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Integrative Medicine Goes Mainstream with Board Certification from the ABOIM

Integrative MedicineThe field of Integrative Medicine has grown in stature over the past decade, in part as a response to the perceived shortcomings of the healthcare industry in the United States. Andrew Weil, M.D., founded the field of Integrative Medicine and continues to be one of its most prominent advocates. Dr. Weil outlined the weaknesses of the current healthcare system in a 2012 interview with Philadelphia Magazine. In it, he said that health care in the U.S. is far too expensive; that it emphasizes disease treatment ahead of disease prevention; that it does not keep people well; and that it offers little incentive for people to take care of themselves.

The answer, Dr. Weil said, is Integrative Medicine. It is, he insisted, “the most practical way to transform our healthcare system and bring lower-cost, health-enhancing treatments into the mainstream for all to benefit from.” Indeed, so well-received were the principles of Integrative Medicine that departments specializing in the field were founded at prestigious universities such as the University of Arizona (the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine) and Duke University (Duke Integrative Medicine).

Now, the specialty has reached an important milestone in the evolution and maturity of the field. The formation of the American Board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM), with inaugural board certification examinations scheduled for 2014, has created a benchmark through rigorous testing and eligibility standards. This development helped advance the field of Integrative Medicine to a new level of recognition and credibility within academic circles, as well as with the general public. Board certification with the ABOIM indicates that a practicing physician who specializes in Integrative Medicine has demonstrated a mastery of the knowledge and core competencies required to provide the finest medical care possible. Eligibility requirements include, but are not limited to:

  • Completion of residency training in a program approved by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
  • Current or past completion of board certification granted by the ABPS, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), or a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) Board

In addition, ABOIM applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Completion of an ABOIM-approved Fellowship in Integrative Medicine
  • Graduation from an accredited four-year naturopathic college
  • Graduation from an accredited National Certification Commission on Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) college
  • Graduation from an accredited Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) college
  • A combination of education and experience, including current ABIHM board certification, active practice of integrative medicine, Integrative Medicine in Residency training, and/or significant CME credits earned in integrative medicine

To learn more about the ABOIM, contact the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS). The ABPS is the official multi-specialty board certifying body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc.

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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.

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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