For Physicians and Medical Specialists
Requirements for board certification
Each ABMS Member Board has different requirements and it is best to contact the particular board directly. Generally speaking, candidates for initial Board Certification must:
- Finish four years of premedical education in a college or university;
- Earn a medical degree (MD, DO or other credential approved by an ABMS Member Board) from a qualified medical school;
- Complete three to seven years of full-time experience in a residency training program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education;
- Provide letters of attestation from the program director and/or faculty; and
- Obtain an unrestricted medical license to practice medicine in the United States or Canada.
Candidates for initial certification must then pass an exam created and administered by their specialty’s board. A similar eligibility process is followed for certified specialists seeking subspecialty certification. Candidates must be certified by their specialty board, then complete additional training during or after residency and successfully complete assessments of knowledge and clinical judgment in their subspecialty discipline before being granted certification in a subspecialty.
Exam dates
Each ABMS Member Board has different requirements and it is best to contact the particular board directly.
Taking certification exam during residency
Each ABMS Member Board has different requirements. Most doctors begin the certification process at some point during their residency training. Check with the specific ABMS Member Board for requirement details.
Obtaining a copy of a certificate or replacing a lost certificate
To receive a copy or replacement, contact the Member Board that issued the original certificate.
How physicians can change information in their personal profile
If you are a physician and have changes to make to your profile, please contact your Member Board. Please ask that the information you provide be given to ABMS to update its database.
Applying current certification from another country to ABMS member board certification
Each ABMS Member Board has different requirements and it is best to contact the particular board directly.
Requirements for certification for foreign-trained students
To find out the requirements, contact the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates at (215) 386-5900.