Tips on Board Certification and Recertification FREE

Increasingly, hospitals and managed care organizations are requiring that staff physicians be certified by a specialty board. The American Medical Association (AMA) encourages medical students and resident physicians to learn about specialty board certification, including the process, requirements for initial certification and recertification, and the implications of not achieving board certification. Advance planning in the certification process is critical for success.

When the first nationally recognized medical specialty board was established in 1917, board certification was seen as a way for professional peers to grant formal recognition of a physician's qualifications in a chosen field. Then, as now, it was a voluntary process. However, board certification is becoming less of an option and more of a necessity to gain credentialing privileges on hospital staffs and participate in managed care plans. In addition, nearly every board has begun issuing time-limited certificates, thus requiring recertification every so many years.

Each specialty board establishes its own certification process and requirements. When reviewing the requirements, students and residents should consider the following questions:

The AMA Young Physicians Section has prepared a booklet, Board Certification: What Students and Residents Need to Know, which summarizes each board's requirements, pass-fail rates, contact information, and other important information. The booklet includes information about other organizations that can provide information about the certification process and the available choices. The AMA hopes that the information provided will help students make informed choices about their area of medical specialization and assist resident physicians through the process. More information can be obtained by contacting the specialty board directly.

The booklet is free to AMA members; for a copy, call the AMA-Young Physicians Section at (312) 464-4978. It can also be found on the AMA's members-only Web site at http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/0,1120,215,FF.html.