Residents and recent graduates preparing for American Board of Surgery certification can use this page to practise multiple-choice questions by topic, read worked explanations, and see how the Qualifying Exam and Certifying Exam differ. The practice questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions (Qualifying Exam (GSQE)) | About 300 multiple-choice questions[1] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Time limit (Certifying Exam (GSCE)) | Three 30-minute sessions[2] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Time limit (Qualifying Exam (GSQE)) | Four 115-minute sessions[1] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Passing score (Certifying Exam (GSCE)) | No preset pass/fail rate[2] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake policy (Certifying Exam (GSCE)) | Up to 3 attempts in 3 years; once per academic year[2] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake policy (Qualifying Exam (GSQE)) | Up to 4 attempts in 4 years; offered once per year[1] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Validity | 7 academic years after residency to certify[2] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery (Certifying Exam (GSCE)) | Virtual oral exam (Zoom)[2] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery (Qualifying Exam (GSQE)) | Pearson VUE testing centers[3] | pearsonvue.com · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Eligibility (Certifying Exam (GSCE)) | Pass GSQE (plus unconditioned U.S./Canadian license)[2] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Eligibility (Qualifying Exam (GSQE)) | Completed general surgery residency[1] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Score release (Certifying Exam (GSCE)) | Within 10 business days[2] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Score release (Qualifying Exam (GSQE)) | About 4–6 weeks after the exam[1] | American Board of Surgery · Oct 25, 2026 |
According to American Board of Surgery, “The exam consists of about 300 multiple-choice questions, lasting approximately eight hours”[1]
The American Board of Surgery (ABS) certifies general surgeons through two exams, and they are very different in style.
The Qualifying Exam (GSQE) is computer-based and delivered at Pearson VUE testing centers. It has about 300 multiple-choice questions, administered in four 115-minute sessions with a scheduled break after each session. Applicants must have completed a general surgery residency. Results are posted approximately 4-6 weeks after the exam. Applicants get up to 4 attempts in 4 years, and the exam is offered once per year.
The Certifying Exam (GSCE) is a virtual oral exam held over Zoom. It consists of consecutive 30-minute sessions, each conducted by a team of examiners. You must first pass the GSQE, and you need an unconditioned U.S. or Canadian license. Results are posted within 10 business days after the final day of the exam. Applicants are offered up to 3 attempts within 3 years, and the exam is offered once per academic year. The ABS states that its certification decision is not based on any preset pass/fail rate.
Candidates have no more than 7 academic years following residency to complete the certification process. Licensing details, fees and application deadlines are not covered here, so check the ABS website for the current rules before you apply.
The content areas below are copied from the official General Surgery Board Review content outline published by American Board of Surgery, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Weight | Practice on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Abdomen[4] | 12% | General Surgery Board Review Gastrointesti... Practise operative choices and complications for abdominal wall, hernia, liver, biliary, spleen and pancreas problems. |
| Alimentary Tract[4] | 15% | General Surgery Board Review Gastrointesti... Work through esophageal, gastric, small bowel and colorectal conditions, including when to resect and when to divert. |
| Applied Science[4] | 13% | General Surgery Board Review Anatomy & Sur... Review anatomy, physiology and pathology that sit behind operative decisions. |
| Breast[4] | 7% | General Surgery Board Review Case Studies ... Practise workup of a breast mass and the choice between surgical options in case form. |
| Endocrine[4] | 5% | General Surgery Board Review Endocrine Sur... Practise thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal questions, including how neck disease changes the operation. |
| Endoscopy[4] | 2% | General Surgery Board Review Gastrointesti... Review indications, findings and complications of upper and lower endoscopy. |
| Miscellaneous Topics[4] | 5% | General Surgery Board Review MCQ Use mixed questions to find gaps in areas that do not fit the major headings. |
| Preoperative Evaluation and Perioperative Care[4] | 2% | General Surgery Board Review Perioperative... Practise risk classification, optimisation before surgery and recognition of postoperative complications. |
| Skin and Soft Tissue[4] | 2% | General Surgery Board Review Anatomy & Sur... Review melanoma, soft tissue tumors and infections, with attention to margins and staging. |
| Surgical Critical Care[4] | 10% | General Surgery Board Review Perioperative... Practise shock, ventilation, fluids, sepsis and organ support in the ICU setting. |
| Trauma[4] | 8% | General Surgery Board Review Case Studies ... Rehearse the order of assessment and management in injured patients using case questions. |
| Vascular[4] | 7% | General Surgery Board Review Anatomy & Sur... Review arterial and venous disease, acute limb ischemia and the vascular anatomy that guides exposure. |
Prepare for the General Surgery Board Review exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: Which ASA physical status classification is assigned to a patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life?
Answer: C. ASA IV
Explanation:
ASA IV is correct because it describes a patient whose severe systemic disease is a constant threat to life, for example a recent heart attack, stroke or ongoing cardiac ischemia. ASA II is wrong because it describes only mild systemic disease without real functional limitation. ASA III is wrong because the disease is severe and limits activity, but it is not an ongoing threat to life. ASA V is wrong because it is reserved for a moribund patient who is not expected to survive without the operation.
Rule to remember: the ASA class rises with how much the disease threatens life now. Look for the words that mark the step, such as mild, severe, constant threat and moribund.
Question: Which of the following best describes the Hartmann's procedure?
Answer: C. Sigmoid resection with end colostomy and closure of the rectal stump
Explanation:
Hartmann's procedure is a sigmoid resection with an end colostomy and closure of the rectal stump, so that option is correct. It is used in emergencies when joining the bowel ends is unsafe. Sigmoid resection with primary anastomosis and a diverting loop ileostomy is wrong because it restores continuity at the time of surgery. Anterior resection with colorectal anastomosis is also wrong because it joins the colon to the rectum. Total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis is wrong because it removes the whole colon and rejoins ileum to rectum.
Rule to remember: Hartmann means no anastomosis, an end stoma and a closed stump. Choose it when contamination or instability makes a join risky.
Question: A patient with papillary thyroid carcinoma has clinically apparent lateral neck lymphadenopathy (N1b disease). Which surgical procedure is required for the lateral neck?
Answer: C. Therapeutic lateral neck dissection (Levels II-V)
Explanation:
Therapeutic lateral neck dissection of Levels II-V is correct because clinically apparent lateral nodes in N1b papillary thyroid carcinoma call for clearing the lateral compartments that drain the gland. Level I node dissection only is wrong because Level I lies in the submental and submandibular region and is not the usual drainage path. Central neck dissection of Level VI only is wrong because it treats the central compartment and leaves the diseased lateral nodes. Total lateral neck dissection including Level VII is wrong because Level VII is in the upper mediastinum and is not part of a standard lateral dissection.
Rule to remember: match the operation to the compartment that is involved, central for Level VI disease and lateral for Levels II-V disease.
Start with the official ABS pages for the exam you are about to sit, so you know the delivery format, the rules on attempts and the content areas. Then use the blueprint table on this page to see which practice set matches each area.
Take a mixed MCQ set cold to find your weak areas. Do not worry about the score at this stage. For every miss, read the explanation, then write one line in your own words stating the rule behind the right answer. Return to the area-specific sets for the topics where you missed the most, and repeat them after a few days so you are testing recall rather than recognition.
Give extra time to areas that carry a large share of the blueprint, such as the alimentary tract, abdomen and surgical critical care. Do not neglect small areas, since they still appear.
If you are preparing for the Certifying Exam, which is oral, use the case-based sets as prompts. Say your answer aloud as if an examiner were listening: state the diagnosis, the immediate step, the operation and the main complications. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so treat them as practice for reasoning, not as a prediction of what will be asked.
The Qualifying Exam (GSQE) is computer-based and delivered at Pearson VUE testing centers. It has about 300 multiple-choice questions in four 115-minute sessions, with a scheduled break after each session. Applicants must have satisfactorily completed a general surgery residency before they can sit it.
The Certifying Exam (GSCE) is a virtual oral exam held over Zoom, made up of consecutive 30-minute sessions, each run by a team of examiners. The Qualifying Exam is a computer-based multiple-choice test. You must pass the GSQE before you can take the GSCE.
For the Qualifying Exam, applicants are granted up to 4 attempts within 4 years, and it is offered once per year. For the Certifying Exam, applicants are offered up to 3 attempts within 3 years, and it is offered once per academic year.
Qualifying Exam results are posted approximately 4-6 weeks after the exam. Certifying Exam results are posted within 10 business days after the final day of the exam. Check your ABS account and the ABS website for the current process.
No. The ABS says its certification decision is not based upon any preset pass/fail rate. This page does not list a cut score, so rely on the ABS website for any scoring information it publishes.
Candidates have no more than 7 academic years following residency to complete the certification process. Check the ABS website for how this applies to your own situation, including any exceptions.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.