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A Recognized Choice for Physician Board Certification

The American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS) was founded in 1952 to recognize licensed and qualified physicians who have mastered their respective fields of medicine. As a multi-specialty physician certifying body that includes 12 Member Boards with Diplomates in 20 specialties, the ABPS has itself been recognized in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook as a leading choice for physician board certification.

We take a pragmatic approach to certification that enables physicians to gain personal and professional advancement while meeting today’s increasing demands for patient care. Our Diplomates practice throughout the United States, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico, and are widely considered to be leaders in their fields. Top medical entities and professional organizations have taken note, updating their bylaws, policies, and standards to include the ABPS.

The Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH) has indexed ABPS Member Boards in its ProView application, and major insurance companies, including Florida Blue, accept ABPS-certified physicians.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Veterans’ Health Administration, and the United States Armed Forces under the GI Bill are just a few of the federal organizations that also recognize ABPS certifications. Additionally, state medical boards retain strict language that recognizes the ABPS, and some, such as Florida, has in fact written ABPS into their stringent language. Furthermore, leading healthcare and credentialing organizations such as Greely, HCPro, and the National Association of Medical Staff Services (NAMSS), recognize the ABPS. And, recently, the ABPS was included in a report by the AMA Council on Medical Education discussing options for physician board certification.

More Competition Leads to Improved Health Care

The ABPS believes that physicians should certify with the organization that best aligns with their values and priorities. That’s why we welcome the 2018 U.S. Department of Justice opinion that essentially favors more competition in physician board certification. More competition fosters innovation and improvements. By providing physicians with another recognized choice for board certification besides the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the ABPS promotes competition that can lead to better patient care.

More Choices Can Lower Costs for Physicians Seeking Certification

The financial strain on physicians due to limited competition in certification can be substantial. Medical students in the United States often graduate with significant debt, which can nearly double if they decide to specialize in areas like cardiology. Furthermore, pursuing and maintaining certification through bodies like the ABMS incurs additional fees, with different specialties and sub-specialties requiring separate oral and written exams, each carrying its own cost.

The requirements for maintenance of certification (MOC) also place heavy demands on a physician’s time. Studies suggest that MOC study and preparation can cost the average doctor thousands of dollars over a decade, primarily due to lost time. Introducing more options for certification boards could not only foster innovation in the certification process but also in re-certification and MOC procedures, potentially easing both the financial and time burdens currently placed on healthcare professionals.

Eligibility and Process for ABPS Board Certification

To qualify for ABPS certification, candidates must meet both general and specialty-specific requirements as set by ABPS Member Boards. These criteria, which vary by specialty, are intended to assess a physician’s expertise and proficiency.

Certification in each specialty requires passing a written test composed of multiple-choice questions. Some specialties also include an oral exam to evaluate diagnostic and treatment skills. ABPS certifications ensure mastery of the crucial technical knowledge and skills pertinent to each medical specialty. The criteria for recertification also differ depending on the specialty board.

Certification with any ABPS Member Board lasts for eight years. Although the ABPS has no Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process, physicians are required to take ethics training and sit for a recertification exam every eight years.

ABPS Maintains High Certification Standards

According to a comprehensive assessment by industry leader Castle Worldwide, our rigorous certification standards are equivalent to those set by ABMS and AOA. We are the smallest of the three multi-specialty certifying entities, but our size allows us to be more responsive to individual Diplomates. We are tireless advocates for our Diplomates, working with legislators and other decision-makers to ensure that our community is well represented while providing our Diplomates with opportunities to share best practices, success stories, and learning moments to improve patient care as a whole.

If you would like more information about our opportunities for physician board certification, contact the ABPS.

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Patient Care Is Our Priority

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

Far too often, medicine is led by less than 5% of non-practicing physicians taking away and replacing the voice of the 95% of physicians practicing and placing patient safety and care first on the front lines every day. The American Board of Physician Specialties has raised the standards in physician board certification not only in the quality of their boards of certification, but in hearing and allowing for the voice of those active physicians caring directly for patients. Having been a part of the ABPS over the last 28 years has allowed me to grow as a woman leader in a field often wrought with challenges. It helped me and others raise the bar of the standards of care in my specialty, Emergency Medicine, through their Board Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). ABPS also helped raise the standards of care for 21st century medicine through their certifications in other specialties, particularly in Integrative Medicine & Disaster Medicine. Having physician voices heard matters to medicine and is essential in the betterment of patient safety and care.

Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Emergency Medicine
On October 18, 2007, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), calling on our nation, among other initiatives, to “collectively support and facilitate the establishment of a discipline of disaster health”. It is a great testament to the wisdom and foresight of the American Board of Physician Specialties that it immediately set to work and created, within the short span of only one year, an educational blueprint and set of certification examinations, both written and oral, for a new subspecialty of disaster medicine—and it is why I chose to be part this vital initiative and this wonderful organization. This is but one of the many innovative programs initiated by the American Board of Physician Specialties over the years, and why I am proud to support its work on behalf of our nation’s public health.

Art Cooper, MD
Disaster Medicine
When the American Board of Physician Specialties offered to host the American Board of Integrative Medicine, ABPS became a landmark organization working to move medicine into the twenty first century. Certifying physicians who have completed rigorous academic training in Integrative Medicine ensures that the field of Integrative Medicine will continue to develop academically, clinically, and professionally. The leadership of ABPS continues to impress me - they are diligent in constantly innovating to provide certifications for physicians who want to advance their careers and their areas of expertise. I am honored to be a part of this organization.

Ann Marie Chiasson, MD
Integrative Medicine
There are many ways board certification advances a physician career. ABPS Board examination verifies your accuracy, precision, and reflects your mastery of your residency training verifying your expertise. ABPS Board certification demonstrates your level of expertise beyond your practice experience, primary education degrees, and training which are necessary for insurance reimbursement and practice privilege requirements. Attaining your ABPS Board Certification will clarify your purpose, secure your practice growth, and expand into leadership positions. Board certification can serve as an indication of a physician’s commitment to medicine, beyond the minimal standards and competency of training, their measurement to quality of care, and attaining an award for excellence.

Chris Kunis MD
Internal Medicine
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
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