Difference between board certification and medical licensure
All physicians in the United States must be licensed in order to practice medicine, but they are not required to be certified. A license is issued by the physician’s state medical board. Certification requirements go above and beyond licensing requirements. It is not overseen by state regulatory boards. Earning and maintaining certification through an ABMS Member Board, represents a physician’s commitment to continually expand and refresh his or her knowledge and expertise in a particular medical specialty or subspecialty.