How Specialty Certification Helps Physicians Differentiate Their Credentials
The primary function of physician board certification is to provide a platform for physician specialists to demonstrate a mastery of the core competencies required to provide the best possible care in a given medical specialty. Recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as a choice for physician board certification, the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) governs 18 specialty boards that allow physicians to prove they possess the skill and experience necessary to practice their chosen specialties. Naturally, there is more to specialty certification than a nice, framed certificate. In fact, very little else can help a physician differentiate his or her credentials for the purposes of career advancement.
Why ABPS Certification Is a Coveted Distinction
How does specialty certification from the ABPS help a physician stand out? Consider the standard career path for many physicians − medical school, residency, perhaps a fellowship, then practice. Most physicians also seek board certification, typically in a broad field such as internal medicine or family medicine. As careers advance, however, some physicians find themselves gravitating toward more specific practices of medicine. These physicians might practice in an emergency department at a hospital, or move into a field such as Integrative Medicine. The job might lead them to work at an urgent care center, or move from an urban area into a rural area, where practitioners of specialties such as Family Medicine Obstetrics are less prevalent. In all of these cases, achieving specialty certification can serve to distinguish a physician from the competition. Specialties that fall into this category can include:
- Hospital Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
- Urgent Care Medicine
- Family Medicine Obstetrics
- Disaster Medicine
- Integrative Medicine
- And others
The Benefits of Specialty Certification
In the increasingly competitive medical field, board certification has become vastly more important. For doctors, it serves as a validation of their expertise, positioning them as leaders in their respective medical fields. For employers, like hospitals, certification is proof of a doctor’s qualifications and makes doctors great candidates for new job opportunities. Board certification also:
- Reassures patients that a certified doctor is skilled at providing excellent medical care
- Earns recognition and respect from other doctors
- Encourages ongoing education to improve medical specialties
- Gives doctors chances to advocate for better patient care
Eligibility Requirements of the ABPS
The eligibility requirements of the ABPS differ from specialty to specialty, but all ABPS Member Boards share certain requirements, including:
- Being in conformity with the Code of Ethics of the ABPS, being known in the community as an ethical member of the profession, and being an active practitioner in the specialty for which you’re seeking certification
- Having graduated from a recognized U.S., Canadian, or international allopathic or osteopathic college of medicine. International graduates must also hold a valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) Certificate.
- Holding a valid and unrestricted license(s) to practice medicine in the United States, U.S. territories, or Canada.
To learn more about how specialty certification can differentiate a physician within a competitive job market, or for more details about the ABPS, contact the ABPS. The ABPS is the official board-certifying body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc.
