The latest edition of the Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program (SESAP®) debuted at Clinical Congress 2025 in Chicago, Illinois, and answers the call from practicing surgeons for essential general surgery content plus advanced topics addressing more complex case management.
The synchronous launch of SESAP 19 and SESAP 19 Advanced at the beginning of the 3-year, online edition allows for more flexibility for self-directed study across the full program period.
“SESAP 19 and SESAP 19 Advanced build on the established legacy of this preeminent education program aimed at promoting excellence and expertise through personalized education founded on contemporary conceptual frameworks,” said Ajit K. Sachdeva, MD, FACS, who recently transitioned out of his role as Senior Vice President, Education, and now is Senior Vice President, ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. “It is the only ACS education program that offers opportunities to earn Education Credits of Excellence. An important addition to these programs is the release of a mobile app designed to support point-of-care learning.”
Seamless Experience at Your Fingertips
To meet the evolving landscape of surgical education, special emphasis has been placed on enhancing the use of SESAP on the go. Now available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play, the ACS SESAP 19 mobile application can be downloaded on tablets and smartphones, allowing for easy online access to all the modules and features available in the web-based version of the program. For learners who like to pace their SESAP study over time, mobile app notifications can be integrated with the SESAP Small Bites feature to send SESAP 19 and SESAP 19 Advanced questions via mobile device every 1 or 2 weeks, depending on personal preference.
The mobile app is included with all packages and available at no additional cost for all existing and new SESAP 19 and SESAP 19 Advanced subscribers.
Higher Level of Learning
Now in its third edition, SESAP Advanced aims to extend surgical knowledge to promote mastery of complex and nuanced surgical decision-making, bridging surgical science and new technology and guidelines with optimal surgical patient care, according to ACS Board Chair Lena M. Napolitano, MD, FACS, who also is the Associate Program Director for SESAP 19 and SESAP 19 Advanced.
This latest edition also features an expanded version of the popular Controversial Items section for each SESAP 19 Advanced module.
“These are the kind of questions that are the crux of any surgeon’s lounge discussion: What would you do? The topics focus on areas where practice recommendations are unsettled,” said Lorrie A. Langdale, MD, FACS, Program Director for SESAP 19 and SESAP 19 Advanced.
Dr. Napolitano agreed, adding, “Controversial Items contain detailed explanations about advanced surgical problems that do not have a single correct answer, thereby promoting critical thinking and best practices, particularly in situations where different approaches may be equally valid.”
All New Peer-Reviewed Content by ACS Fellows
SESAP remains the gold standard in online general surgery education, because all the material is completely new for each edition and authored by expert surgeons. Led by Drs. Langdale and Napolitano, 57 ACS Fellows undertook a rigorous writing, peer-review, and selection process. Authors represent a range of clinical and academic environments, general surgery and surgical specialties, and practices from every region of the US.
“We retained seasoned authors and recruited new experts in various fields to construct the kind of clinically relevant questions and detailed critiques that support excellence in surgical practice through up-to-date information and management guidelines,” said Dr. Langdale.
SESAP 19 includes 640 case scenarios covering nine modules of general surgery with multiple-choice questions that include explanations of why each answer is correct or incorrect, along with references and links to PubMed abstracts. Topic areas include:
- Abdomen
- Alimentary tract
- Breast
- Emergency general surgery
- Endocrine
- Legal, ethics, quality, and safety
- Perioperative care
- Surgical critical care
- Trauma
SESAP 19 Advanced offers 329 additional questions exploring more nuanced and specialized topics. Hundreds of embedded media enrich self-study throughout the modules.
Personalized Learning and Packages
Peer comparisons for each answer option allow surgeons to see how others responded in real time. Those who want additional practice can create custom quizzes to randomize questions across content areas and to focus only on questions that each individual initially answered incorrectly. Modules can be reset and completed multiple times to aid in learning and retention. Various other features, including highlighting, bookmarks, 500 flashcards, and a flashcard customization tool also allow participants to enhance and reinforce learning. Additionally, residents can send Progress Reports directly from SESAP to program directors.
Flexible packages and personalized features make staying up to date easier than ever. Surgeons are able to focus on SESAP 19 only, select from 15 modules, or purchase all SESAP 19 and SESAP 19 Advanced modules together for a 50% savings.
Participants can earn up to 160 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ with SESAP 19, and SESAP 19 Advanced offers an additional 104 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
For more information, contact the SESAP team at 312-202-5419 or sesap@facs.org, or visit facs.org/sesap.
