About the Committee on Emerging Surgical Technology and Education (CESTE)

The Committee on Emerging Surgical Technology and Education (CESTE) is a standing committee of the Board of Regents. CESTE is charged with the responsibility to study the implications of emerging surgical technologies and to suggest the best methods of developing generic policies that will accelerate education in this area and protect our patients' welfare.

CESTE is organized into subcommittees dealing with Standards related to new technology, Education in new technology, Assessment of new technology, and Model Development for teaching new technology and assessment of proficiency.

The Standards subcommittee of CESTE has posed a set of Issues to be Considered Before New Surgical Technology is Applied to Patients and has published Guidelines for Evaluation of Credentials of Individuals for the Purpose of Awarding Surgical Privileges in New Technologies.

Verification by the American College of Surgeons for the Use of Emerging Technologies - At its February 1998 meeting, the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons approved a process by which its Fellows and Associate Fellows could be verified for the use of emerging technologies. This process has been designed to provide the surgeon with documentation of educational achievement sufficient to persuade those who are responsible for credentialing / privileging in the local practice setting that the surgeon can be permitted to apply the technology to patients.

A voluntary verification process for surgeons performing ultrasound has been created and is intended to ensure that surgeons who use ultrasound are qualified and that the ultrasound facilities and equipment they use are appropriate for the medical application and meet and maintain quality standards.

The American College of Surgeons and the American College of Radiology have published a joint statement on Physician Qualifications for Stereotactic Breast Biopsy.

The Assessment subcommittee of CESTE has collaborated with the Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program and Northwestern University to prepare and submit grant applications to study inguinal hernia repair, comparing tension-free open and laparoscopic methods, and watchful waiting. Additional clinical trials are in development, within the VA Cooperative Studies Program.

The Model Development subcommittee of CESTE serves as a liaison to technology development by computer simulation companies, and monitors the development of simulation programs as applicable to the teaching of new or existing technology and assessment of proficiency.

Revised September 18, 2003

CESTE

Committees and Task Forces

Division of Education

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by the American College of Surgeons, Chicago, IL 60611-3211