The primary function of each ABMS Member Board is to certify physicians in their primary specialty and subspecialty areas and to support the professional development of those board certified physicians throughout their career. This is accomplished through a comprehensive process involving educational requirements, professional peer evaluation, examination, and professional development.
The governing body of each individual specialty board comprises specialists qualified in the particular field represented by that board. Members of the governing bodies include representatives from among the national specialty organizations in related fields.
Since 1933, specialty boards have been approved jointly by action of ABMS and the American Medical Association Council on Medical Education (AMA/CME). This determination begins with a review by the Liaison Committee for Specialty Boards (LCSB), an organization sponsored by ABMS and AMA/CME. The function of LCSB is to receive and evaluate applications for approval of new specialty boards according to standards and procedures agreed upon by both ABMS and AMA.
The ABMS Member Boards and the year approved as part of ABMS include:
1933
Founding Members:
American Board of Dermatology
American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
American Board of Ophthalmology
American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
1935
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
American Board of Pediatrics
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
American Board of Radiology
American Board of Urology
1936
American Board of Internal Medicine
American Board of Pathology
1937
American Board of Surgery
1940
American Board of Neurological Surgery
1941
American Board of Anesthesiology
American Board of Plastic Surgery
1947
American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
1949
American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery
American Board of Preventive Medicine
1969
American Board of Family Medicine
1971
American Board of Allergy and Immunology
American Board of Nuclear Medicine
American Board of Thoracic Surgery
1979
American Board of Emergency Medicine
1991
American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics