Back to ASTS.org

Toggle menu

Abdominal Transplant Surgeon
Fellowship Certification Pathway

The Fellowship Certification Pathway is available for fellows that have successfully completed a TACC Accredited Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship Training Program since 2019.

Applications for this certification pathway are closed!

Fall 2025 Oral Exam dates:

Thursday, October 23, 2025 and Wednesday, October 29, 2025.

Step 1: Certificate of Completion

Fellows are responsible for submitting a certificate of completion request form when they complete their fellowship training program. This request must be submitted within six months of completing the fellowship training program.

Certificate of Completion Eligibility:

Fellows are eligible to receive a certificate of completion when they successfully complete a twenty-four-month TACC Accredited Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship and fulfill requirements for organ systems in which their fellowship program is accredited to train. This includes organ systems for which the program is accredited at the time that the fellow matches with the program OR organ systems for which the program receives accreditation within the twenty-four months of the fellow’s TAC accredited training.

For example, if a fellow started training in August 2024 and the program became accredited in Pancreas transplant in December 2025, the fellow would be eligible to receive a certificate of completion in pancreas transplant if he or she meets requirements.

It is the responsibility of an individual training program to inform the fellow about specific program accreditation status at the start of fellowship training and when changes to the program accreditation status occur that affect the certificate eligibility of the fellow. 

Certificate of Completion Request Process:

Fellows are responsible for submitting a certificate of completion request when they complete their fellowship training program. This online submission must include the following attachments: 
 
  1. Certificate of Completion Program Director Approval Form
  2. Surgical Log Entries Report
  3. Surgical Log Summary Report
  4. National Transplant Curriculum Certificate

It is recommended you keep a copy of your surgical log reports for your records. Emailed submissions will not be accepted. Certificate requests are reviewed on a monthly basis and you should allow 6-8 weeks for processing.

Certificate of Completion Submission

What's Next?

Candidates who successfully complete training and have been in practice for one year are eligible for the Fellowship Certification Pathway if they completed training since 2019. Refer to Step 2 of the process. 

Step 2: Abdominal Transplant Surgeon Certification

The Fellowship Certification Pathway is available for fellows that have successfully completed a TACC Accredited Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship Training Program since 2019. 

Certification Eligibility:

Candidates who successfully complete a TACC Accredited Fellowship Training Program and receive a certificate of completion (outlined in Step 1) are eligible to enter into the Fellowship Certification Pathway.

In-Practice Requirement:

Candidates are required to be in practice for a minimum of one year and a maximum of five years. They must also have an active (non-expired) license to practice. During the in-practice period candidates should maintain a surgical log which will be required to be uploaded in the ASTS Surgical Log format for the application process.

Certification Application:

The application requires candidates to provide their license and certification information, education, background, one letter of reference should be from the Division Chief or Fellowship Training Program Director where the candidate trained, one letter of reference should be from a current Department Chair, Transplant Center Director, or Chief of Staff the candidate is working with now, career summary (maximum of 500 words), post fellowship surgical logs cases from the in-practice period (maximum of 100 cases). The fee to apply for certification is $250 and is non-refundable.

Candidates applying for certification must add their surgical log cases to the ASTS surgical log. Instructions for adding post-fellowship surgical logs will be provided to candidates soon. 

Oral Exam:

If a candidate's certification application is approved they will be eligible to register for the oral exam. The fee for the oral exam is $1,500. Candidates will need to provide three cases when registering for the exam. The oral exam will consist of two sessions which will include general transplant knowledge, organ specific topics, and cases submitted by the examinee. 

If the number of candidates exceeds the number of testing slots, additional oral exam dates will be scheduled.

Certification:

Upon successful completion of all requirements, the Transplant Accreditation & Certification Council will approve the candidate to become a Certified Abdominal Transplant Surgeon.

The TACC reserves the right to make changes to the rules and procedures for its certification at any time and without prior notice.

Certification Pathway

Fellowship Certification Webinar

Looking for a Job?

If you recently completed your Fellowship Training Program and you are searching for a job, please go to the ASTS Career Center. 

ASTS Career Center