CME FAQs
How can I earn CME credit with a subscription to SRGS?
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
To participate in the SRGS CME program, you must have an active subscription. Print and CD subscribers must purchase the CME option for an additional $110. Online subscribers—SRGS Connect Premium and SRGS Connect Practicing Surgeon—receive the CME program as part of their subscription fee.
Credit is earned on completion of a 20-question pre-test, 20-question post-test, and four evaluation questions.
How many credits can I earn with an annual subscription?
ACS publishes eight issues of SRGS per year. Each test is awarded 10 credits; taking all eight tests in not mandatory. Participants can earn up to 80 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ per subscription year.
Can SRGS CME credit be applied to MOC?
The American Board of Surgery lists SRGS as a CME resource for surgeons enrolled in its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Successful completion of the SRGS CME program fulfills MOC Part II requirements that focus on lifelong learning and self-assessment.
How do I take the tests?
The tests must be taken online. However, we accept faxed or emailed answers, if necessary. All CME users, regardless of membership in the ACS, must login to the site using an ACS-SRGS username and password. Log in to the test site by clicking on “CME Test Login” on the left-side navigation.
If you have an online subscription to SRGS Connect Premium or SRGS Connect Practicing Surgeon, you can seamlessly login to the CME test site under the tab, Test Your Knowledge, once you are logged in to SRGS Connect. (You do not need to re-login to the test site.)
When is the deadline to complete the test?
You will only have access to the tests that are active during your subscription year. You have 12 months to complete any test in your subscription year.
How do I get a username and password if I am not an ACS member?
Non-ACS member subscribers are issued a username and password when placing an order.
Existing SRGS subscribers can find an 8-digit username on the mailing label of each issue or on your annual renewal notice. The default password is your last name. If you have created a custom login, please use it to access the CME test. If you need your login, please contact 800-631-0033, or email srgs@facs.org.
How do ACS members login?
For ACS members, the username and password to access the CME site (and SRGS Connect if you are an online subscriber) are identical to your ACS username and password.
Please explain the changes that went into effect March 1, 2011.
A new test platform was introduced with Volume 37, No. 1. The biggest changes are the pretest (see below) and the new login procedures. You must enter your ACS-SRGS username and password to access the test. This step ensures credit is awarded immediately after submission. See “username and password” information above.
Another important change is that we no longer impose a three-month deadline to complete the test. You will only have access to the tests that are active during your subscription year. You have 12 months to complete any test in your subscription year.
Why is the pretest mandatory?
The mandatory pretest is in response to criteria by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). These criteria state that education activities should result in positive changes in practice. Comparison of scores on the pre-test and the post-test is an indicator of learning and change. This information is kept confidential and used for our reaccreditation process with the ACCME. It will not be part of your official transcript.
Will I receive an e-mail confirmation that my answers and score were received?
No, e-mail confirmation is not provided. However, on successful completion of both tests and the four-question evaluation, credit is immediately applied to an online transcript. All SRGS CME users have access to this online transcript. Check this transcript to ensure the test has been recorded. Contact Lynanne Feilen at lfeilen@facs.org with any discrepancies.
I am a member of ACS. How are my CME credits tracked and recorded?
Your SRGS CME credit is recorded on the MyCME page of the ACS members-only Web portal. By entering your ACS username and password (the default password is your last name if you have not customized it), you can review your SRGS CME credits and print certificates.
ACS members who are applying for recertification or completing their MOC three-year reporting can now enjoy the ease of submitting their ACS CME credits directly to the American Board of Surgery (ABS). After reviewing your transcript for accuracy on the ACS MyCME page, click the "Send CME to ABS" option (be sure to have your 13-digit ABS authorization number ready. (Find out where to get this number.) If you need to make any changes to your transcript before submitting, contact mycme@facs.org or call 866-918-4799.
Why aren’t all my SRGS credits listed on the online transcript?
If you are an ACS member, there are two scenarios that might be in play. You might have a duplicate record in our system and CME would then appear in two places: a member record and an SRGS record. Please contact Lynanne Feilen at lfeilen@facs.org or 312-202-5438 to confirm this occurrence and merge your record.
Secondly, only SRGS CME credits earned since May 1, 2008 (Vol. 34, No. 7) are represented on the transcript page. Earlier credits can be added on request by contacting Lynanne Feilen at lfeilen@facs.org or 312-202-5438.
I am NOT a member of ACS. How are my CME credits tracked and recorded?
As soon as you complete a test, SRGS CME credit is automatically entered into an online transcript accessible from the test index page. By logging in to the CME test site with your ACS-SRGS username and password, you can access your online transcript. The page allows you to track your CME credit and download certificates.
Revised November 3, 2011