|
The American Board of Vascular Surgery (ABVS) is an advocacy group of vascular surgeons that believes that vascular surgery should have its own independent board, separate and distinct from the American Board of Surgery (ABS) of which we are now a part. To be a legitimate, recognized independent board we must first become a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). There are 24 member boards of the ABMS and no new member board since 1991! As a member board we would be in complete control of the training, certification and continuing certification of vascular surgeons in the United States. The ABS, under which we currently reside, is a member board. As an independent board the ABVS would also have a seat at the ABMS table, an organization which in many ways determines the future direction of American medicine. Not a seat once removed.
The purpose of the Vascular Surgery Board (VSB) is to define the requirements and processes related to board certification in vascular surgery and to this end we fully support the VSB in its mission. It is not our goal to replace the current VSB but rather to change the structure under which it operates. Our proposal is for the VSB to become the ABVS, independent of the ABS and the 25th member board of the ABMS. The members of the VSB would remain unchanged but the administrative structure, would be transformed into one that benefits only the specialty of vascular surgery.. Other small surgical specialty boards, Urology, Thoracic Surgery, and Colon and Rectal Surgery have seceded from the ABS and have prospered. Furthermore, if the VSB becomes a member board of the ABMS vascular surgery will finally be able to attain its own RRC, distinct and separate from that of the ABS. A vascular surgery RRC would be solely dedicated to the accreditation of vascular training programs and the development new and or focused training paradigms. The SVS/VSB has attempted twice within the past 5 years, to obtain a VS RRC. Both times this request was rejected by the ACGME. As such, our specialty remains a part of the ABS-RRC, represented by 3 members of a 16 member committee.
We have heard all manner of reasons why Vascular Surgery should not become an independent board. Our specialty is too small and, therefore, it will drastically increase the cost for vascular surgeons. Not true! We have thoroughly researched this and the cost to members should be no greater than it is now. As an independent board we will not have the resources to create the necessary testing for certification and continuing certification. Not true! The VSB is already doing much of this work and if in the beginning we need the help of the ABS with respect to their resources there is no reason why they would not provide it at a reasonable cost.
No, board independence and membership in the ABMS will not solve all the problems that vascular surgeons currently face in practice today. The purpose of the board is to define the requirements and processes related to board certification in vascular surgery and to this end we fully support the current Vascular Surgery Board (VSB) in its mission. It will, however, garner a level of respect and increased visibility for our specialty that we do not have today. The branding of our specialty is not the mission of an independent board and will not replace a major branding effort from the SVS, for which we have all waited so patiently, but has yet to be fully delivered. Alternatively, becoming a new member board of the ABMS will, bring significant attention to our specialty and surely enhance any branding effort.
The specialty of Vascular Surgery is vitally important to the health and wellbeing of the public. Many of us in our mid to late careers have seen amazing advances in the treatment of vascular disease. In this time, the specialty of vascular surgery has advanced to a point that it is now clearly distinct from all other medical and surgical specialties. The vestiges of general surgery should be shed once and for all and the next generation of vascular surgeons should be allowed to thrive as independent specialists. As a specialty, Vascular Surgery meets all the requirements necessary to become a new member board of the ABMS except for one. We do not have the support of our primary society, the SVS!
A meeting of the EB Boards of the SVS and the ABVS took place several years ago where many, if not all, of the major concerns that the SVS had regarding the pursuit of an independent board were addressed by the ABVS. Our request of the SVS was straightforward and simple – inform SVS members about the ABVS and begin an open discourse re the pros and cons of seeking an independent board. Thus far, this has not been done.
If in the past there was not reason enough to have an independent board, it now appears that a consortium of cardiology societies, including the ACC, will be applying to the ABMS for independent board status! The president of the ACC, B. Hadley Wilson, MD, recently stated “Its time to have a dedicated cardiovascular medicine board of our own.” (https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/996747)
The time has come. We need to act now! Whether or not we should pursue independent board status is something that should be decided by the working members of the SVS. This is why we, the Executive Board of the ABVS, are reaching out to you directly with the dual purpose of informing you about the ABVS and for you to inform us if you believe the pursuit of an independent board is something you feel is worth fighting for. It is our belief that the specialty of vascular surgery attaining independent board status and membership in the ABMS is vitally important to our specialty and will be of benefit to you and all vascular surgeons. Moreover, it will secure the future of our specialty for the next generation of talented young physicians who wish to dedicate themselves to the practice of vascular surgery.
Please take the one question survey below so that your voice and the voices of all vascular surgeons will be heard with respect to this ever more pressing and important issue.
To seek more information about the ABVS and or to pose any questions or thoughts you may have, please visit www.ABVS.org
Your voice needs to be heard!
PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEY BELOW
| 
