Perceived value of the American Board of Surgery Certificate: A survey of 2,000 fellows of the American College of Surgeons

Background: This study was undertaken to identify perceptions of surgeons o f the value of the American Board of Surgery (ABS) certificate. Study Design: Two-thousand Fellows of the American College of Surgeons rece ived a 30-item survey designed to identify their demographics and their ass essments of the functional and financial value of the certificate. Function al value was assessed using a 5-point scale in the areas of professional re cognition, personal satisfaction, court proceedings, job security mobility and advancement, whether the certificate was necessary to obtain an academi c or a clinical position, and whether it served as an indicator of depth or breadth of surgical knowledge or of clinical competence. Perceived profess ional lifetime financial value of the certificate was also assessed. Results: Return response rate was 37.2%. The ABS certificate was perceived to be most valuable in obtaining an academic or a clinical position and pla ying a significant role in court proceedings. It tvas perceived as least va luable in indicating breadth of knowledge and clinical competence. Sixty-se ven percent responded that certified surgeons should earn more, and 49% est imated the certificate's lifetime financial value as more than $500,000. Si xty-two percent of surgeons approved of continuing the recertification proc ess every 10 years. Conclusions: The ABS certificate is perceived as an objective credentialing instrument that affords diplomates power, status, an opportunity to obtain an academic or clinical position, job mobility, protection in court procee dings, and greater income. Although it is perceived as an instrument that c ould aid a career, it is not viewed as an indicator of a person's clinical competence. (J Am Cell Surg 1999;188:1-5. (C) 1999 by the American College of Surgeons).