Did You Know the ABPS Offers Board Certification for Physician Leaders with Training and Experience in Administrative Medicine?

For more than half a century, the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) has offered only the highest standards in physician board certification. As committed as we are to preparing physicians to meet the evolving health care needs of the public, we also understand that medicine is a business. The industry’s transformation in recent years from a cottage industry to a well-organized, big business underscores this point. Along with reform, however, has come a need for physician leaders with business training and expertise. Unfortunately, many of today’s medical leaders have little or no training in medicine.

To address the need for more physician leaders, academic institutions across the country have developed physician MBA programs that provide medical and business training simultaneously. Like other physicians in titled leadership roles, graduates of such programs have insight into both clinical practice and business administration. Hospitals and other healthcare organizations have taken note, and are hiring physicians for executive positions more than ever. They know that these doctors are well-suited to be medical leaders. Their shared history and cultural background with other physicians give them a level of credibility and respect that other executives often do not enjoy.

To help physicians distinguish themselves as leaders, the American Board of Administrative Medicine (ABAM), a Member Board of the ABPS, offers physicians with expertise in nonclinical medicine board certification in administrative medicine. The ABPS is the only certifying body that offers board certification in administrative medicine.

“Certification by the ABAM demonstrates to employers, hospital CEOs, boards of trustees, and other stakeholders that a physician leader has the business acumen to help them deliver exceptional medical care in a cost-efficient manner,” said Founding ABAM Board Member Judy L. Smith, MD, MS, CPE, FACS.

To apply for ABAM certification, a physician must be a graduate of a recognized U.S., Canadian, or international allopathic or osteopathic college of medicine, and hold a valid and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States, its territories, or Canada. Other requirements include:

• A master’s degree in business administration, medical management, or healthcare administration, or at least five years of cumulative experience in an administrative role
• Current or past board certification through the ABPS, ABMS, AOA, or an RCPSC board

For a detailed list of requirements, click here.

To earn certification with the ABAM, qualified candidates must pass a computer-based written exam. Once granted, ABAM certification is good for eight years.

If you are a physician with experience in business leadership and management and would like more information about certification in administrative medicine, contact the ABPS today.