More Hospitals Require Physicians to be Board Certified
Board certification has long been seen as a voluntary process available to highly motivated and qualified physicians to demonstrate their mastery of the medical specialty they practice. As a result, the general public typically correlates board certification with expertise, which has been incentive enough to commit to the certification process. However, in the 21st century, as the medical paradigm has significantly changed and healthcare organizations have become more centralized and competitive, the need for board certification is more important than ever before.
One of the most significant shifts in the physician recruiting process has been that many hospitals and larger healthcare organizations have standardized their hiring processes and, in many cases, required board certification for employment. This has led to a situation in which many tenured physicians who had never felt compelled to become board certified are finding themselves disadvantaged in the workplace with diminished prospects for advancement and even continued employment.
In many ways, the emphasis placed on having board certified physicians on staff is intuitive. Board certification is in many ways synonymous with exceptionalism, so it stands to reason that hospitals would want to prioritize hiring these physicians. However, at the American Board of Physician Specialties®, we want to ensure that all eligible, qualified, and motivated physicians understand that they have options when it comes to board certification. While the board certification process is undoubtedly rigorous, it is above all else fair and designed to ensure that the physicians with the strongest credentials and indisputable expertise in their specialty area can receive the recognition that they deserve.
Not only does becoming board certified have potential long-term career benefits, it also allows the physician to demonstrate to peers, patients, and loved ones that they truly are a leader in the specialty that they practice. To learn more about the steps to becoming board certified through the ABPS, contact us today.
