Home: About ABPS

The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS), Certifying Body of the American Association of Physician Specialists (AAPS)

AAPS as the third largest multi-specialty physician/surgeon certifying entity, providing board certification to both allopathic (M.D.) and osteopathic (D.O.) physicians, has grouped its certification activities within a single subdivision identified as the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS).

ABPS is an integral part of AAPS, and is subordinate to the AAPS Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, ensuring that any and all ABPS activities are acceptable to AAPS.

AAPS is the single incorporated entity in the AAPS/ABPS relationship. The ABPS name was registered to AAPS in August 2005. ABPS implements certification functions under the direction of and requiring the approval of AAPS. All rules and by-laws that apply to AAPS apply equally to ABPS.

The ABPS subdivision of AAPS coordinates the activities of the seventeen Specialty Boards of Certification, the eleven Administrative Boards and the ABPS all-specialty forum.

The seventeen Specialty Boards of Certification are Anesthesiology, Dermatology, Diagnostic Radiology, Disaster Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine Obstetrics, Family Practice, Geriatric Medicine, Hospital Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Psychiatry, Radiation Oncology and General Surgery.

Each specialty board determines the qualifying/certifying steps of its certification process, sets eligibility and application criteria, develops the items banks used in the exams, develops the examinations used, sets the score for the examination, review/approves certification applications and conducts other business as required.

Specialty boards meet twice a year to ensure a valid and reliable examination process.

The Administrative Boards meet twice yearly and handle such logistical issues as the establishment of examination fees and examination timing. Multi-specialty administrative boards have at least one member from each specialty represented by that administrative board. Administrative Boards are not involved in the formation of individual certification board exams or the individual certification board exam process or review.

The eleven Administrative Boards are the Boards of Certification in Anesthesiology, the Board of Certification in Radiology which comprises the Board of Certification in Diagnostic Radiology and the Board of Certification in Radiation Oncology, the Board of Certification in Internal Medicine which comprises the Board of Certification in Psychiatry, the American Board of Disaster Medicine, the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine, the American Board of Family Medicine Obstetrics, the Board of Certification in Geriatric Medicine, the American Board of Hospital Medicine, the Board of Certification in Family Practice, the Board of Certification in Orthopedic Surgery and the Board of Certification in Surgery which comprises the Board of Certification in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and General Surgery.

The Chairmen of the Administrative Boards are required to attend the twice yearly meetings of the ABPS governing board and bring that board’s attention to any cross-specialty matters. Other members of the ABPS governing board include the President of AAPS, the immediate past Chair of the ABPS, the immediate past President of AAPS, and up to two non-physician public members.

AAPS/ABPS is the first medical certification board in the United States to include active participation of public members.