XXVII.7 Status of the American Board of Vascular Surgery: Where Do We Go from Here to Gain Independent Board Status?

摘要

Independent board status is a goal identified by the American Board of Vascular Surgery (ABVS) and the Society for Vascular Society (SVS) as important to our membership, with 76% favoring initiatives toward independence in a national questionnaire of SVS members. The approval of the Primary Certificate in Vascular Surgery was also supported by the ABVS and SVS as important in the evolution of our training paradigms. Its adoption by the ACGME offers program directors the opportunity of submitting for programs that outline a curriculum for a 3- (vascular surgery) year plus 3- (general surgery) year program, currently favored by the ABS. It will also offer an opportunity for vascular surgery to recruit students from medical school into a 5-year program in vascular surgery comparable to that of general surgery. While the absence of a separate RRC-Vascular Surgery may slow the process, the establishment of such an organization on behalf of vascular surgery would be considered a positive step. Unfortunately, the Vascular Surgery Board of the American Board of Surgery (VSB-ABS) has been unwilling to approach controversial issues surrounding vascular surgery's desire for an independent American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)-certif ied board. In response to the unsuccessful application for separate board status to the ABMS, it would appear that the ABS has eliminated all opportunities for us to approach the ABMS with a second application in the near future. Regulations in the ABMS Handbook suggest that the approval of one board (even the current VSB-ABS) precludes review of an application for another board, which would be considered separate and independent. Furthermore, at this time the American Board of Surgery is unalterably opposed to independence for vascular surgery and has provided no support for our membership.