The American Board of Thoracic Surgery plans to develop a Congenital Cardiac Surgery Subspecialty Certificate. The Certificate, which will be made available in 2009, will be developed along the following principles:
- Applicants for ABTS special certification in congenital cardia surgery must satisfactorily complete an ACGME Thoracic Surgery RRC-approved congenital cardiac surgery fellowship.
- A full, unrestricted, and ongoing state medical licesure is required during the application and certification process.
- The fellowship shall be for a minimum of twelve consecutive month and must follow satisfactory completion of thoracic surgery training in an ACGME-approved program.
- Operative experience must include a minimum of 75 major congenital cases and must include the following index cases:
- VSD-5
- AVSD-4
- TOF-4
- Arch reconstruction including coartication-4
- Arterial switch-4
- Glenn/Fontan-5
- "Major cases" to be clearly defined by committee
- Congenital fellows must have completed an ACGME approved thoracic surgery residency prior to the fellowship.
- Program Directors will be congenital cardiac surgeons
- Candidates will be eligible for the congenital certificate after certification in thoracic surgery by the ABTS.
- Written and Oral Exams will be administered.
- Applications must be made within 5 years of fellowship completion. The candidate may attempt the Written Exam three times within a five years period following approval of the application, and may attempt the Oral Examination three times within five years of successfully passing the Written Exam.
The Board will also determine the requirements in which an established ABTS congenital cardiac surgeon would be able to sit for the congenital examinations.