abms.org ABMS PUBLICATIONS ABMS GUIDE TO MEDICAL SPECIALTIES ABMS Board Certification Report 2019 Edition This annual publication provides ABMS BOARD information about board certification and includes national and state-level data CERTIFICATION about the physicians certified by the 24 REPORT ABMS Member Boards. Download a 2017-2018 copy from abms.org. 353 North Clark Street, Suite 1400 Chicago, IL 60654 | (312) 436-2600 ABMS Insights Newsletter Our free quarterly newsletter that connects you with the 24 certifying Member Boards of ABMS. Learn about the Member Boards’ latest programs, initiatives, and innovations in board certification and hear from guest columnists. Visit abms.org to subscribe. abms.org 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS This booklet offers information about the ABMS and Board Certification . 4 American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), ABMS Board Certification and Licensure . 6 the specialty certifications offered by the Continuing Certification and Professional Development . 8 24 Member Boards, and descriptions of each Descriptions of the specialties and subspecialties specialty and subspecialty. offered by the ABMS Member Boards At-a-glance chart appears on page . .13 Allergy and Immunology . .16 Anesthesiology . .17 Colon and Rectal Surgery ������������������������������������������������������19 Dermatology . .20 Emergency Medicine . .21 Family Medicine . .24 Internal Medicine . .26 Medical Genetics and Genomics . .30 Neurological Surgery . .32 Neurology. .33 Nuclear Medicine . .36 Obstetrics and Gynecology. .37 Ophthalmology . .39 Orthopaedic Surgery . .40 Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery ���������������������������42 Pathology . .44 Pediatrics . .48 Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation . .53 Plastic Surgery ������������������������������������������������������������������������56 Preventive Medicine. .57 Psychiatry . .60 Radiology . .62 © 2019 American Board of Medical Specialties. All rights Surgery (General Surgery) . .66 reserved. Whenever this information is used in part or Thoracic Surgery . .68 in whole, or when referencing it as part of a report or Urology . .69 article, we request that acknowledgment be given to the American Board of Medical Specialties. abms.org 3 We are a national organization of • Set standards for quality and practice that emphasize professionalism, Who 24 specialty medical boards that What patient safety, and performance improvement assesses the knowledge, skills, and we are we do • Conduct assessments to verify a physician’s knowledge, skills, and judgment judgment of physicians according in a medical specialty and inform professional development activities ABMS AND BOARD to the standards of practice set CERTIFICATION by the profession, and grants • Build relationships with physicians, medical educators, hospitals and health board certification to those systems, credentialing professionals, thought leaders, policymakers, and meeting and remaining current payers to encourage systematic improvements with the requirements. • Serve the public by providing board certification information to help professionals and patients identify board certified physicians ABMS serves the public and the medical profession as a leader in the board certification and continuing professional development of medical specialists. Board certification represents physicians’ highest professional Why credential. It is a key component of the patient-physician relationship. it’s Patients trust the medical profession to establish and maintain the important standards of practice by which physicians are certified and assessed. By being board certified, physicians show they meet those standards and demonstrate that they have the specialized knowledge and clinical judgment to provide safe, quality patient care. more than 880,000 CERTIFIED BY IN AND physicians 24 40 87 Member Boards specialties subspecialties (as of October 2018) 4 abms.org 5 ABMS BOARD CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE BOARD CERTIFICATION Certification by an ABMS Member Board is a distinct process from licensure; and serves the important purpose of identifying for the LICENSURE public, state licensure agencies and employers, those individuals who successfully meet the standards of practice set by the profession for the specialty. Mandatory credential granted by a Voluntary credential granted by an ABMS Member Board confirming a physician’s state providing legal permission to advanced knowledge, training, and skills in a specialty or subspecialty practice medicine Requires medical degree, medical license, 3 to 7 years residency/fellowship Requires medical degree, minimum training, program director attestation, and passing a rigorous exam. It involves one-year internship training, and a continuing process of professional assessment and learning to support passing an exam improvements in patient care quality, safety, outcomes, and experiences. Specialists first earn board certification when they achieve expertise in a medical specialty or subspecialty that meets ABMS Member Board requirements. Afterward, they demonstrate their continuing knowledge by participating in ongoing programs to evaluate and assess their practice. The results serve as a starting point for further learning and improvement. abms.org 7 CONTINUING CERTIFICATION AND The ABMS Member Boards continuing certification programs feature a variety of PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT activities and assessment methods that are customized to practice, provide relevant feedback, and integrate with other professional programs. Evidence shows that board certified physicians who continue to develop their knowledge and skills better adhere to practice guidelines, improve care processes, and have lower likelihood of disciplinary actions by state medical ONLINE ASSESSMENT licensing boards. The ABMS Member Boards continuing Shorter, more frequent assessments for continued certification programs help specialists learn and improve. exposure to specialty content, answer feedback, and learning resources CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION CREDIT (CME) Educational activities for maintaining competence and learning about new and developing areas in a specialty field QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES Recognition of physician involvement in quality, performance, and process improvement initiatives at all types of health care organizations FOCUSED PRACTICE DESIGNATION Recognition of additional expertise in a specialty or subspecialty area related to health conditions, specialized procedures, or patient population ABMS programs supporting physician continuing certification Recognition for quality Flexible, online assessment Easy access to CME improvement for learning for certification activity participation 8 abms.org 9 ABMS works with its Member Boards and ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF ABMS Associate Members to improve the quality of graduate medical education, the standards Accreditation Council Evaluates and accredits institutions and organizations for Continuing Medical offering Continuing Medical Education (CME) in the of medical practice, and the specialist Education United States. accme.org certification process. (ACCME) Accreditation Council Evaluates and accredits post-MD medical residency ABMS MEMBER BOARDS for Graduate Medical programs in the United States. acgme.org AND YEAR APPROVED Education (ACGME) 1933 American Board of Dermatology American Hospital National membership organization representing American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology Association members’ perspectives and needs in national health American Board of Ophthalmology (AHA) policy development, legislative and regulatory American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and debates, and judicial matters. aha.org Neck Surgery American Medical National membership organization uniting physicians 1935 American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Association (AMA) in the United States to focus on professional and American Board of Pediatrics public health issues. ama-assn.org American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Association of American National membership organization for enhancing the American Board of Radiology Medical Colleges effectiveness of academic medicine. aamc.org American Board of Urology (AAMC) 1936 American Board of Internal Medicine Council of Medical National membership organization providing an American Board of Pathology Specialty Societies independent forum for discussion by medical (CMSS) specialists on issues of national interest and mutual 1937 American Board of Surgery concern. cmss.org 1940 American Board of Neurological Surgery Educational Commission Organization that evaluates whether international for Foreign Medical medical graduates (IMGs) are ready to enter United 1941 American Board of Anesthesiology Graduates States graduate medical programs and offers a American Board of Plastic Surgery (ECFMG) variety of other programs for IMGs and the entities 1947 American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation worldwide that educate, train, register/license, and employ them. ecfmg.org 1949 American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery Federation of State Policy-focused organization promoting best practices American Board of Preventive Medicine Medical Boards in medical regulation and encouraging uniformity 1969 American Board of Family Medicine (FSMB) in how states license and discipline physicians. It collaborates with NBME to provide the United 1971 American Board of Allergy and Immunology States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). American Board of Nuclear Medicine fsmb.org American Board of Thoracic Surgery National Board of Assessment organization