Why Specialty Board Certification Makes Sense for Family Medicine Practitioners
As physicians who practice family medicine are well aware, there is much more to the job than conducting annual physicals and diagnosing colds. Depending on the demands of the practice or the needs of the community, a family medicine practitioner might find her- or himself working extensively in a different field of medicine. For example, many rural physicians whose practices emphasize family medicine might spend nearly as much time working at a hospital emergency department or caring for expectant mothers as they do on office appointments.
After a certain amount of time, family medicine practitioners might actually accrue enough relevant experience that they could find themselves eligible to sit for a physician board certification examination in a field other than family medicine. The American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS®) presents qualified physicians the opportunity to achieve board certification in medical specialties based in part on case experience and proven knowledge. The certification specialties that are often ideal for family medicine practitioners to pursue include:
- Emergency Medicine
- Disaster Medicine
- Integrative Medicine
- Urgent Care Medicine
- Family Medicine Obstetrics
- Family Medicine
The eligibility requirements for ABPS board certification are as stringent as any multi-specialty certification body in North America. The clinically based examinations provide qualified physicians the opportunity to demonstrate that they possess the skill set, knowledge and experience required to provide the finest medical care possible in a given specialty. ABPS Diplomates are recognized as leaders in their respective specialties, and help shape the national conversation about the changing face of North American medical care in the 21st century.
To learn more about the benefits of earning physician board certification in a specialty in line with your knowledge and experience level, contact the ABPS. The ABPS is the official multi-specialty board certification body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc.®