ABMS Member Boards

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