The measurement of competence. Current plans and future initiatives of the American Board of Surgery.

In summary, the ABS is committed to the competence initiative. Not to do so would be to risk irrelevance. In order for the initiative to succeed, it is clear that the board must partner with specialty societies and most particularly with the American College of Surgeons. That partnership should take the form of collaboration to "teach and test" core information in general surgery and in the surgical specialties and to adjudicate appropriate risk-adjusted outcomes. The aim of the initiative is practice improvement and practice improvement only. It is the hope of the board that diplomates and Fellows will see value in the exercise and will endorse it because of pride in their profession and pride in themselves.