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ABPS Board Certification General Policies

ABPS Board Certification General PoliciesThe American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS) is one of the three most prominent nationally recognized multi-specialty certifying entities in North America. We offer a path toward board certification and recertification in 18 different specialties and recognize licensed physicians who have shown, through testing and performance, mastery of their medical fields. Diplomates of the ABPS practice in some of the most prestigious healthcare institutions in the United States. Additionally, ABPS Diplomates are in all 50 states, the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Canada. As with any recognized physician certifying body, the ABPS has well-established board certification policies.

ABPS Mission: To Offer the Highest Standards in Physician Board Certification

These policies serve to support our mission, which is to offer the highest standard of physician board certification that meets the health care needs of the public while helping physicians to achieve success in the evolving medical industry. Our policies outline the purposes of our boards of certification and the eligibility requirements for certification through the ABPS.

Additionally, our policies detail the application process for certification and recertification, how our exams are developed and administered, and how certification credentials are verified. Also, addressed in the ABPS guidelines are our exam fees, and fees for certification and recertification, as well as our refund policy. Candidates with questions about test site regulations and exam scoring and reporting can also find answers by consulting our policy guidelines. The same goes for candidates who want more information about the procedures for raising complaints and filing appeals.

A Non-Discriminatory Approach to Board Certification

ABPS policy also makes accommodations on the basis of religion or disability, and our guidelines address these in great detail. And, finally, credentialers and prospective board certification candidates who seek a clearer understanding of the benefits of ABPS board certification and the code by which our Diplomates strive to adhere to, can find a statement of our values in our Code of Ethics included in our policy guidelines.

Eligibility Requirements for ABPS Certification

The requirements for ABPS certification differ by specialty, but several general criteria are consistent across all ABPS Member Boards:

  • Compliance with the ABPS Code of Ethics, maintaining an ethical standing in the profession, and active engagement in the specialty sought for certification.
  • Completion of medical education at a recognized U.S., Canadian, or international allopathic or osteopathic medical college.
  • Possession of a valid and unrestricted medical license to practice in the United States, its territories, or Canada.

Why ABPS Board Certification Stands Out as a Trusted Credential

Like other leading certification boards, the ABPS maintains strict eligibility criteria, requiring candidates to pass a thorough specialty exam to obtain certification. ABPS certification exams, procedures, and protocols are clinically, psychometrically, and legally robust, meeting standards on par with those established by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

The ABPS Encourages Qualified Physicians to Apply for Certification

If you are a licensed physician exploring board certification options, consider applying to one of our Member Boards. We offer a diverse array of certification options, from established fields like family medicine and dermatology to newer areas like interventional pain management and integrative medicine, along with other specialties such as disaster medicine, family medicine obstetrics, and orthopedic surgery. Backed by the strongest standards of ethics and integrity in the medical community, the ABPS is dedicated to helping qualified physicians provide the best care possible. For more information about our certification policies, 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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