As the obstacle of graduate medical education opportunities for specialties began to diminish in the 1930s, the specialty board movement gained momentum. Focus shifted on creating a certifying agency for every specialty of medicine and surgery and an advisory board to consult on these activities.

Example of a 1935 brochure that outlined the activities of the Advisory Board for Medical Specialties. (Click on the image above to see a pdf of the brochure.)

After the Committee on Specialists (created by the National Board of Medical Examiners in May of 1932) presented suggestions for establishing national qualifying boards in medical specialties, two major symposiums, held in late 1932 and early 1933, ignited vigorous discussion on the topic. Papers on the following topics were presented at the symposiums:

• Tendencies Toward Specialization
• Function of the Graduate School in the Training of Specialists
• The Control of Medical Specialties
• The Function of Special Boards of Examiners
• The Function of the State
• The Function of the Medical School
• The Relation of the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of the American Medical Association

The leadership of the national special examining boards (Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Dermatology and Syphilology) suggested that while each specialty has particular training issues, there are many issues common to all. The thought of other organizations interested in this matter was therefore solicited in order that there might eventually be some guiding body created whose functions would help in this complicated issue.

Believing that the time was now ripe for further action, the Committee called a conference immediately preceding the June 11, 1933 meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) in Milwaukee. Representatives from the national special examining boards, the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of the American Medical Association, the National Board of Medical Examiners, the Association of American Hospitals, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Federation of the Medical Boards of the United States and representatives of several specialty sections of the American Medical Association met to discuss ways and means of organizing a coordinating board of these groups interested in graduate medical education in the medical specialties and the recognition of specialists.

After a period of discussion, a resolution was passed holding that examination and certification of specialists is best carried on by national boards representing the national specialists societies. It was acknowledged that the efficiency of these boards would be enhanced by the assistance and counsel of an advisory board composed of two delegated representatives from each of the official specialty boards, either then in existence or in the process of formation, and the other organizations represented at the meeting.

This, in essence, was the formation of the Advisory Board for Medical Specialties.

Plans were set up for establishment of a constitution and bylaws for the Advisory Board for Medical Specialties under the guidance of Drs. W.P. Wherry, Louis B. Wilson and Paul Titus. Suggestions were presented as to the name of the organization, its purpose, limitation on power, membership, election of new members, meetings and officers.

The formal organization of the Advisory Board took place at a meeting in Boston on September 20, 1933. Louis B. Wilson, MD became president, J.S. Rodman, MD vice-president and Paul Titus, MD, secretary-treasurer. Members of the executive committee included W.P. Wherry, MD and W. B. Lancaster, MD.

The Constitution and Bylaws were adopted on February 11, 1934. Article II, Section I of the Bylaws stated the purpose of the organization as: "(1) to furnish an opportunity for the discussion of problems common to the various specialty examining boards in medicine and surgery; (2) to act in an advisory capacity to these boards; and (3) to coordinate their work as far as possible." Section II stated that the Council (Advisory Board) shall assume jurisdiction over those policies and problems common to all of the Boards which are expressly delegated to it by the component boards. Section III further stated that the Advisory Board "shall not interfere with the autonomy of any examining board having representation herein" and, in Section IV, the Advisory Board "is authorized to stimulate improvement in postgraduate medical education."

Though broadened since then, these purposes and goals remain much the same today.

• Being the authoritative resource/clearinghouse and voice/forum for issues surrounding physician certification as it relates to the provision of quality healthcare
• Establishing and maintaining the mechanism for recognizing quality in certification and maintenance of certification programs
• Promoting research activities to advance knowledge regarding physician certification
• Providing information and quality services for certification verification

The information for this history has been compiled by ABMS staff through an examination of ABMS' records and documents. As with all historical reporting, the information we've provided is based on our understanding and interpretation of these records. If you find any factual inaccuracies, please advise us by contacting the Director of Marketing and Communications at (847) 563-4531.