What is Board Certification in Urgent Care Medicine (BCUCM)?

Urgent CareAs urgent care centers begin to proliferate in the United States, it has become more important than ever for physicians who practice this emerging specialty to be held to well-established standards for patient treatment. The Board of Certification in Urgent Care Medicine (BCUCM) allows practicing urgent care physicians to show that they meet or exceed those standards by demonstrating a mastery of the core competencies required to practice urgent care medicine at the highest level.

The BCUCM provides a credentialing platform for physicians who wish to pursue a career in urgent care. The reason urgent care certification has become increasingly important is that many urgent care clinics advertise their physicians as board certified. While that might technically be true, these physicians might not actually be board certified in their primary specialty, which is now urgent care. This might seem like a minor detail, but patients deserve to know that they are receiving the best possible care from physicians who have proven they are qualified. The American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS®) believes that physicians who practice a particular specialty should have the opportunity to achieve board certification in that specialty, which is why it established the BCUCM, the first and only certifying board catering to the certification and recertification needs of eligible urgent care physicians.

BCUCM exams are clinically based and are developed using the most stringent standards. Eligibility requirements also are geared specifically to physicians who have decided to make a career in urgent care. In general, allopathic and osteopathic physicians in the United States and Canada who are residency-trained, and who currently practice full-time urgent care, are eligible to apply for urgent care medical board certification through the BCUCM.

To learn more about eligibility requirements and exam details, or to request general information about the BCUCM, contact the ABPS today. The ABPS is the official certifying body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc.

 

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Medical organizations throughout North America understand that our rigorous certification standards prove that ABPS Diplomates are capable of delivering the best patient care possible.

When I think historically, advancement in medicine and patient safety and care has been driven by the diversity of people and scientific thought. That’s what I found at the ABPS and more. For over 60 years that is just who we are. I found a physician certifying body that provides a choice and voice to all physicians ensuring that patients are always placed first.

Jerry Allison, MD
Emergency Medicine
When I decided to pursue a full time role as a physician executive it was important to me to obtain additional professional training, education and work experience. Board certification through the ABPS in Administrative Medicine is validation of my efforts and a demonstration of dedication to professional development. We need more physicians to become full time health care executives, knowing there is a board certification option in Administrative Medicine encourages physicians to take the leap from full time clinical practice to healthcare organizational leadership.

Richard Paula, MD
Administrative Medicine
The American Board of Physician Specialties has provided me with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of internal medicine through board certification. As a hospitalist, board certification is an expected credential, and hospitals recognize the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) as one of the three standard credentialling bodies for Internal Medicine. Additionally, the ABPS has helped me develop leadership skills as a Board member and Committee Chairperson. ABPS has also helped me sharpen critical thinking skills as a test question developer and reviewer. The Allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) physicians in the ABPS are lifelong learners and frequently pursue multiple board certifications. I enjoy the camaraderie of my peers in ABPS.

Loren Jay Chassels, DO
Internal Medicine