2025 Policy Book Now Live

February 4, 2025

View Our Policies

The ABA’s 2025 Policy Book is now live. Please review the following updates and resources below.

SECTION 3.03
Absence From Training Policy

  • The CB year for four-year programs is now included within the Absence from Training Policy.
  • We have updated the policy of Absence From Training from 60 working days (12 weeks) to a total of 80 working days (16 weeks) during the CB-CA3 years of training.
  • Absence from Training Policy states that, “The request must include: (1) the reason for the absence training request (serious medical illness, military family leave, parental or family leave covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) would be reasons acceptable to the ABA).”
  • We have updated the Absence from Training policy form in RTID to remove “Unexpected Family Death” to align with ABA and FMLA policy stated above.
  • You can find the updated Absence from Training FAQs and policy on our website here.

SECTION 3.02
The Continuum of Education in Anesthesiology – BASIC Exam

  • Previously, if a candidate failed the BASIC Exam a second or subsequent time, it led to an automatic “unsatisfactory” on CCC reports. However, effective Jan. 1, 2025, the ABA will not address how programs utilize a resident’s performance on the BASIC Exam.
  • With this policy update, individual programs remain free to set specific requirements for their residents at the program’s discretion.

SECTION 3.02
The Continuum of Education in Anesthesiology – Training Away

We are removing the requirement that program directors inform the ABA about residents’ and fellows’ training away of four weeks or less for:

  • Established international rotations.
  • ASA advocacy rotations or Texas advocacy rotations.
  • Instances where all Clinical Competence Committee (CCC) reports are satisfactory.
  • Training away that does not occur during the CA-1 year or first month of a fellowship.
  • Previously approved training away rotations and newly requested rotations combined that do not exceed one-month cumulative.

Additional Resources
2025 Policy Book
2025 Policy Book Updates Document
Policy Webpage