Resident Physicians Have Choice In Medical Specialty Board Certification

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 07 Aug 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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"Many times resident physicians don't realize they have a choice in board certification," said William J. Carbone, Chief Executive Officer of the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS). "Once a resident physician becomes board eligible, he or she may choose any of the boards that offer certification in their appropriate specialty." he added.

ABPS member boards offer certification exams twice a year in 16 medical specialties. ABPS is the only nationally recognized organization offering certification to both M.D.'s (allopathic physicians) and D.O.'s (osteopathic physicians). APBS member boards are the only ones that recertify physicians previously certified by medical specialty boards affiliated with other organizations in addition to its own.

Applications are now being accepted for the ABPS spring exams. The deadline to apply is December 1. Applications, eligibility requirements, exam schedule, and certification fees for each of the ABPS specialties is available online at http://www.abpsus.org/certification/index.html. Questions can be emailed to Director of Certification Cassandra Newby at cnewby at aapsus dot org.

ABPS identifies emerging public health issues in the practice of medicine that affect patients. "Because we are keenly aware of trends resulting from recent changes, we formed new boards of certification in Disaster Medicine, Hospital Medicine and Family Medicine Obstetrics," Carbone said. "Another board certification now under development is in the practice of Urgent Care Medicine."

In an effort to keep pace with rapid advances in medicine, additional exciting and innovative boards of certification are being explored and planned for the future by APBS.

"While board certification is voluntary, it helps physicians assure patients that they have the appropriate training in their specialties and have been tested," said Carbone.

To ensure the medical competency of its Diplomate physicians ABPS requires recertification every eight years. Additionally, ABPS is the first and only certifying body to require non-remedial medical ethics training as part of its physician recertification program.

Source
The American Board of Physician Specialties

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