MEMBERSHIPS

AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY

To be certified by the American Board of Surgery means that the surgeon has met a standard in surgery by fulfilling specified educational, evaluation and examination requirements.

Since 1976, the American Board of Surgery has issued certificates that are valid for ten years. Once certified, the surgeon who wishes to maintain certified status upon expiration of the original certificate must complete a recertification process which includes a review of credentials to determine if the surgeon has continued surgical education, is respected by peers and is active in the practice of surgery. Successful completion of a written examination completes the recertification process. Upon satisfactory completion of the recertification process, the surgeon’s certification is extended for another ten years. 

AMERICAN BOARD OF THORACIC SURGERY

Clinical competence in thoracic surgery requires factual knowledge and technical skills in the preoperative evaluation, operative management, and postoperative care of patients with pathologic conditions involving thoracic structures.

Precise definition of the scope of thoracic surgery as well as the current methods used to assess education, knowledge and experience have been developed to ensure that an individual who is certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery has met certain standards and qualifications.

The scope of thoracic surgery encompasses a knowledge of normal and pathologic conditions of both cardiovascular and general thoracic structures. This includes congenital and acquired lesions (including infections, trauma, tumors, and metabolic disorders) of both the heart and blood vessels in the thorax, as well as diseases involving the lungs, pleura, chest wall, mediastinum, esophagus, and diaphragm. In addition, the ability to establish a precise diagnosis, an essential step toward proper therapy, requires familiarity with diagnostic procedures such as cardiac catheterization, angiography, electrocardiography, echocardiography, imaging techniques, endoscopy, tissue biopsy, and biologic and biochemical tests appropriate to thoracic diseases. It is essential that the thoracic surgeon be knowledgeable and experienced in evolving techniques, such as laser therapy, endovascular procedures, electrophysiologic procedures and devices, thoracoscopy and thoracoscopic surgery.

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical education and practice. 

Members of the American College of Surgeons are referred to as "Fellows." The letters FACS (Fellow, American College of Surgeons) after a surgeon's name mean that the surgeon's education and training, professional qualifications, surgical competence, and ethical conduct have passed a rigorous evaluation, and have been found to be consistent with the high standards established and demanded by the College. The College currently has over 70,000 members, including more than 4,000 Fellows in other countries, making it the largest organization of surgeons in the world.

SOCIETY OF THORACIC SURGEONS

The mission of the Society is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy. 

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 5,400 surgeons, researchers, and allied health professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible heart, lung, esophageal, and other surgical procedures for the chest. Founded in 1964, the mission of STS is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is headquartered in Chicago and has another office in downtown Washington, DC.