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Physician Leaders Will Shape the Future of Medicine

Physician LeadersIn a very real sense, all physicians are leaders. When we consider the years of training that physicians are required to complete, along with their confidence in making critical decisions in life or death situations, and their commitment to the teamwork in the clinical setting, we can appreciate how their roles demand daily demonstrations of leadership skills. Through their knowledge and experience, doctors improve the health of their patients and serve as role models in delivering quality patient care.

While more physicians are moving into titled leadership positions, not all of them are naturally suited to leadership roles. Beyond their guiding principle to do no harm and put patients first, being a successful physician leader requires a core set of skills. Some of these skill are unique to today’s fast-changing medical system. To this end, the Physicians Foundation has funded dozens of leadership programs to support doctors seeking to become leaders in their profession. According to a Forbes report, the programs focus on areas such as healthcare finance, conflict resolution and negotiation, coaching and mentoring, building high performing teams, quality and performance measurement, and operations management, among others.

Physician Board Certification in Administrative Medicine

As the healthcare system evolves, it’s important that doctors who have developed management and leadership competencies remain committed to improving the efficiency of the industry, and this requires strong leadership from physicians. At the American Board of Physician Specialties®, we understand the role that doctors will play in shaping the future of the medical community. Through our Member Board the American Board of Administrative Medicine (ABAM), we identify physician leaders throughout the industry. Our rigorous certification process recognizes physicians who have both medical and business backgrounds and have demonstrated a mastery of the core competencies required to manage the business side of medicine.

Eligibility Requirements of the ABAM

ABAM candidates must meet a general number of ABPS requirements, such as an M.D. or D.O. degree from a recognized college of medicine and conformity with the ABPS Code of Ethics. ABAM candidates must also have a master’s degree in business administration, medical management or health administration, or at least five years of cumulative experience in an administrative position, including additional training in management related functions consistent with core competencies outlined in the ABAM exam blueprint.

After applicants are deemed eligible, they must pass a computer-based written exam in order to earn board certification in administrative medicine. You can find information about dates and fees for the application and the exam here.

Once granted, all ABPS certificates are good for eight years, expiring on December 31st of the eighth year.

Benefits of Board Certification With an ABPS Member Board

At the ABPS, our non-discriminatory and pragmatic approach to board certification has endured since our founding in 1952, and today the ABPS remains committed to helping physicians gain personal and professional advancement while meeting increasing demands for patient care. To that end, the ABAM provides an ideal way for doctors currently working in leadership positions to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise in healthcare finance, performance measurement, operations management, and all areas critical to healthcare leadership.

Our Diplomates, many of whom hold ABAM certification, practice throughout the United States, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico, and are widely considered to be leaders in their fields. Leading medical entities and professional organizations have updated their bylaws, policies, and standards to include the ABPS. And the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Veterans’ Health Administration, and the United States Armed Forces under the GI Bill are just a few of the federal organizations that recognize ABPS certifications.

For more information about the ABAM and the eligibility requirements for board certification, or to learn more about how board certification can help you better serve patients, contact the ABPS today.

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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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