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 orthopedic surgeons. These standards are evaluated by the ABOS through examinations and practice evaluations.
The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery is one of twenty-four certifying boards that have met the educational and organizational requirements necessary for membership in the American Board of Medical Specialties. The Directors of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery are distinguished orthopedic 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 orthopedic surgeon has met the specified educational, evaluation, and examination requirements of the Board.
The Board Certification process includes the following components:
Educational
Examinations
After completing graduate orthopedic surgery residency education, a doctor must meet the following criteria to become Certified by 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 orthopedic surgeons. These standards are evaluated by the ABOS through examinations and practice evaluations.
The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery is one of twenty-four certifying boards that have met the educational and organizational requirements necessary for membership in the American Board of Medical Specialties. The Directors of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery are distinguished orthopedic 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 orthopedic surgeon has met the specified educational, evaluation, and examination requirements of the Board.
The Board Certification process includes the following components:
Educational
- Must have graduated from an accredited medical school and passed all examinations necessary to receive an unrestricted medical license.
- Must have satisfactorily completed five years of graduate orthopaedic surgery education in an accredited orthopaedic surgery residency program in the United States of Canada. The residency training must include experience with all age groups in operative and non-operative treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, diseases, and deformities in pediatric orthopedics, total joint and other arthritis surgery, sports medicine, the spine, foot and ankle, elbow and shoulder, hand, rehabilitation, fractures and other injuries, benign and malignant tumors of bone, joints and muscles, and arthroscopy.
Examinations
After completing graduate orthopedic surgery residency education, a doctor must meet the following criteria to become Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery:
- Have a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States, its territories, government service, or Canada.
- Pass the Part I examination, which is a written examination about the material taught during the residency training.
- Have completed 22 months of practice of operative orthopedic surgery after successfully completing graduate education.
- Have demonstrated professional proficiency and ethical practice based on recommendations from physiciaisn familiar with his / her practice.
- Pass the Part II examination, which is on oral examination based on a six month list of operative cases.
