American Board of Medical Specialties

The American Board of Medical Specialties® (ABMS) promotes safe, quality patient health care by elevating the discipline of specialty medicine through board certification ABMS board certification serves two primary roles:- - As an independent evaluation of a physician’s or medical specialist’s knowledge and skills to practice safely and effectively in a specialty As a trusted credential patients can rely upon when selecting a provider for their needs The value of board certification by an ABMS Member Board is that it provides an ongoing, independent evaluation to assure that the specialty physician workforce:- Is skilled and clinically competent- Develops their specialty expertise throughout their careers- Meets the standards of practice established by their peers It is demonstrated by the ongoing public interest in seeking out board certified physicians and medical specialists (known as diplomates) and by the number of hospitals and other health care organizations that make board certification a key qualification for medical staff privileges