A Path to Board Certification for Internationally Trained and Certified Anesthesiologists in the U.S.

Andres Brenes Bastos, M.D., exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated anesthesiologist and educator. In addition to providing exceptional patient care, he’s conducting research and helping train the next generation at the Yale School of Medicine as an assistant professor of clinical anesthesiology and director for quality and safety for the Division of Adult Multispecialty Operative Anesthesia. Dr. Brenes Bastos is also working to become board-certified through the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA).

“I deeply value board certification because it represents a commitment to excellence, patient safety and lifelong learning,” says Dr. Brenes Bastos. “It demonstrates that a physician has met rigorous national standards and possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to provide high-quality care, which becomes highly important when initially trained outside of the United States.”

Dr. Brenes Bastos completed his residency training in anesthesiology at the Universidad de Costa Rica in 2014. He was nominated by his Yale program chair and director and was accepted to the ABA Alternate Entry Path (AEP) program, which provides an opportunity for internationally trained and certified anesthesiologists to achieve board certification once they successfully pass all ABA certification exams.

“The AEP is as rigorous as a residency in anesthesiology,” says former ABA Director Robert R. Gaiser, M.D., who now serves as the ABA representative on the American Board of Medical Specialties’ Board of Directors. “The individual takes the BASIC, ADVANCED and APPLIED Exams, while also fulfilling their mentoring plan, and the research or education goals they laid out in their application. They are truly distinguished clinicians.”

Dr. Gaiser says Dr. Brenes Bastos is an ideal AEP candidate and that his journey reflects how the program minimizes the economic and social strain of retraining, allowing candidates to maintain momentum in their careers.

“The flexibility of the Alternate Entry Path ensured that my career progression remained uninterrupted, allowing me to focus on delivering high-quality patient care and contributing to the field of anesthesiology,” says Dr. Brenes Bastos.

The AEP program offers four distinct pathways for internationally trained and certified anesthesiologists: clinician educator, exceptional clinician, research and fellowship, and fellowship. A fast-track allows participants who perform exceptionally well on the In-Training Examination (ITE) to enter the ABA’s staged examination system for initial certification sooner.

Dr. Brenes Bastos is a participant in the clinician educator pathway and was also eligible to enroll in the fast-track option.

“He was identified as one of the top faculty educators at Yale. While he was doing this, he also distinguished himself on the ITE by performing in the top percentile, which allowed him to take the BASIC and ADVANCED exams earlier,” explains Dr. Gaiser.

Aligning with the ABA’s Strategic Plan to envision the future, the AEP Program supports advancing anesthesiologists as leaders, expanding workforce supply and meeting emerging needs in the specialty.

Once Dr. Brenes Bastos passes the APPLIED Exam, he will officially be ABA board certified.

“This pathway enabled me to continue advancing in my career, fulfilling roles working as an attending physician, teaching residents, contributing to research, participating in professional organizations and, in my case, holding leadership positions,” says Dr. Brenes Bastos. “These experiences not only enriched my skills as an educator but also reaffirmed my dedication to advancing medical education within our specialty.”

Learn more about the program and how to apply on our website: https://www.theaba.org/training-programs/alternate-entry-pathway/

Get to know Dr. Brenes Bastos: https://www.theaba.org/2025/07/in-conversation-with-clinician-educator-pathway-candidate-andres-brenes-bastos-m-d/