Self-Assessment Examination 

2010 ASSH Self-Assessment Examination

Online Registration Now Available!

Registration Deadline: April 2, 2010

This examination is offered as a convenient self-education exercise by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and is available to the health care professionals focusing on the care of the hand and upper extremity. Designed to assist the physician in reviewing basic principles of hand care, the exam also helps to keep the physician abreast of new developments and concepts within the specialty. 

SAE Educational Objectives

• Detect and differentiate injury mechanisms, pathologies and applied anatomy associated with upper extremity conditions treated by hand surgeons
• Differentiate and apply the range of conservative and surgical treatment options to deal with upper extremity problems that present to a hand surgeon’s practice
• Develop informed evidenced-based guided clinical decision practice options in the treatment of upper extremity disorders
• Assess basic cognitive, reasoning skills, and clinical aptitudes required of all hand surgeons in practice to complete maintenance of certification

Download the program brochure

SELF-ASSESSEMENT EXAMINATION - BOOK 01 & 02
The examination covers diagnostic and therapeutic problems, both surgical and nonoperative, basic science knowledge, and fundamental principles of hand surgery. The interpretation of the illustrative material (clinical photographs and radiographs) is an integral part of this examination. The 2009 examination consists of the Question Book (Book 1) containing 150 questions, an answer sheet, evaluation, and the Discussion Book (Book 2) with preferred responses, discussion and literature references.

The ASSH guarantees anonymity of examination results. Remember to record your examination number, as the scoring will be by the number and not by name. Your name will not appear on your certificate for AMA PRA Category 1 credit. Please keep a copy of your answer sheet for your record; originals cannot be returned. It is recommended that answer sheets be mailed via overnight or second-day delivery so that the receipt of the score sheets can be verified.

Accreditation & CME Credit

The American Society for Surgery of the Hand is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education to physicians.

The ASSH designates this educational activity for a maximum of 20.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits (TM).  Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

NOTE: Only those who return a completed answer sheet for computer scoring by June 11, 2010 (postmarked) will be eligible for CME.  In addition, you will receive the Discussion Book and a printout of your own score, as compared to all examinees, in mid-August.  If you do not return your answer sheet for scoring, you will not be awarded CME credit. You will receive the Discussion Book, but you must compute your own score and will not receive a comparison of our score to the others who also took the examination.

Maintenance of Certification

• ABOS - Orthopaedic surgeons must earn a minimum of 20 AMA PRA Category 1 credits for completion and scoring of self-assessment examinations (SAE) during a three year cycle.
• ABPS - Plastic surgeons must earn at least 150 CME hours in three years.  CME credits must include 60 AMA PRA Category 1 credits, 50 hours in plastic surgery and 20 hours in patient safety.
• ABS - General surgeons must earn a minimum of 30 AMA PRA Category 1 hours and 50 hours of overall CME to be performed yearly and verified every three years.  Over the course of three years, one-third of AMA PRA Category 1 credit must be a self-assessment activity.

EXAM SCHEDULE - Mark Your Calendars!

Download the program brochure

EXAM FEES

The examination fee includes preparation, mailing, and scoring of the examination as follows:

• $155 for ASSH members
• $195 for nonmembers

All registrants are confirmed by email. If you have not received email confirmation by April 5, 2010 please contact the ASSH Office via telephone at (847)384-8300 or email ddecker@assh.org.  Do you know where you'll be in  July/August?  Don't miss receiving your Discussion Book due to a move!  If you will be at a different location or have a second address you would prefer the booklets to be mailed to than your current mailing address with the Hand Society please inform the ASSH by emailing the registrar at meetings@assh.org.

REGISTRATION - Deadline: April 2, 2010

Registration is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. To ensure your enrollment, please submit your registration online, by fax, by mail or phone before April 2, 2010.  For payments via mail please make checks payable in U.S. funds to the ASSH.  Credit Cards accepted include: VISA, MasterCard or American Express, only.

REGISTER ONLINE
https://portal.assh.org/Conference/RegistrationProcessOverview.aspx?id=10

REGISTER BY FAX - Download Registration Form
(847) 384-1435

REGISTER BY MAIL - Download Registration Form
For payments via mail please make checks payable in U.S. funds to the ASSH.  Credit Cards accepted include: VISA, MasterCard or American Express, only.

MAIL TO:
American Society for Surgery of the Hand
Department 1005
P.O. Box 6500
Chicago, IL 60680

REGISTER BY PHONE
(847) 384-8300

REGISTRATION CONFIRMATION
All registrants are confirmed by email. If you have not received email confirmation by April 5, 2010, please contact the ASSH Office via telephone at (847) 384-300 or email ddecker@assh.org. 

Do you know where you'll be in  July/August?  Don't miss receiving your Discussion Book due to a move!  If you will be at a different location or have a second address you would prefer the booklets to be mailed to than your current mailing address with the Hand Society please inform the ASSH by emailing the registrar at ddecker@assh.org.

REFUND POLICY / CANCELLATION FEE
All refunds must be requested in writing to the ASSH Central Office by fax at (847) 384-1435 or email at meetings@assh.org.  A full refund, less a $25 administrative fee, will be given if written notification is received by the ASSH Central Office on or before April 2, 2010.  No refunds will be issued after April 2, 2010.

Study Materials
Take a look at the Hand Society's offering of past Self Assessment Exams, which are great study tools for the upcoming exam.

Disclaimer
The material presented in this continuing medical education program is made available by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand for educational purposes only. This material is not intended to represent the best or only methods or procedures appropriate for the medical situation discussed, but rather is intended to present an approach, view, statement, or opinion of the authors or presenters, which may be helpful, or of interest, to other practitioners.  The examinees agree to participate in this medical education program sponsored by ASSH with full knowledge and awareness that they waive any claim they may have against ASSH for reliance on any information presented in this examination. The approval of the US Food and Drug Administration is required for procedures and drugs that are considered experimental. Instrumentation systems discussed and/or demonstrated in or at ASSH educational programs may not yet have received FDA approval. 

Questions?  Contact Donna Decker at (847) 384-8300 or by email at ddecker@assh.org.