Education : ASGS Laparoscopic Certification
Program
The American Society of General Surgeons (ASGS) has joined with the United
States Laparoscopic Founders Society (USLFS) to provide certification to
General Surgeon Specialists upon assessment of laparoscopic skills and
proficiency. The Proficiency Assessment of Laparoscopic Surgical Skills
(PALSS) will offer General Surgeon applicants a choice among three distinct
levels of laparoscopic surgery:
Level III - Basic Laparoscopist
Level II - Laparoscopic Surgeon
Level I - Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon
Qualified General Surgeon Specialists must provide original and unedited
videotapes of their laparoscopic surgical procedure(s) within the scope of
General Surgery recognized by ASGS. The USLFS panel of experts will
anonymously assess and evaluate the videotapes provided by applicants and
will submit a recommendation for approval or non-approval to the ASGS. The
ASGS Board of Trustees will make the final certification decision. To ensure
complete confidentiality and fairness, a rigid process is an essential
component of the PALSS program. A modified PALSS application fee is
available to members of the American Society of General Surgeons.
Dr. Carlos Silva, a former ASGS president, pointed to the PALSS program as
³an example of the leadership role that practicing General Surgeon
Specialists expect of their Society.² He noted that this is the first
program ever conceived to certify the skills and ability of a General
Surgeon Specialist in laparoscopy. He noted ³the PALSS program is an
essential part of the overall performance measurement of surgical care that
patients demand in todayıs health care setting.²
Click here for more information on the PALSS Program.
Click here for a list of General Surgeons currently
certified as Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeons.
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