About Board Certification

abosWhat is Board Certification?

Your Surgeon is certified by The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Orthopaedics is the broad based medical and surgical specialty dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. The frequency and impact of these diseases and injures combined with recent advances in their diagnosis and treatment make orthopaedics a critical part of health care. The areas of orthopaedic surgery include:

  • Pediatric Orthopaedics. Care of injuries, deformities and diseases of the bone, joints, muscles and tendons in children.
  • Sports Medicine. Care of injuries related to athletic activities.
  • Joint Replacement and Surgery in Arthritis. Care of patients with advanced arthritis including medical treatment, joint replacement and other procedures.
  • Foot and Ankle. Care of patients with injury and diseases of the foot and ankle.
  • Hand surgery. Surgical and nonsurgical treatment of the hand and wrist.
  • Shoulder and Elbows. Care of diseases and injuries of the shoulder and elbow.
  • Spine. Surgical and nonsurgical treatment of deformities, injuries and disorders of the back and neck.
  • Trauma and Fractures. Treatment of injuries to the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, nerves and vessels of the arms, legs, back and neck.
  • Musculoskeletal Oncology. Treatment of benign and malignant tumors of bones, joints and muscles.
  • Rehabilitation. Short and long-term programs to improve strength and mobility and optimize recovery.
  • Arthroscopy and Arthroscopic Surgery. Diagnosis and treatment of joint diseases and injuries using arthroscopic methods.

The orthopaedic surgeon works with many other surgical and medical specialists.

What is the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery?

The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Inc. was founded in 1934 as a private, voluntary, nonprofit, independent organization to serve the best interests of the public and the medical profession. These interests are achieved through the ABOS by establishing standards for the education of orthopaedic surgeons. These standards are evaluated by the ABOS through examinations and practice evaluations.

Those that have met the educational and organizational requirements necessary for certification through the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery are distinguished orthopaedic surgeons who are active in patient care, education and research.

What Does it Mean to be Board Certified by the ABOS?

Certification by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery means that the orthopaedic surgeon has met the specified educational, evaluation, and examination requirements of the Board.

Maintenance of Certification

Since 1986 the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery has issued time limited certificates. Those orthopaedic surgeons who were certified in 1986 and thereafter must maintain their certification by completing 120 hours of pertinent continuing medical education, undergoing a stringent peer review process to make certain they are respected by their peers and practicing ethical orthopaedic surgery, and taking and passing a written or oral examination. This maintenance of certification process must be performed every seven to ten years.

Subspecialty Certification

The ABOS also awards Certificates of Added Qualifications in Surgery of the Hand. Subspecialization in hand surgery requires at least one year of education, endorsement by the program director, peer review, documented experience in a minimum number of hand surgery cases of specified types of problems and a written examination on hand surgery. These Certificates of Added Qualifications are also valid for ten years and also require a recertification process at the end of the ten years.

American Board of Medical Specialties

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) assists the member Boards in promoting quality and efficiency in the process of evaluating and certifying physician specialists. The ABMS provides information to the public, government and the profession. The ABMS is dedicated to assisting in promoting the health of the public through activities relating to the education of the physician and the evaluation and recognition of physician qualifications for practice.

Lois Margaret Nora, MD, JD, MBA
President and CEO
222 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1500
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Telephone: (312) 436-2600

Source: https://abos.org/certification/what-is-board-certification.aspx