I

Completed in PGY-1 or PGY-2

Level II

Completed in PGY-1 or PGY-2

Level III

Completed in PGY-2 or PGY-3

Level IV

Completed in PGY-3 or PGY-3

Level V

Completed by the end of PGY-4 or early PGY-5

FES Certification

The curriculum culminates in successful completion of the FES program

Level V includes successful completion of the Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery™ (FES) program offered by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). Evidence of FES certification will be required when applying for ABS certification.

It is highly encouraged that residents complete all other requirements in the ABS Flexible Endoscopy Curriculum before seeking FES certification.

The FES program includes didactic materials, a multiple-choice exam, and a hands-on skills test. The FES didactic materials are available without charge. Preparation for the FES skills test can be achieved using resources already available at an institution; a simulator is not necessary.

Residents should allow sufficient time for FES testing and potential retesting. Testing appointments are available year-round and may be made up to 90 days in advance.