Certifying Exam: General Surgery Board Review Course

General Questions about The Pass Machine and American Physician Institute

Is The Pass Machine different from other board reviews?

Yes, in three main ways:

1. The Pass Machine board review is the most comprehensive option. More than just a Question Bank of practice questions, each course includes in-depth lectures in a familiar classroom setting presented by expert faculty. This means you get a topic-by-topic review of exactly what’s on the board exam in much greater detail than what you can get from Qbank answer explanations.

2. Because the physician’s schedule is typically a hectic one, The Pass Machine is optimized for on-the-go review. Components such as the audio-only lecture option, iOS and Andriod app for mobile review, and offline access capability, and a fully-illustrated board-mapped study guide make The Pass Machine review easy to incorporate at any point your daily routine.

3. The Triple Trust Guarantee not only gives you a full tuition refund if you don’t pass the exam the first time after taking the course, but it also gives you an extra 10% AND allows you continued access until you pass, for free. This unprecedented guarantee serves to assure you of the confidence we have that The Pass Machine content is exceptional.

Who produces The Pass Machine Courses? Where do you get your faculty?

The Pass Machine board review courses are produced by American Physician Institute for Advanced Professional Studies, LLC (API). API conducts dozens of courses and trains thousands of surgeons each year to pass their boards and stay up-to-date in their fields. Every single one of American Physician Institute‘s educational courses has full editorial independence, is free of pharmaceutical and industry sponsorship and is backed by an unbeatable guarantee. Because of its reputation for excellence, American Physician Institute is able to enlist many of the top faculty from the best universities, teaching hospitals and research facilities in the country to provide you with Category 1 CME educational activities.

Do you provide board review for other medical specialties?

Yes! In fact, we provide preparation for dozens of other specialty and subspecialty board exams. Check out www.AmericanPhysician.com for the full list.

Is it likely that my employer will cover my tuition?

Because all The Pass Machine courses are approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, it is likely that your tuition will be reimbursed. You may be surprised at how many residency and fellowship training programs, group practices, and other employers pay for or reimburse you for such Category 1 educational activities. After all, it’s in everyone’s best interests to have you board certified. It really pays to ask your training director, medical director or administrator if you are eligible because some training programs and employers do pay for board exam training. And, if you work for the Federal Government, American Physician Institute is a certified business in the CCR database and can accept government checks and credit cards.

Does The Pass Machine offer any free board review resources?

Yes! Start with our Medical Board Review Blog. There are general articles featuring board prep tips, and articles on board prep that are more board-specific.

What is your Sam.gov Unique Entity ID?

American Physician Institute’s Unique Entity ID is LQWHFPP2KLB8

Can I get a discount off course tuition?

Yes! American Physician Institute offers several board review course discounts:

1. Group Discounts
2. Multi-purchase discounts
3. Referral earnings & discounts through our Ambassador Club
4. The Residency & Fellowship Program Edition tailored for training programs.

Please call 877-225-8384 for more information, or visit the “Discounts & Group Sales” pages under the top menu.

What do I get when I register for the Certifying General Surgery Board Review Course?

Course enrollment grants you access to your personalized online dashboard, which includes:

• 25 Recorded Mock Oral Exams
• 132 Written Clinical Scenarios
• Earn up to 40.5 AMA PRA Category 1 CME Credits™
• Illustrated Study Guide (Downloadable PDF)
• CME Vault for claiming and storing your CME certificates
• Triple Trust Guarantee

Board Exam Results and the Triple Trust Guarantee

Is The Pass Machine General Surgery Certifying review pass-guaranteed?

Yes, all full courses are pass-guaranteed, and backed by our Triple Trust Guarantee. At any time, you can view the Triple Trust Guarantee Terms & Conditions.

What does the Triple Trust Guarantee cover?

If you purchase a course with a “Triple Trust Guarantee” and fail the board exam for which this course is designed, API will issue a 100% refund of your paid tuition*, plus an additional 10%, plus free subscription renewal. The guarantee expires in the event the exam for which this course is designed is no longer offered by the certifying board.

* Tuition is defined as the amount you paid for your base course, and does not include optional course add-ons, such as purchase of online access extensions, and/or the live course attendance option (where available). If any promotional items, such as gift cards, are included with your purchase, the value of that promotional item will be deducted from your tuition.

The Triple Trust Guarantee sounds too good to be true—is it for real?

Yes, it’s completely real. Rest assured, API has always honored its guarantees and always will. The Triple Trust Guarantee is API’s way of demonstrating that it’s just as invested in your success as you are. After all, if you fail your board exam, API will pay a penalty. API will refund your course tuition in full, provide you with a bonus, and provide you with free subscription renewal. The guarantee ensures API doesn’t get paid for effort, only for passing results.

Does the Triple Trust Guarantee cover non-tuition course options and upgrades?

No. Course options and upgrades are non-tuition related. Therefore, these fees are not included in any guarantee-related refund payment made under the terms of the Triple Trust Guarantee.

What should I do if I don’t pass my board exam?

First, it’s important to remember that a non-passing result is not necessarily a reflection on your abilities as a surgeon. The way the ABS tests you is not the same as the many ways you’re “tested” as a practicing surgeon. Check out this reassuring video from Dr. Jack – What To Do If You Fail Your Board Exam https://www.thepassmachine.com//video-what-to-do-fail-your-board-exam/

More to the point, American Physician Institute can work with you to help you get over this professional hurdle. Give us a call!

I didn’t pass my board exam. How do I activate my course guarantee?

To activate your guarantee, you must notify American Physician of your failure to pass your board exam and submit a copy of your exam notification and scores. To be eligible for the refund portion of the guarantee you must submit your documents within 45 days of the date of your exam fail notification. To notify American Physician and submit your documents, go to your course dashboard and click on the “Guarantee” tab. Complete the form and attach your exam notification and scores. You will receive an email confirmation of receipt and someone will contact you shortly. If you need assistance with this process or your course access is expired, please contact Customer Care at 877-225-8384

General Surgery Certifying Course Access

When do I receive online access to General Surgery Certifying review course materials?

When a credit card or debit is used for payment, access is immediate. When a check is used as payment, access will be granted once the check has been received and verified.

How long do I have access to my online materials? Does my course expire?

The General Surgery Certifying prep course and all its associated online material remains active through November 30, 2025 from your date of purchase when you register now.

What if I’m not ready to take my exam? Can I extend my course?

Some surgeons invest in a board-preparation course many years prior to their exam. In these cases, The Pass Machine allows course registrants to extend the life of their course by 12 months for an additional fee. If you wish to extend your access, please call 877-225-8384 prior to your course expiration date. NOTE: Extension options are not available to Group registrations.

What are your system requirements?

Our products only require Internet access and a web browser (e.g. Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari. Use of Internet Explorer is NOT recommended.). All content is compatible with current Mac and PC operating systems.

CME Credits & Board Info

How do I get my CME credits?

Online Courses – From your course dashboard, click on the Claim CME tab. You will see your CME test(s) and/or SA test here. Complete the test, and once you have passed with 50% or better, your CME certificate will be issued immediately and placed in your CME Vault. SA tests are not a graded activity. Your certificate is issued based on completing the activity. Live Courses – From your course dashboard, click on the Claim CME tab. You will see your CME test, CME survey, or SA test here. Complete the test, and once you have passed with 50% or better, your CME certificate will be issued immediately and placed in your CME Vault. SA tests and CME surveys are not a graded activity. Your certificate is issued based on completing these activities.

How do I access my earned CME credits?

The General Surgery Certifying board review includes access to CME Vault for convenient storing and retrieval of CME-related documents. Access this area from the CME Vault tab in your course dashboard.

Where can I find information about taking my specialty’s board exam?

For information about General Surgery Certifying Board Exam, please visit The American Board of Surgery (ABS): www.ABSurgery.org