The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education is responsible for managing the accreditation program. Through the use of the ACS Accredited Education Institutes (AEI) Standards and Criteria, participating Institutes and Skills Centers ensure the delivery of the highest quality surgical education.
Comprehensive and Focused Education Institutes
There are two types of accreditation that may be sought: Comprehensive and Focused.
Both Comprehensive and Focused Education Institutes must meet rigorous standards for accreditation; however, Comprehensive Education Institutes must meet additional criteria, as compared to Focused Education Institutes.
Comprehensive Education Institutes, as compared to Focused Education Institutes, must serve a wider range of learners, with a broader scope of education and training programs; they must develop original curricula, offer faculty development programs and courses, and assess their education and training programs’ impact on patient outcomes and safety; they must have more space and staff to accommodate the higher volume of learners and scope of educational activities; they must additionally engage in research or other scholarly activities that advance the field of surgical education and training.
Focused Education Institutes are not required to pursue all of the above-noted activities, though they must meet criteria in each of the four standards, as specified in the Program Requirements.