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Florida Board of Medicine Votes to Approve AAPS Specialty Credentials

On February 2, 2002 in Jacksonville, Florida representatives of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc. (AAPS), along with Counsel Allen R. Grossman, presented a petition to the Florida Board of Medicine seeking to obtain approval as a specialty recognizing entity. The AAPS appearance before the Florida Board of Medicine at a meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, culminated over a year and a half of preparation, meetings, and presentations to the Florida Department of Health and Florida Board of Medicine concerning the recognition of AAPS as a bona fide and legitimate specialty certifying organization.

In it’s Final Order, filed on February 19, 2002, the Florida Board of Medicine made a specific finding of fact that AAPS: . . . is a legitimate and bona fide organization, whose specialty certification boards have been providing recognition to allopathic and osteopathic physicians for over fifty years. In order to obtain specialty certification, licensed physicians must meet rigorous requirements of the appropriate certification board. Eligibility requires advanced training, significant experience, good moral character and successful completion of a specialty examination. In addition, in order to maintain such certification, every physician is required to complete recertification every eight (8) years.

The Florida Board of Medicine ultimately concluded that AAPS should be granted approval as a specialty recognizing agency. As a result of the Board of Medicine’s action, any AAPS allopathic board certified Diplomate may now hold himself or herself out to the public in Florida as a board certified specialist.

The leadership of the AAPS would like to thank James W. Winn, M.D. former Executive Vice President of the Federation of State Medical Boards, Silvio A. Garcia, M.D. AAPS Diplomate and AAPS Board of Director, Peter M. Lamelas, M.D., and William J. Carbone, AAPS Chief Executive Officer. These leaders effectively testified on behalf of the entire membership of AAPS. The contribution and leadership to this organization is appreciated. We also wish to thank attorney Allen R. Grossman, of the law firm of Gray, Harris & Robinson, P.A., who dedicated himself to the effective and persuasive representation of AAPS and its members before the Florida Board of Medicine. Click here to visit the Florida Department of Health's web site