Approved Fellowships for BCFMO Eligibility

Board of Certification in Family Medicine ObstetricsCandidates seeking board certification through the Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics (BCFMO®) must meet several eligibility requirements developed by the BCFMO® in collaboration with the American Board of Physician Specialties®. Completing a BCFMO-approved fellowship is one way in which candidates are able to demonstrate that they possess both the education and practical training necessary to becoming board certified.

Family medicine obstetrics is one of 18 APBS specialties. The ABPS recognizes the advanced level of training that family medicine practitioners can gain through participation in a structured fellowship. A complete list of fellowship programs in family medicine obstetrics that are currently approved by the BCFMO® and the APBS can be found here.

Board certification for family medicine obstetricians has become important for many reasons. Perhaps most importantly, being board certified has increasingly become a precondition of obtaining hospital privileges. It can also greatly facilitate success with insurance credentialers and malpractice carriers. Other ways in which board certification demonstrates its value relate to the authentication of training, the comparability of training with OB/GYNs, and the formal recognition of this important subspecialty. Overall, board certification has become an essential component of virtually every medical discipline, as the public has become savvier with respect to comparing physician qualifications and choosing physicians who possess the best credentials. The BCFMO® was developed to recognize medical doctors who have fully mastered the core competencies of family medicine obstetrics.

If you are thinking about becoming board certified in family medicine obstetrics, then be sure to consider the path to certification that entails the completion of one of the above approved fellowships. To learn more about the BCFMO®, the various eligibility requirements, and the myriad benefits of obtaining board certification in this field, contact the ABPS today. The ABPS is the official certifying body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc.®

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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.

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
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