ABS General Surgery

The GSCE is the second of the two ABS general surgery examinations. Successful completion of both the General Surgery Qualifying Examination and the Certifying Examination is required for board certification in general surgery, so candidates sit the GSCE only after clearing the GSQE.

Content areas are the alimentary tract; abdomen and its contents; breast, skin and soft tissue; the endocrine system; surgical critical care; surgical oncology; and trauma. Related disciplines and clinical care domains such as wound healing, infection, fluids and electrolytes, transfusion, shock and resuscitation, nutrition, endoscopy, imaging, and pain management are also expected.

General Surgery Certifying Examination #1 is scheduled 11/10–11/12 2026 and is administered virtually. The exam fee is $1,550, and the registration deadline is 9/1/2026. Registration opens following release of the 2026 GSQE results, and candidates must select a tentative assignment by Sept. 1. Confirm details with the ABS.

A full and unrestricted license is not required to apply for the General Surgery Qualifying Examination, but a full and unrestricted state medical license will be required for a candidate to register for the General Surgery Certifying Examination. Secure the license before your registration window.

Surgeons have no more than seven academic years following training to achieve certification in general surgery, and the seven-year period starts immediately upon completion of training. Plan the GSQE and GSCE sequence so both are completed inside that window.

Retake specifics are governed by ABS policies and are not stated in the source material reviewed here, so treat this as unresolved and check the ABS Booklet of Information for General Surgery and the ABS policies page. The booklet is published annually and outlines current certification requirements.

Start with the four named organ-system areas, then layer surgical critical care, surgical oncology, and trauma, since those cut across every system. Add the related-discipline and clinical-care domains last as integration topics, and rehearse verbal case-based explanations rather than relying only on multiple-choice practice.

Candidates typically stumble on unstructured answers, shallow management reasoning beyond the operative step, and gaps in nonoperative, elective, and emergency decision making. Weak coverage of critical care, oncology, and trauma - the cross-cutting areas - is also costly. Practice concise, prioritized answers with a clear diagnostic and treatment plan.

Use the American Board of Surgery website: the Dates & Fees page, the Booklet of Information for General Surgery, and the ABS Policies page. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with the ABS, so always verify current values at the source before registering.