Dr. Michael F. Martinez and Dr. James W. Kramer, of Carbon Surgical Associates in Lehighton Pennsylvania, have both successfully passed the board recertification examination by the American Board of Surgery.

Dr.'s Martinez and Kramer were originally board certified in 2001 and 2000, respectively. Their new certificates in general surgery are valid until the year 2022.The recertification examination is a day long test of a surgeon's knowledge base in all fields of general surgery which include the digestive tract, abdominal surgery, breast disease, skin disorders, the endocrine system, head and neck surgery, pediatric surgery, surgical critical care, trauma, transplantation and cancer surgery.This knowledge base extends to include all areas of preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative care.The general surgeon's field of expertise includes advanced laparoscopic surgery, which involves the use of videoscopic instruments and flexible fiber optic technology, as well as traditional open operations.The American Board of Surgery was founded in 1937 as means to ensure the highest standards of professionalism and technical expertise by those physicians certified in the field of surgery.One of the founding members of the board was Dr. Donald Guthrie of Sayre, Pennsylvania.Dr.'s Martinez and Kramer both completed their surgical residencies at the Guthrie Clinic and Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre in 2000 and 1999, respectively.