Clarifying the Difference Between Medical Licensure and Board Certification

Editor’s Note: For more on this topic, check out the January issue of Academic Medicine. By: David Price, MD, FAAFP, FACEHP, senior vice president, American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Research and Education Foundation, and executive director, ABMS Multi-Specialty Portfolio Approval Program Medical licensure and Board Certification mean very different things for physicians practicing in the United States and the patients for whom they care. A license is required to practice medicine in this country. Medical licensure indicates that a physician has met minimum requirements for the undifferentiated practice of medicine. To obtain a medical license, individuals must graduate medical school, receive postgraduate training, and pass a comprehensive national medical licensing examination. They must submit proof of their education and training, and provide details about their work history to their state medical board, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards, which represents the 70 state medical and osteopathic regulatory boards within the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia. They are obligated to reveal information that may affect their ability to practice, such as health status, malpractice, and criminal convictions. Only after meeting a state’s qualifications will physicians be granted permission to practice medicine. (State-specific requirements for medical licensure can be found at http://www.fsmb.org/policy/public-resources/stat...
Source: Academic Medicine Blog - Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Tags: Featured Guest Perspective American Board of Medical Specialties board certification Maintenance of Certification medical licensure Source Type: blogs