American College of Surgeons - Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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6 American College of Surgeons In the meaning of this declaration the signer agrees that in order to obviate any semblance of division of fees, he will as a general principle of practice not collect fees for others referring patients to him; nor permit other doctors to collect fees for him; nor make joint fees with physicians or surgeons referring patients to him for operation or consultation. 8. As evidence of his qualifications in the technique of surgery, the candidate is requested to submit in complete detail the case records of fifty consecutive major operations which he has per- formed himself. 9. In addition to the complete case records of fifty consecu- tive major operations, the candidate is asked to submit in brief abstract a report of at least fifty other major operations in which he has acted as assistant or which he has performed himself. ID. Surgeons widely recognized by the profession as progres- sive leaders and exponents of finished technique may, by a unan- imous vote of the Board of Regents, be admitted to Fellowship on recommendation of the Committee on Examinations. II. The Regents of the College reserve the right to alter as they may think proper, the regulations respecting admission of Fellows to the College. PROCEDURE OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN CONSIDERING CANDIDATES FOR FELLOWSHIP The American College of Surgeons pursues a definite routine program in receiving and considering appUcations for Fellowship in the College. Before a final decision is reached an appUcant ' s papers must necessarily pass through several stages. In outUne, these are as follows: I. Any legahzed practitioner in medicine in North and South America may apply for Fellowship, and an appUcation blank will be forwarded by the College upon receipt of a request.

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Requirements for Fellowship 5 3. The candidate shall give evidence that he has served at least one year as interne in a creditable hospital and two years as surgical assistant, or he shall give evidence of apprenticeship of equivalent value. Five to eight years after graduation in medicine, devoted to special training and to practice, are normally the time- requirement for eHgibiUty to Fellowship. Due importance is attached to laboratory and research work. 4. The moral and ethical fitness of the candidate shaU be determined by reports of surgeons whose names are submitted by the candidate himself, and by such other reports and data as the Credentials Committee and the administration of the College may obtain. 5. The professional activity of the candidate shall be re- stricted to the study, diagnosis, and operative work in general surgery or in special fields of surgery, such as eye, ear, nose, and throat, genito-urinary, orthopedics, and gynecology and obstetrics, as follows: First, if the candidate resides in a city of less than fifty thousand inhabitants, at least fifty per cent of his professional activity shall be restricted to practice of general surgery or to practice within special fields of surgery as stated. Second, in cities of over fifty thousand inhabitants, at least eighty per cent of the professional activity of the candidate shall be restricted to practice of general surgery or to practice within special fields of surgery. In other words, the College desires to admit to its Fellowship only those who are primarily speciaHsts in surgery, and the minimum proportion of specialization which is acceptable may vary according to the size of the city in which the candidate resides. 6. The candidate shall make formal apphcation for Fellow- ship. Blank forms for this purpose may be had from the Director General of the College upon request. 7. In making apphcation for Fellowship the candidate shall sign a declaration which reads as follows: Upon my honor as a gentleman, I hereby declare that I will not practice the division of fees, either directly or indirectly, in any manner whatsoever.

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Candidates for Fellowship 7 2. The formal application which is required of all candidates for Fellowship supplies the following information: Date and place of birth; preHminary education; medical schools attended as an under-graduate and as a graduate; hospitals in which interneship or residentship was served; period of assistantship and with whom; present hospital connections; medical teaching positions; specialty and period of specialization; percentage of professional activity devoted to surgery or one of the surgical specialties; research conducted; medical society affiliations; and a list of personal contributions to medical literature. The candidate is also required to furnish five references, and to sign a pledge against the practice of the division of fees. 3. Upon receipt of the formal application, the College en- deavors to verify the statements recorded therein. Each individual given as a reference is communicated with and is asked to fill out a comprehensive questionnaire that will furnish definite statements about the candidate ' s surgical judgment and ability, and con- fidential information about his moral and ethical standing. A questionnaire is also sent to Fellows of the College who live in the vicinity of the candidate. 4. When the data received from this preliminary survey are complete the candidate ' s application is then presented to the Credentials Committee of his state or province for recommenda- tion. The state or provincial Committee, acting as a preliminary court makes its recommendation upon the evidence as presented together with such facts concerning the candidate as may be in the possession of the individual members of the Committee because of personal acquaintance. 5. In favorably considering a candidate for Fellowship, the State Committee on Credentials suggests the following procedure: a. If the candidate is under forty years of age he be required to submit case histories; b. If the candidate is over forty-five years of age, he be admitted without having to submit the case histories; c. If the candidate is between forty and forty-five years of age, he be or be not required to submit the case histories, as may be determined by the Central Committee on Credentials. Candidates