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Why Do Physicians Become Certified in Multiple Specialties?

Physicians Multiple Board CertificationBoard certification has become one of the most trusted indicators used to identify highly qualified and reputable physicians. Officially, becoming board certified is still a voluntary process, and certification is not required to practice medicine. But, in practice, more and more patients are choosing to be treated by board certified physicians; employers are prioritizing hiring board certified physicians; and physicians themselves are prioritizing becoming professionally validated with board certification in their area of expertise. It’s for this reason that, today, more and more physicians are becoming certified in multiple specialties.

Overlapping Specialties Reflect the Increasing Complexity of Modern Medicine

Another reason that there are more physicians certified in multiple specialties than ever before is that medicine itself has become more specialized. Simply put, there are more areas to become board certified in than ever before. And, in many cases, there is a certain degree of common ground between the specialty areas. Here are some examples of combinations of specialties that are frequently seen in the medical field:

  • Family Medicine & Emergency Medicine
  • Family Medicine & Urgent Care
  • Emergency Care & Urgent Care
  • Emergency Care & Disaster Medicine
  • Family Medicine & Family Medicine Obstetrics
  • Internal Medicine & Hospital Medicine
  • Hospital Medicine & Administrative Medicine

The Strategic Advantage of Multi-Specialty Certification

These days, it is highly advantageous for a physician to be certified in his or her area(s) of expertise, and more and more are making the time commitment needed to certify and re-certify. In some cases, as hospitals are increasingly requiring hiring individuals with board certification, and insurance groups are putting an added emphasis on board certification, it’s for all intents and purposes an essential step for physicians who intend to practice medicine in their specialty area.

For physicians in leadership roles or high-acuity care settings, multiple certifications can support better decision-making and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Certification in areas like Disaster Medicine, Administrative Medicine, or Urgent Care can broaden a physician’s impact beyond the exam room and help drive systemic improvements in patient care and operations.

Expanding Career Options

Holding multiple board certifications also opens doors to new career paths in academic medicine, hospital administration, and public health. Employers view these physicians as more versatile, and patients benefit from their wider scope of expertise. For those with entrepreneurial goals, it can also lend credibility to starting or expanding clinical practices.

Explore Your Options with ABPS

If you’re considering dual certification or recertification in an additional specialty, ABPS can guide you through the process. We provide personalized support to help physicians align their professional goals with appropriate board certification opportunities.

At the American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS), we have a strong history of working with our Diplomates to provide Board Certification in several different specialty areas. Many of our Diplomates have multiple board certifications and we would be happy to walk you through the eligibility requirements with each of our Member Boards. If you are a member of the public, you are also welcome to confirm the credentials of a physician using the ABPS online verification tool found here.

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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.

With declining access for maternity care amid rising maternal mortality, ABPS and their Board Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics has been essential for me and many of my colleagues in getting privileges and thereby creating local access for mothers and their children.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
John B. Waits, MD
Family Medicine Obstetrics
Board certification through the American Board of Physician Specialties has served to substantiate my interest and additional training in several fields of medicine including Internal Medicine, Disaster Medicine, and Administrative Medicine. As a result, I have been able to serve my community in clinical, disaster response, and administrative medicine roles. Through the ABPS, I have become recognized as a leader in my various fields of interest.

Spencer Price MD, MPH, MBA
Administrative Medicine
In this era, when continuous updated medical knowledge means so much to you, when quality of emergency care matters most to you ,when you need to excel in your medical career to continue providing exceptional service to your critically ill patients, please consider board certification with the Boad of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). Where your knowledge & expertise translates to credentialing & certification with wider approval & recognition every day at many fronts. We Welcome you to join our team for a brighter future of our emergency healthcare where dedication to profession relies not solely on clinical practice but also on sound academic certification.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
Ashraf A. Gerges, MD, FAAEP
Emergency Medicine
Board certification in Orthopedic Surgery through the American Board of Physician Specialties validated my training and surgical experience through a process that was both rigorous and respectful of real-world practice. ABPS recognizes clinical competence, not just credentials, and that sets it apart.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
Orthopedic Surgery
The American Board of Physician Specialties is a forward- thinking organization that focuses on where Medicine is going, not just where it has been. Traditional Certification Boards like Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Dermatology are represented as are Integrative Medicine, Disaster Medicine, and Family Medicine-Obstetrics. Physicians appreciate the ability to showcase their skills and knowledge through Board Certification, and this organization allows excellent physicians the ability to bring their skills to patients. The dedication and commitment of this organization and its volunteers will ensure ongoing distinction and commitment for decades to come.

Jeffrey B. Stricker, DO, MBA, FAASD
Jeffrey B. Stricker, DO, MBA, FAASD
Dermatology
Serving as a member on the American board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM) for many years and now serving as a Member at Large of the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) has been an enriching and rewarding experience. The board’s commitment to excellence, integrity, and positive impact is truly inspiring. I am grateful to collaborate with such a dedicated and visionary group, and I am proud of the meaningful progress we continue to achieve together.

Arti Prasad, MD, FACP
Arti Prasad, MD, FACP
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 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
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
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
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