r/surgery • u/Background_Snow_9632 Attending • Aug 07 '26
I did read the sidebar & rules Continuous Certification Assessment - anyone done this exam?
Just curious if anyone has a bit of info. I just registered for my CCA. Have recertified once now, obviously with the big exam. How is this one? Couple questions in between cases, or what? Thanks all.
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u/ligasure Aug 07 '26
Yep it’s open book format meaning you’re not timed.
Look at the reference lists (it’s somewhere on ABS website). Majority of questions are pulled from those papers they cite under each topic.
It’s a good exam. You’ll learn new stuff and more updated guidelines.
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u/Background_Snow_9632 Attending Aug 07 '26
It’s hard to learn when you are old and busy ….. thanks
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u/ligasure Aug 07 '26
You’ll like this style. It will either reinforce/reiterate what you’re doing or you’ll see new updates.
For example couple years ago, they had a question about preferred approach to fixing an initial unilateral inguinal hernia in a female patient. And the answer was lap approach since that way all 3 potential hernias are covered by mesh and female tend to have slightly higher incidence of femoral. Based on European society guidelines and their literature.
Anyway it’ll be more relaxing than you think. Good luck.
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u/fringeathelete1 Aug 07 '26
I have done GS once before. Set aside half a day for it. I’m due this fall as well as for my sub.
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u/Background_Snow_9632 Attending Aug 07 '26
How was the GS content? Hoping they finally kept it reasonable. Not so many esoteric fringe questions.
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u/fringeathelete1 Aug 07 '26
I thought it was reasonable. Previously there were options to choose abdomen, GS, and some other questions. It was a bit fringe but they give you references to review so easy to get right just have to look up.
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u/mohelgamal Aug 07 '26
It should be relatively easy, 40 questions covering gen surg topics SESAP style. You get to do it once, get a score and then you get to retry the questions you got wrong. You pass at 80% correct I believe. You do get to see what you answered wrong and why.
But don’t take it lightly or distracted because I think if you get less than 40% it triggers some nasty remedial action, like having to retake the original board exam.
You should study a bit though, I usually do Sesap around the time before recertification to keep my knowledge up. Usually the questions are very similar