From Resident to Diplomate: The Purpose and Process of Becoming Board Certified

The purpose of this editorial is to share with you the history, purpose, and value of board certification and to describe the process by which you can become board certified at the end of residency. Up to now, your time has been spent in formal medical education—4 years of medical school and up to 3 years in residency training, depending on your current training year. Your professional career, however, will last 30 to 40 years after residency! Board certification focuses on the rest of your career and can help you keep up with new knowledge and ongoing practice transformation.