American Board of Physician Specialties
Encyclopedia
The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS), the official certifying body for the American Association of Physician Specialists
(AAPS) is a non-profit umbrella organization
for sixteen medical specialty boards that certifies and re-certifies physicians in fourteen medical specialties in the United States
and Canada
. The ABPS is one of three organizations overseeing Doctor of Medicine
(M.D.) and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
(D.O.) certification in the United States. The ABPS assists its Member Boards in developing and implementing educational and professional standards to evaluate and certify physician specialists.
AAPS (originally known as the American Association of Osteopathic Physicians) was founded in 1950 by Dr. E.O. Martin and incorporated in 1952. Since 1984, AAPS has provided a headquarters for medical specialty boards of certification.
The remaining boards, approximately twenty (20), have established specific rules for physician advertising by which boards have to petition and receive permission for physicians to be able to advertise themselves as “board certified.”
Those twenty (20) boards are:
• Arizona Medical Board
• Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners
• Medical Board of California Osteopathic
• Medical Board of California
• Florida Board of Medicine (ABPS is Recognized)
• Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine (ABPS is Recognized)
• Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners
• Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts
• New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners
• New York State Board for Medicine
• North Carolina Medical Board
• Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (ABPS is Recognized)
• Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners (ABPS is Recognized)
• Oregon Medical Board
• Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine
• Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic Medicine (ABPS is Recognized)
• South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners
• Texas Medical Board (ABPS is Recognized)
• Utah Department of Commerce (Physicians Licensing Board)
• Utah Department of Commerce (Board of Osteopathic Medicine) (ABPS is Recognized)
Physicians certified by ABPS and licensed by the Medical Board of California
are prohibited from using the term "board certified" unless they are also certified by an American Board of Medical Specialties
board.
The relevant sections of California law were enacted in 1990 and are shown below. They can be found at:
"(B) A physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing
with Section 2000) by the Medical Board of California
may include a
statement that limits their practice to specific fields, but shall not include a statement that they are certified or eligible for certification by a private or public board or parent association, including, but not limited to, a multidisciplinary board or association, unless that board or association is (i) an American Board of Medical Specialties
member board, (ii) a board or association with equivalent requirements approved by that physician and surgeon's licensing board, or (iii) a board or association with
an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
approved
postgraduate training program that provides complete training in that
specialty or subspecialty.
"A physician and surgeon licensed under
Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) by the Medical Board of California
who is certified by an organization other than a board or
association referred to in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) shall not use
the term "board certified" in reference to that certification, unless
the physician and surgeon is also licensed under Chapter 4
(commencing with Section 1600) and the use of the term "board
certified" in reference to that certification is in accordance with
subparagraph (A).
"A physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5
(commencing with Section 2000) by the Medical Board of California
who
is certified by a board or association referred to in clause (i),
(ii), or (iii) shall not use the term "board certified" unless the
full name of the certifying board is also used and given comparable
prominence with the term "board certified" in the statement.
For purposes of this subparagraph, a "multidisciplinary board or
association" means an educational certifying body that has a
psychometrically valid testing process, as determined by the Medical Board of California
, for certifying medical doctors and other health
care professionals that is based on the applicant's education,
training, and experience.
"For purposes of the term "board certified," as used in this
subparagraph, the terms "board" and "association" mean an
organization that is an American Board of Medical Specialties
member
board, an organization with equivalent requirements approved by a
physician and surgeon's licensing board, or an organization with an
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
approved
postgraduate training program that provides complete training in a
specialty or subspecialty.
"The Medical Board of California
shall adopt regulations to
establish and collect a reasonable fee from each board or association
applying for recognition pursuant to this subparagraph. The fee
shall not exceed the cost of administering this subparagraph.
Notwithstanding Section 2 of Chapter 1660 of the Statutes of 1990,
this subparagraph shall become operative July 1, 1993. However, an
administrative agency or accrediting organization may take any action
contemplated by this subparagraph relating to the establishment or
approval of specialist requirements on and after January 1, 1991."
It also appears that certification by an ABPS member board is not sufficient to allow use of the term "board certified" by physicians licensed in the State of New York. However, interpreting the law in New York is more complex.
The definitions below are from the introductory material at the NY State Doctor Profile:
"American Board of Medical Specialities
(ABMS) - An organization of 24 medical specialty boards. Medical specialty boards can approve (certify) doctors who have had special training and taken an examination (see Board certification below). For more information, go to the ABMS Web site."
"American Osteopathic Association
(AOA) - The American Osteopathic Association represents more than 47,000 osteopathic physicians (D.O.), promotes public health, encourages scientific research, serves as the primary certifying body for D.O.s and is the accrediting agency for all osteopathic medical schools and health care facilities."
"Board Certification - If a doctor is Board Certified, this means they have graduated from medical school, completed residency (training in a hospital), trained under supervision in a specialty, and passed an exam given by a medical specialty board."
"Certify - To certify means to say something is true and correct. When a doctor is Board certified, it means he has met certain standards."
Bill S3964 introduced by Senator Suzi Oppenheimer into the New York State Assembly
in April 2009 appears to be an attempt at clarification.
"Title of Bill: An act to amend the education law, in relation to statements of specialist by a physician.
Text of Bill S3964:
State of New York
In Senate
April 7, 2009
Introduced by Sen. Oppenheimer– read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher education
An ACT to amend the education law, in relation to statements of specialty by a physician
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 6527 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 8 to read as follows:
8. A licensed physician may include a statement that limits
their practice to specific fields, but may only include a statement
that they are certified or eligible for certification by a private
or public board or parent association if that board or association is an
American Board of Medical Specialties
member board or a member board
the American Osteopathic Association
, a board or association with
equivalent requirements approved by that physician and surgeon’s licensing
board, or a board or association with an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
approved postgraduate training program that
provides complete training in that specialty or subspecialty.
S 2. this act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
have become a law.
Justification:
This bill is aimed at those physicians who have claimed to be “Board Certified” by so-called “boards” that require a large payment and send a diploma by return mail. It would help to eliminate bogus boards and provide truth in advertising protection for patients. California has enacted similar legislation."
American Association of Physician Specialists
The American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc. founded 1950, incorporated 1952 is a 501 not-for-profit organization whose executive offices are located in Tampa, Florida...
(AAPS) is a non-profit umbrella organization
Umbrella organization
An umbrella organization is an association of institutions, who work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. In business, political, or other environments, one group, the umbrella organization, provides resources and often an identity to the smaller organizations...
for sixteen medical specialty boards that certifies and re-certifies physicians in fourteen medical specialties in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The ABPS is one of three organizations overseeing Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(M.D.) and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine is a professional doctoral degree for physicians in the United States. Holders of the MD degree, Doctor of Medicine, have the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as osteopathic physicians in the United States.The American Osteopathic Association’s Commission...
(D.O.) certification in the United States. The ABPS assists its Member Boards in developing and implementing educational and professional standards to evaluate and certify physician specialists.
History
The American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc., as the third largest multi-specialty physician/surgeon certifying entity, providing board certification to both allopathic (M.D.) and osteopathic (D.O.) physicians, has grouped its certification activities within a single subdivision identified as the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS). ABPS name was registered to AAPS in August 2005. ABPS implements certification functions under the direction of AAPS.AAPS (originally known as the American Association of Osteopathic Physicians) was founded in 1950 by Dr. E.O. Martin and incorporated in 1952. Since 1984, AAPS has provided a headquarters for medical specialty boards of certification.
Recognition by State Medical Boards
Today in the U.S. and its territories, there are seventy (70) state medical boards --- some state medical boards are composed of an allopathic board and an osteopathic board while others are combined as one, called a “composite board.” Of the 70 state boards, the vast majority do not differentiate between any of the three nationally recognized multi-specialty boards of certification (ABMS, ABPS, AOABOS). In other words, the majority of the state medical boards are silent (or neutral) as to which board you are certified by.The remaining boards, approximately twenty (20), have established specific rules for physician advertising by which boards have to petition and receive permission for physicians to be able to advertise themselves as “board certified.”
Those twenty (20) boards are:
• Arizona Medical Board
• Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners
• Medical Board of California Osteopathic
• Medical Board of California
• Florida Board of Medicine (ABPS is Recognized)
• Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine (ABPS is Recognized)
• Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners
• Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts
• New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners
• New York State Board for Medicine
• North Carolina Medical Board
• Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (ABPS is Recognized)
• Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners (ABPS is Recognized)
• Oregon Medical Board
• Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine
• Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic Medicine (ABPS is Recognized)
• South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners
• Texas Medical Board (ABPS is Recognized)
• Utah Department of Commerce (Physicians Licensing Board)
• Utah Department of Commerce (Board of Osteopathic Medicine) (ABPS is Recognized)
Physicians certified by ABPS and licensed by the Medical Board of California
Medical Board of California
The Medical Board of California is a state government agency which licenses and disciplines physicians, surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions in California...
are prohibited from using the term "board certified" unless they are also certified by an American Board of Medical Specialties
American Board of Medical Specialties
The American Board of Medical Specialties is a non-profit physician-led umbrella organization for 24 of the 26 approved medical specialty boards in the United States...
board.
The relevant sections of California law were enacted in 1990 and are shown below. They can be found at:
"(B) A physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5 (commencing
with Section 2000) by the Medical Board of California
Medical Board of California
The Medical Board of California is a state government agency which licenses and disciplines physicians, surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions in California...
may include a
statement that limits their practice to specific fields, but shall not include a statement that they are certified or eligible for certification by a private or public board or parent association, including, but not limited to, a multidisciplinary board or association, unless that board or association is (i) an American Board of Medical Specialties
American Board of Medical Specialties
The American Board of Medical Specialties is a non-profit physician-led umbrella organization for 24 of the 26 approved medical specialty boards in the United States...
member board, (ii) a board or association with equivalent requirements approved by that physician and surgeon's licensing board, or (iii) a board or association with
an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education is the body responsible for the accreditation for graduate medical training programs for medical doctors in the United States. It is a non-profit private council that evaluates and accredits medical residency and internship programs...
approved
postgraduate training program that provides complete training in that
specialty or subspecialty.
"A physician and surgeon licensed under
Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) by the Medical Board of California
Medical Board of California
The Medical Board of California is a state government agency which licenses and disciplines physicians, surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions in California...
who is certified by an organization other than a board or
association referred to in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) shall not use
the term "board certified" in reference to that certification, unless
the physician and surgeon is also licensed under Chapter 4
(commencing with Section 1600) and the use of the term "board
certified" in reference to that certification is in accordance with
subparagraph (A).
"A physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5
(commencing with Section 2000) by the Medical Board of California
Medical Board of California
The Medical Board of California is a state government agency which licenses and disciplines physicians, surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions in California...
who
is certified by a board or association referred to in clause (i),
(ii), or (iii) shall not use the term "board certified" unless the
full name of the certifying board is also used and given comparable
prominence with the term "board certified" in the statement.
For purposes of this subparagraph, a "multidisciplinary board or
association" means an educational certifying body that has a
psychometrically valid testing process, as determined by the Medical Board of California
Medical Board of California
The Medical Board of California is a state government agency which licenses and disciplines physicians, surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions in California...
, for certifying medical doctors and other health
care professionals that is based on the applicant's education,
training, and experience.
"For purposes of the term "board certified," as used in this
subparagraph, the terms "board" and "association" mean an
organization that is an American Board of Medical Specialties
American Board of Medical Specialties
The American Board of Medical Specialties is a non-profit physician-led umbrella organization for 24 of the 26 approved medical specialty boards in the United States...
member
board, an organization with equivalent requirements approved by a
physician and surgeon's licensing board, or an organization with an
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education is the body responsible for the accreditation for graduate medical training programs for medical doctors in the United States. It is a non-profit private council that evaluates and accredits medical residency and internship programs...
approved
postgraduate training program that provides complete training in a
specialty or subspecialty.
"The Medical Board of California
Medical Board of California
The Medical Board of California is a state government agency which licenses and disciplines physicians, surgeons and certain allied healthcare professions in California...
shall adopt regulations to
establish and collect a reasonable fee from each board or association
applying for recognition pursuant to this subparagraph. The fee
shall not exceed the cost of administering this subparagraph.
Notwithstanding Section 2 of Chapter 1660 of the Statutes of 1990,
this subparagraph shall become operative July 1, 1993. However, an
administrative agency or accrediting organization may take any action
contemplated by this subparagraph relating to the establishment or
approval of specialist requirements on and after January 1, 1991."
It also appears that certification by an ABPS member board is not sufficient to allow use of the term "board certified" by physicians licensed in the State of New York. However, interpreting the law in New York is more complex.
The definitions below are from the introductory material at the NY State Doctor Profile:
"American Board of Medical Specialities
American Board of Medical Specialties
The American Board of Medical Specialties is a non-profit physician-led umbrella organization for 24 of the 26 approved medical specialty boards in the United States...
(ABMS) - An organization of 24 medical specialty boards. Medical specialty boards can approve (certify) doctors who have had special training and taken an examination (see Board certification below). For more information, go to the ABMS Web site."
"American Osteopathic Association
American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association is the representative member organization for the over 78,000 osteopathic medical physicians in the United States...
(AOA) - The American Osteopathic Association represents more than 47,000 osteopathic physicians (D.O.), promotes public health, encourages scientific research, serves as the primary certifying body for D.O.s and is the accrediting agency for all osteopathic medical schools and health care facilities."
"Board Certification - If a doctor is Board Certified, this means they have graduated from medical school, completed residency (training in a hospital), trained under supervision in a specialty, and passed an exam given by a medical specialty board."
"Certify - To certify means to say something is true and correct. When a doctor is Board certified, it means he has met certain standards."
Bill S3964 introduced by Senator Suzi Oppenheimer into the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
in April 2009 appears to be an attempt at clarification.
"Title of Bill: An act to amend the education law, in relation to statements of specialist by a physician.
Text of Bill S3964:
State of New York
In Senate
April 7, 2009
Introduced by Sen. Oppenheimer– read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher education
An ACT to amend the education law, in relation to statements of specialty by a physician
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 6527 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 8 to read as follows:
8. A licensed physician may include a statement that limits
their practice to specific fields, but may only include a statement
that they are certified or eligible for certification by a private
or public board or parent association if that board or association is an
American Board of Medical Specialties
American Board of Medical Specialties
The American Board of Medical Specialties is a non-profit physician-led umbrella organization for 24 of the 26 approved medical specialty boards in the United States...
member board or a member board
the American Osteopathic Association
American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association is the representative member organization for the over 78,000 osteopathic medical physicians in the United States...
, a board or association with
equivalent requirements approved by that physician and surgeon’s licensing
board, or a board or association with an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education is the body responsible for the accreditation for graduate medical training programs for medical doctors in the United States. It is a non-profit private council that evaluates and accredits medical residency and internship programs...
approved postgraduate training program that
provides complete training in that specialty or subspecialty.
S 2. this act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
have become a law.
Justification:
This bill is aimed at those physicians who have claimed to be “Board Certified” by so-called “boards” that require a large payment and send a diploma by return mail. It would help to eliminate bogus boards and provide truth in advertising protection for patients. California has enacted similar legislation."
Member Boards
- Board of Certification in Anesthesiology
- Board of Certification in Dermatology
- Board of Certification in Diagnostic Radiology
- American Board of Disaster Medicine
- Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine
- American Board of Family Medicine Obstetrics
- Board of Certification in Family Practice
- Board of Certification in Geriatric Medicine
- American Board of Hospital Medicine
- Board of Certification in Internal Medicine
- Board of Certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Board of Certification in Ophthalmology
- Board of Certification in Orthopedic Surgery
- Board of Certification in Psychiatry
- Board of Certification in Radiation Oncology
- Board of Certification in Surgery