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Choosing a physician is among one of the most important decisions a patient can make, and there’s so much information available from so many different sources. In making this choice patients are looking for a reliable indicator from an organization they can trust. They want to know that their physician is knowledgeable in their field and keeping current with today’s medicine.

Since 1936 the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has answered this public call to establish uniform standards for physicians that patients can rely on. ABIM Board Certification means that internists have demonstrated that they have the clinical judgment, skills and attitudes essential for the delivery of excellent patient care. ABIM now certifies over 200,000 internists, or one in every four physicians in America.

Now more than everpatients can trust that physicians certified by ABIM have met rigorous, evidence-based standards set by the profession.

Please use this section of our website to learn more about why board certification is important for patients and their families.

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BOARD CERTIFICATION BASICS

This section will help you understand the difference between medical licensure and board certification as well as some of the process and terminology associated with obtaining and maintaining board certification.

“Board certification differs from medical licensure in important ways. Administered by state governments, licensure is quite broad: states allow licensed physicians to practice without restrictions, whether they are administering chemotherapy, replacing heart valves, or delivering babies. It is the profession that has created and applied higher standards for physicians who claim to have specialized knowledge. States don’t regulate claims of special expertise, so we rely on board certification to verify that a physician has received specialized training and achieved and maintained knowledge and skills in a particular field. The medical profession has broadly embraced this credential: 79.1% of all licensed physicians in the United States are board certified by an American Board of Medical Specialties organization.”

--Drs. Richard J. Baron & Clarence H. Braddock III

“Knowing What We Don’t Know — Improving Maintenance of Certification”

New England Journal of Medicine

What is licensure?

In order for a physician to practice medicine in the United States, they must obtain a medical license. A medical license is an occupational license that permits a person to legally practice medicine. It is not granted to just anyone with a medical degree. Rather, each state has a determined a set of requirements for obtaining a license to practice in that state. Requirements vary among states, but in general, one must obtain:

A medical doctorate from a U.S. or internationally accredited medical school.

Certificate of completion of a medical residency training in an Accreditation for Graduate Medical Education accredited program.

A passing score on a licensing exam such as the USMLE, FLEX or NBME.

A medical license must be maintained by remaining in good behavioral standing as well as completing a certain amount of Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits every year. The number of credits varies from state to state, but is usually around 50.

What is board certification?

Board certification is a meaningful indicator that a doctor has the knowledge, experience and skills necessary to provide high-quality patient care. Although board certification is voluntary, ABIM Board Certification is recognized throughout the world as signifying excellence in the practice of internal medicine and its subspecialties.

Board certified internists and subspecialists have demonstrated the ability and the commitment to lifelong learning, which is necessary to provide the high-quality care that every patient deserves. Approximately one out of four practicing physicians nationwide is certified by ABIM.*

ABIM Board Certification requirements include:

Completion of the required pre-doctoral medical education;

Completion of required training in an accredited residency or fellowship program;

Assessment and documentation of individual performance from the residency or fellowship training director or from the chief of service in the hospital where the specialist practices;

An unrestricted license to practice medicine; and

Passing a secure, computer-based certification examination.

What is Maintenance of Certification?

After a physician is initially certified in a given specialty they participate in ABIM’s Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. MOC provides doctors with a structured pathway to demonstrate they are staying current in the medical knowledge they use to treat patients and make important care decisions daily. Generally this means they need to participate in ongoing educational activities and pass a periodic assessment in the area in which they hold certification.

What’s the difference between Continuing Medical Education (CME) and MOC?

CME is a verification of participation in an educational activity; MOC is the demonstration that knowledge has been gained. While some educational activities for physicians count for both CME and MOC, the standards for MOC generally remain more stringent as board certification is a higher standard of demonstrated knowledge than licensure.

Why Choose a Board Certified Physician? 

- Board Certified Physicians are Positively Different

o- MOC Makes a Difference

o

- ABIM by the Numbers, Pt 1

o

DIGITAL ADVOCACY KIT

Messaging: Spread The Word

Use the messages below as a starting point for talking about the importance of board certification:

- FOR INDIVIDUALS: Public Members of ABIM Governance & Patient Influencerso It’s important for me to consider board certification when selecting a physician for

myself and for my loved ones.o Board certification gives me peace of mind and allows me to trust not only a doctor’s

expertise but also their commitment to staying current.

- FOR ORGANIZATIONS: Patient Advocacy, Research, or Health Systemso It’s important for patients/caretakers to consider board certification when selecting a

specialist to guide them through a new or existing diagnosis. o Patients with X disease require doctors with specialized knowledge and skills. Board

certification can help you determine whether a specialist is right for you.

- FOR PHYSICIANS: Diplomates, Governance, Society Leaderso Patients should know all that physicians do to maintain their board certification. Doctors

deserve credit for all they do to stay current.

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Make your online messages more impactful by adding an image. Use our pre-made graphics, or make your own! If your organization would like to customize any of our graphics with your own branding, please get in touch with us and we’ll send you a design file.

Licensure vs Board Certification “Infographic”

Doctors work hard to keep up with current medical knowledge and skills.

Did you know that doctors maintain their state medical license? There’s also a good chance that they are maintaining board certification with a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization.

Here’s how they’re different, and why it’s important.

LICENSURE

General

In order to be a licensed physician, doctors must:

- Earn a medical degree (i.e., MD or DO)- Complete medical residency training in

an accredited program- Pass a state licensing exam

Required by law

Issued by state government

BOARD CERTIFICATION

Specific

In order to be a board certified physician, doctors must:

- Obtain and maintain state medical license

- Complete a residency or fellowship in a specialized field

- Pass a certification exam in the same specialized field in which they trained

Voluntary, but independently required by many hospitals and health care systems

Issued by physician-led, nonprofit organization

Your doctor could be board certified in:

Cardiology Gastroenterology Oncology Rheumatology Nephrology

“…States allow licensed physicians to practice without restrictions, whether they are administering chemotherapy, replacing heart valves, or delivering babies. It is the [medical] profession that has created and applied higher standards for physicians who claim to have specialized knowledge. States don't regulate claims of special expertise, so we rely on board certification to verify that a physician has received specialized training and achieved and maintained knowledge and skills in a particular field.”

--Drs. Richard J. Baron & Clarence H. Braddock III

“Knowing What We Don’t Know — Improving Maintenance of Certification” New England Journal of Medicinei

100% of physicians practicing legally in the United States must earn and maintain a medical license

79.1% of licensed physicians have earned and maintain board certification

Licensed DoctorsBoard Certified

Doctors

Find out more at:

https://www.abim.org/media-center/facts-figures/board-certification-basics/all.aspx

i Baron, Richard J., and Clarence H. Braddock. “Knowing What We Don’t Know — Improving Maintenance of Certification.” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 375, no. 26, 2016, pp. 2516–2517., doi:10.1056/nejmp1612106.ii Young A, Chaudhry HJ, Pei X, Halbesleben K, Polk DH, Dugan M. A census of actively licensed physicians in the United States, 2014. J Med Regul 2015;101:8-23