ABMS Establishes Time Limit for Physicians to Achieve Board Certification

Physicians have between 3 and 7 years after finishing residency to become board certified, declares a new policy from the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). 

This policy marks the first time that the ABMS has established limits to the certification timeframe. 

“The policy establishes a window of no fewer than three years and no more than seven years between training and certification. Within that timeframe, the maximum time allowed will depend on the specialty,” the press release said. 

Devin B Weiss, MD, president and CEO of ABMS said that the policy serves to guarantee that physicians avoid a large gap between training and “lifelong learning and professional development.”

The policy will also legitimize the previously unrecognized term, “board eligible”, used by physicians who had applied but not yet completed the process of certification, but eliminate the “indefinite” time period in which the term could be used. 

“We recognize that physicians sometimes need to signal their intention of becoming Board Certified when they apply for jobs and attending privileges in hospitals and other facilities,” said Dr. Weiss. “This policy legitimizes the term ‘Board Eligible’ during a specific time period, but shuts off the potential for abuse of the term.”

Physicians who are currently “board eligible” must complete their certification by an as-of-yet unspecified time between 2015 and 2019, to be determined individually by the Member Boards within the physician’s specialty.  

-Michael Potts