ABPS Newsletter to Diplomates
August 2019

In the Public Trust 
“The mission of The American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc. is to promote safe, ethical, efficacious plastic surgery to the public by maintaining high standards for the education, examination, certification and continuous certification of plastic surgeons as specialists and subspecialists.”
Included in this Newsletter are highlights from the new Continuous Certification Assessment, announcement of New Directors elected at the Annual Meeting, the Board's expressed appreciation for our diplomates who support the Board in its mission, and contact information for the Board Office - your input is welcome!



C omments during the post exam survey were uniformly positive:

“I really enjoyed this exam. All, and I mean ALL of the stress was removed." 


Diplomates understood the advantage of the new question format:

“I thought the test design was brilliant. It helps you to understand where your deficiencies are but you immediately get feedback and understand where your thought process was wrong."

Report from the
Executive Director
Keith E. Brandt, M.D.

Continuous Certification - Success!

 Approximately 2,700 diplomates voluntarily participated in the new Self-Assessment activity. Overall results and feedback were positive and all diplomates performed above the minimum standard.

The ABPS launched the new formative self-assessment activity in April 2019. New questions are written and administered annually based on timely, relevant topics from peer reviewed plastic surgery journal articles published within the last five years. Satisfactory performance on eight self-assessment activities will provide a reprieve from the every ten year 200-question examination.

There is no need to study ahead of time and no need to travel to a testing center.  The new ABPS Self-Assessment exams are all online. Diplomates are presented with a question, prompted to answer, presented with a rationale, and provided an opportunity to change their answer if answered incorrectly on the first attempt. Links to references and educational resources are offered, allowing the diplomate to further enhance his or her knowledge. 

As a diplomate of the ABPS, how will this new format increase the value of Continuous Certification?   Simple. The format allows the Board to test diplomates at their baseline knowledge. Initial responses are tracked to identify knowledge gaps, the rationale is provided to enhance learning, and the second opportunity to answer is scored to demonstrate learning has taken place.

Continuous Certification will be used as a platform to measure knowledge gaps across ABPS board-certified plastic surgeons nationwide. After completion of this activity, the Board presents a performance report with individual feedback on the diplomate’s initial and final responses. Additional “clone” questions will be offered to promote reinforced learning in the topics where the plastic surgeon may have struggled. The Board will also share this aggregate performance data with our specialty societies to aid in the development of future educational activities, thus Plastic Surgery as a whole benefits greatly.

2019-2020
Officers of the Board
Paul S. Cederna, M.D.
Chair

James C. Grotting, M.D.
Chair-Elect

David H. Song, M.D.
Vice-Chair

Lawrence B. Colen, M.D.
Secretary-Treasurer

Attention
Program Directors
Effective 2020, the Written Examination will be administered in the spring prior to residency graduation, May 19, 2020
Congratulations to Our New Directors!
The Board recently elected three new Directors who were nominated by one of the 20 Sponsoring Organizations of the Board. Drs. Kind, Lee and Lin will serve from May 2019 to May 2025, unless elected as Chair. The Chair serves a 7-year term. 


Gabriel M. Kind, M.D.
San Francisco, CA
Bernard T. Lee, M.D.
Boston, MA
Kant Y. Lin, M.D.
Lexington, KY
Special Recognition
Thank you to our immediate past Chair of the Board who completed his term of service in May 2019
Joseph E. Losee, M.D.
2012 - 2019
Pittsburgh, PA

Officer of the Board: Chair 2018- 2019, Chair-Elect 2017-2018, Vice Chair 2016-2017

Representative to the Residency Review Committee for Plastic Surgery

Committees: Oral Exam Chair, Advisory Council for Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Credentials and Requirements, Ethics, Plastic Surgery within the Head and Neck, Budget and Finance
Thank you to our past Directors who completed their terms of service in May 2019

 Juliana E. Hansen, M.D.
2013 - 2019
Portland, OR

Committees: Oral Exam, Continuous Certification, Ethics

William C. Pederson, M.D.
2013 - 2019
Houston, TX

Representative to the Joint Committee for Hand Surgery Exam

Committees: Hand Surgery Chair, Advisory Council for Hand Surgery, Written Exam, Continuous Certification

Thank You to Our Diplomates!

The Board values each of our diplomates and appreciates your support in carrying out the Board’s mission to protect the public and to distinguish ourselves as safe, ethical, efficacious plastic surgeons who have met high standards in order to achieve board certification. 

The Board actively communicates with our major plastic surgery societies, regional societies, and legislative bodies to maintain a presence and to communicate our mission. 

We are proud of what our certificate represents. 

Look for the launch of a new logo to represent board certification by the ABPS! Guidelines for use, along with the ability to download, will be included in the next Newsletter to Diplomates.


Board Staff

Melissa A. Karch, MBA
Administrator
                                   
Maria K. D’Angelo
Test Development Manager/Examination Editor
 
Gwen A. Hanuscin
Written Examination and Projects Coordinator
 
Melissa M. Hill
Oral Examination Coordinator
 
Stephanie L. Kash
Continuous Certification Program and
Hand Surgery Examination Coordinator

Cassandra Kosielowski
Examination Associate
 
Sarah S. Praul
Administrative Assistant
 
Please Note

All communication and inquiries should be directed to the Board Office by calling 215-587-9322 or emailing [email protected] .
The American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc.
Seven Penn Center, Suite 400
1635 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2204
Phone: 215-587-9322