A new policy approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties allows physicians to claim board eligibility during a specified time, but prevents abuse by physicians who use the designation indefinitely.
Although ABMS and its member boards have never recognized or defined the term "board eligible," physicians often use the term to communicate to patients, prospective employers and others that they intend to become board certified.
Under the new ABMS policy, member boards will establish a transition plan for candidates who have completed residency training but have not yet achieved initial certification. The boards have established limits to the number of years that can elapse between a physician's completion of residency training and achievement of board certification, and a physician who does not become board certified within the allotted time must restart the process. Physicians will face sanctions if they designate themselves as "board eligible" outside of the established time limits.
"ABMS and its Member Boards believe very strongly that patients, health systems and others who have a stake in high quality healthcare have a right to know what it means when physicians call themselves Board Eligible," said Lloyd Morgan, ABMS chief executive. "It is a disservice to these stakeholders to allow physicians to use the designation indefinitely without undergoing the rigorous process of Board Certification."
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Although ABMS and its member boards have never recognized or defined the term "board eligible," physicians often use the term to communicate to patients, prospective employers and others that they intend to become board certified.
Under the new ABMS policy, member boards will establish a transition plan for candidates who have completed residency training but have not yet achieved initial certification. The boards have established limits to the number of years that can elapse between a physician's completion of residency training and achievement of board certification, and a physician who does not become board certified within the allotted time must restart the process. Physicians will face sanctions if they designate themselves as "board eligible" outside of the established time limits.
"ABMS and its Member Boards believe very strongly that patients, health systems and others who have a stake in high quality healthcare have a right to know what it means when physicians call themselves Board Eligible," said Lloyd Morgan, ABMS chief executive. "It is a disservice to these stakeholders to allow physicians to use the designation indefinitely without undergoing the rigorous process of Board Certification."
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