The American Board of Surgery is an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1937 for the purpose of certifying individuals who have met a defined standard of education, training and knowledge in the field of surgery. Surgeons certified by the ABS have completed at least five years of training following medical school and successfully completed a written and oral examination process administered by the ABS. They must then maintain their board certification through ongoing learning and assessment activities. Not all surgeons are board certified. Board certification by the ABS is a voluntary process that demonstrates a surgeon's commitment to lifelong learning and quality patient care. It recognizes individuals who have met ABS standards specifically in the area of general surgery and its related specialties. This is different from possessing a medical license, which is the minimum required by law to practice medicine and is not specialty specific. The ABS offers board certification in general surgery, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery, surgical critical care, surgery of the hand, and complex general surgical oncology. It is one of the 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties.