American Society of Anesthesiologists (07/22/26)

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) have announced that perioperative medicine will become a standalone clinical topic within the subspecialty section of the Content Outline for Initial Certification in Anesthesiology, with new exam content expected to appear beginning in 2028. Requested by ASA’s Center for Perioperative Medicine, the change is intended to better reflect the growing importance of coordinated, patient-centered care throughout the surgical journey — from preoperative assessment and risk reduction through postoperative recovery — and to align board certification with evolving clinical practice. The new section will cover areas such as chronic disease optimization, perioperative risk assessment, enhanced recovery pathways, hyperglycemia management, smoking cessation, prehabilitation, blood management, geriatric evaluation, patient education, care transitions, readmission reduction, and outcomes assessment. ASA and ABA leaders said the update will strengthen training opportunities, support high-quality patient care, and ensure future anesthesiologists are prepared to lead increasingly complex perioperative care efforts.

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