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About the American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS)

ABPS AboutThe American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) is the official board certifying body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc. (AAPS). As the third largest nationally recognized physician multi-specialty certifying body in the United States, ABPS is known across all 50 states and Puerto Rico for offering a path toward board certification and recertification for qualified allopathic and osteopathic physicians in 20 different specialties.

Eligibility Requirements of the ABPS

In order to be eligible for board certification or recertification through the ABPS, licensed physicians must meet the stringent eligibility requirements that have been defined by the specialty boards. While these minimum standards vary depending on the specialty, ABPS places an emphasis on not only psychometrically evaluated testing and advanced training but also moral character and experience.  Some general requirements that apply to all ABPS Member Boards include:

  • Adherence to the ABPS Code of Ethics, known as an ethical member of the profession, and active practice in the desired specialty for certification.
  • Graduation from a recognized U.S., Canadian, or international allopathic or osteopathic medical college.
  • Holding a valid and unrestricted medical license(s) to practice in the United States, U.S. territories, or Canada.

Furthermore, ABPS has a clear path toward recertification for qualified physicians. Our standards for recertification vary depending on the specialty board, but typically include a commitment to continuing medical education, successful completion of a recertification examination, participation in a non-remedial medical ethics program, and other similar requirements.

The ABPS Offers Board Certification in Emerging Medical Specialties

The ABPS is also well known for working with physicians to provide unique opportunities for board certification in their specialty. For instance, physicians who have extensive experience working in emergency departments, but completed their residencies in a primary care field, have the opportunity to earn board certification in Emergency Medicine with the ABPS without needing to complete an additional residency. It’s just one example of how we address the individual needs of healthcare professionals.

Another defining characteristic of the ABPS is our commitment to emerging public health issues. This is why we’ve developed innovative new boards in Disaster Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Hospital Medicine, Family Medicine Obstetrics, and Urgent Care Medicine – among others. In the case of Disaster Medicine, we’re the only board certifying organization to offer this essential and increasingly relevant board certification.

ABPS Mission: High Certification Standards That Meet Public’s Healthcare Needs

The ABPS was founded to recognize licensed physicians who have mastered their respective fields of medicine. Increasingly, hospitals and medical staff placement agencies are prioritizing hiring board-certified physicians, and we feel it is important to offer qualified professionals a choice when researching board-certifying bodies. The AAPS was founded by a group of surgeons in 1950, and over the last several decades our team of professionals has worked tirelessly to improve the certification process in order to ensure that our Diplomates are recognized for their achievements in the medical profession. We engage with legislators, healthcare organizations, hospital groups, and other key stakeholders in the healthcare industry. This proactive approach positions our Diplomates to play significant roles in the medical community, contributing best practices, success stories, and insights that enhance patient care.

ABPS Board Certification: A Rigorous Process With Substantial Benefits

The path to board certification through the American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS) is demanding, requiring candidates to meet stringent eligibility criteria and pass a detailed specialty examination. Once certified, physicians are required to fulfill ongoing requirements for continuing medical education each year. This rigorous process ensures that only the most committed and skilled physicians are awarded ABPS certification, establishing them as leaders within their medical specialties. Certification from an ABPS Member Board offers several career advantages:

  • Enhances marketability to prospective employers.
  • Opens doors to career advancement opportunities, potentially increasing earning capacity.
  • Builds esteem and respect among medical peers.
  • Reassures patients that they will receive the highest standard of medical care from qualified physicians.

If you are interested in pursuing board certification in your specialty and you are exploring your options, contact ABPS today. We’ll be happy to explain the eligibility requirements for certification through the ABPS, the advantages that ABPS Diplomates enjoy, and answer any questions you may have.

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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.

With declining access for maternity care amid rising maternal mortality, ABPS and their Board Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics has been essential for me and many of my colleagues in getting privileges and thereby creating local access for mothers and their children.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
John B. Waits, MD
Family Medicine Obstetrics
Board certification through the American Board of Physician Specialties has served to substantiate my interest and additional training in several fields of medicine including Internal Medicine, Disaster Medicine, and Administrative Medicine. As a result, I have been able to serve my community in clinical, disaster response, and administrative medicine roles. Through the ABPS, I have become recognized as a leader in my various fields of interest.

Spencer Price MD, MPH, MBA
Administrative Medicine
In this era, when continuous updated medical knowledge means so much to you, when quality of emergency care matters most to you ,when you need to excel in your medical career to continue providing exceptional service to your critically ill patients, please consider board certification with the Boad of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). Where your knowledge & expertise translates to credentialing & certification with wider approval & recognition every day at many fronts. We Welcome you to join our team for a brighter future of our emergency healthcare where dedication to profession relies not solely on clinical practice but also on sound academic certification.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
Ashraf A. Gerges, MD, FAAEP
Emergency Medicine
Board certification in Orthopedic Surgery through the American Board of Physician Specialties validated my training and surgical experience through a process that was both rigorous and respectful of real-world practice. ABPS recognizes clinical competence, not just credentials, and that sets it apart.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
Orthopedic Surgery
The American Board of Physician Specialties is a forward- thinking organization that focuses on where Medicine is going, not just where it has been. Traditional Certification Boards like Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Dermatology are represented as are Integrative Medicine, Disaster Medicine, and Family Medicine-Obstetrics. Physicians appreciate the ability to showcase their skills and knowledge through Board Certification, and this organization allows excellent physicians the ability to bring their skills to patients. The dedication and commitment of this organization and its volunteers will ensure ongoing distinction and commitment for decades to come.

Jeffrey B. Stricker, DO, MBA, FAASD
Jeffrey B. Stricker, DO, MBA, FAASD
Dermatology
Serving as a member on the American board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM) for many years and now serving as a Member at Large of the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) has been an enriching and rewarding experience. The board’s commitment to excellence, integrity, and positive impact is truly inspiring. I am grateful to collaborate with such a dedicated and visionary group, and I am proud of the meaningful progress we continue to achieve together.

Arti Prasad, MD, FACP
Arti Prasad, MD, FACP
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 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
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
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
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