Our Story

A Commitment to Excellence in Medicine

It all started with a powerful idea: to create a system that ensures physicians are expertly trained and dedicated to lifelong learning, and which allows the public to identify qualified specialists they can trust. This led to the development of rigorous standards for education and evaluation — and a framework of certification to uphold them.

A Legacy of Leadership

The history of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) goes back to a pivotal era in medicine with the emergence of medical specialties. Since the first proposal for a specialty board in 1908, physicians have collaborated to elevate the standards of medical practice through board certification. In 1933, ABMS was officially established to coordinate these efforts and provide a platform for collaboration across medical specialties. Just one year later, the first general qualifications and educational requirements for certification were introduced.

Building the Future of Certification

Over the years, the board certification process has evolved to reflect a more holistic and rigorous evaluation of physicians. Today’s standards offer a structured framework that enables Member Boards to design certification programs focused on lifelong learning and continuous professional development. These programs actively engage physicians in activities that are directly relevant to their clinical practice.

ABMS Member Boards

ABMS Member Boards play a vital role in health care through certifying physicians in their specialties and subspecialties. Certification isn’t a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process that includes learning, assessment, and professional development activities that help physicians stay current with the latest medical advancements.

Each medical specialty board is led by experts in the field and includes representatives from national medical organizations. This ensures that certification standards reflect both deep expertise and broad collaboration across the medical community.

Member Boards by Year Approved To Become Part of ABMS