Understanding Board Certification: What It Means for Your Health

Board certification means your physician has passed special exams and met other requirements of one or more of the 24 specialty boards recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) .

Before Certification

• To apply for board certification, a person must graduate from medical school, complete residency training and be licensed as a physician.

The Certification Process

• A physician can become certified by taking written and oral exams with a certifying board.

Keeping Certification

• Certifying boards require continuing medical education and review for physicians who wish to maintain certification. Certification is reviewed after a number of years; each certifying board has different time frames for review.

Not a Requirement

• Physicians, even those who practice in a specific field, are not required to be board certified, as long as they meet state licensing standards. There are many reasons a physician may not be board certified. If your doctor is not, it should not be a cause for concern, barring other factors.

Verifying Board Certification

• Certifications by those boards recognized by the AMA and ABMS are the only ones that count. Unfortunately, some doctors choose to display certifications from organizations that have few requirements, but allow membership after payment of a fee. You can verify certification of your physician at the ABMS website or on the site of the specific member board, for instance, the American Board of Family Medicine.