If you are diplomate of the American Board of Surgery (ABS), you need to be aware of changes that the ABS recently made its CME processes. These changes impact the way that diplomates interact with the Board, upload CME credits, and meet Certification requirements.
The ability to directly transmit CME data from the ACS MyCME portal to the ABS has been a longtime ACS membership benefit, and the ACS is committed to making compliance with the Board’s new rules as seamless as possible. For more details, read the agreement between the ABS and Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, which is responsible for these changes.
Many surgeons have previously used the easy, two-step process to upload CME credits from their ACS MyCME profile to the ABS. That same process can be followed now to remain in compliance, but those who are affected must ACT NOW! The ACS will be able to support your efforts to upload all of your CME credits until April 3.
What should you do?
- Access your 13-digit Authorization Code by logging into the ABS website, opening the Ongoing Requirements on the right side of the webpage, and then the CME Repository link. If you are not able to access your 13-digit code, contact the ABS at cc@absurgery.org.
- You must then log in to the ACS MyCME portal, select the Send CME Data tab at the top, and send your data utilizing the process with which you are familiar. (Step-by-step instructions are available.)
Once you do this, your CME credits will be securely transferred from the ACS.
These two steps represent the same process that has been used before to upload credits. Our process has not changed and MyCME will continue to be available to you. There is urgency, however, because the ABS has announced that it is turning off the manual upload option for diplomates on July 1, 2023. Diplomates should make sure their credits are transferred by completing the above process by April 3 to allow any issues that might arise to be addressed.
After April 3, the MyCME portal will still be available to upload, track, and monitor CME credits. Users will still be able to transmit their CME data. The process will be slightly different, but it will continue to be streamlined and initiated by the user through the MyCME portal.
Questions?
