Overview
Announcement: Changes to Timing of Hand Surgery Examination
July 11, 2024
The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) and the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) announced a new initiative to allow surgeons to take their Subspecialty Certification Examinations earlier in their careers, making the process of obtaining Subspecialty Certification less burdensome. The changes will be effective for the 2025 Examinations, offered on August 5, 2025.
The ABOS and the ABPS jointly offer the Surgery of the Hand Subspecialty Certification. Currently, surgeons must be either ABOS or ABPS Board Certified before they are eligible to apply for a Subspecialty Examination. With the change, Candidates are eligible to take their Subspecialty Examination after successfully completing an ACGME-accredited fellowship. This allows them to be assessed when their knowledge is at its peak and their practice demands are at their lowest.
Passing the Examination is just one step in the process of obtaining Subspecialty Certification. The requirements for earning Subspecialty Certification will not change, just the order. Candidates must achieve primary Board Certification by the ABPS before they can submit an Application and Case List as part of the certification process.
Surgery of the Hand Subspecialty Certification was established in 1989. Subspecialty Certification is available for those surgeons who have successfully completed an ACGME-accredited Hand fellowship, have met the requirements for volume and diversity of surgical cases in Hand Surgery, and have made significant contributions to their field as shown through their letters of recommendation.
The changes have the full support of the relevant societies, including the American Association for Hand Surgery (AAHS) and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH). These organizations believe that earning Subspecialty Certification is important to the profession and allows these surgeons to distinguish themselves from their peers.
For those physicians completing a Hand Surgery fellowship from 2024-2025, they will be able to apply for the HSE in January 2025 and take the examination on August 5, 2025. After entering practice, gaining primary Board Certification by passing the Oral Examination, they would be able to submit a case log and professionalism requirements
More detailed information will be provided later in 2024 leading up to the Application process. Please direct any questions or concerns to hand@abplasticsurgery.org.