American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Member Boards have updated their professionalism policies in the last few years aligning with ABMS’ Policy on Professional Conduct approved in 2022.
The most significant changes revolve around clarifying expectations for professional behavior, consequences for unprofessional behavior, and due process. The following examples highlight how different Member Boards are enhancing their professionalism policies to promote a culture of respect, integrity, and excellence in patient care.
The American Board of Surgery (ABS) updated its Ethics and Professionalism Policy with the Code of Ethics and Professionalism in 2024. The Code outlines exactly what is expected of surgeons certified by ABS and what kinds of issues might lead to loss of certification. The Code also enables ABS to take action against a certified surgeon’s license if the board discovers that the surgeon has violated the code or falsely attested to abiding by it.
The American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) recently updated its professionalism policy by encompassing professionalism and ethical/moral principles and aptly renaming it the Honor Code: Professionalism, Ethical and Moral Principles. Among the changes in the Honor Code, it explicitly lists the falsification of documents and/or data for continuing certification as grounds for disciplinary action and provides broader discretion for disciplinary measures in cases of unprofessional conduct, regardless of licensure status.
In 2024, the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery replaced its professionalism policy with a self-standing document called Principles of Professionalism. It addresses behaviors regarding patient care, professional standards, and professional conduct.
When the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ABMGG) updated its Guidelines for Medical Professionalism in 2023, the board added a section on the importance of self-care as a component of medical professionalism. ABMGG also stressed understanding the social determinants of health and practicing cultural humility.
For more than 10 years, the American Board of Family Medicine’s (ABFM) professionalism standards have been broader than just licensure, to include Drug Enforcement Administration licensure and Medicare fraud. ABFM last revised its Guidelines for Professionalism, Licensure, and Personal Conduct in 2021 and updated it in 2022. Significant changes include adding flexibility about a board certified family physician’s special circumstances, language, and processes related to mis/disinformation (including reprimands as a new option for discipline), and processes related to opioid misuse.
Maintaining high standards of professional conduct is essential for board certified physicians to provide high-quality care ethically, professionally, and safely. The ABMS Member Boards are ensuring that their professionalism policies reflect the nuances of practicing evidence-based medicine in today’s health care environment.
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