Diplomate Spotlight Opening Doors with Board Certification: A Conversation with Long Standing Diplomate Joseph Cook Read Opening Doors with Board Certification: A Conversation with Long Standing Diplomate Joseph Cook
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Home Research Research Library Specialty board certification in the United States: issues and evidence Specialty board certification in the United States: issues and evidence 2013 Author(s) Lipner, R S, Hess, B J, and Phillips, Robert L Topic(s) Family Medicine Certification, Role of Primary Care, and Achieving Health System Goals Keyword(s) Cognitive Expertise, Performance Improvement, Professionalism, Quality Of Care, and Self-Assessment And Lifelong Learning Volume Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions Source Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions BACKGROUND: The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) certification and maintenance of certification (MOC) programs strive to provide the public with guidance about a physician’s competence. This study summarizes the literature on the effectiveness of these programs. METHOD: A literature search was conducted for studies published between 1986 and April 2013 and limited to ABMS certification. A modified version of Kirkpatrick’s 4 levels of program evaluation included the reaction of stakeholders to certification, the extent to which physicians are encouraged to improve, the relationship between performance in the programs and nonclinical external measures of physician competence, and the relationship of performance in the programs with clinical quality measures. RESULTS: Patients’ and hospitals’ value of board certification and physician participation in MOC are high. Physicians are conflicted as to whether the effort involved is worth its value. Self-reported evidence shows improvement in knowledge, practice infrastructure, communication with patients and peers, and clinical care. Certification performance is generally related to nonclinical external measures such as types of training, practice characteristics, demographics, and disciplinary actions. In general, physicians who are board certified provide better patient care, albeit the results have modest effect sizes and are not unequivocal. CONCLUSIONS: Certification boards should continuously try to improve their programs in response to feedback from stakeholders, changes in the way physicians practice, as well as the growth in the fields of measurement and technology. Keeping pace with these changes in a responsible and evidence-based way is important. Read More ABFM Research Read all 2020 Oral corticosteroid use, obesity, and ethnicity in children with asthma Go to Oral corticosteroid use, obesity, and ethnicity in children with asthma 1994 A statement on the generalist physician from the American Boards of Family Practice and Internal Medicine Go to A statement on the generalist physician from the American Boards of Family Practice and Internal Medicine 1990 Prenatal care–a serious national dilemma Go to Prenatal care–a serious national dilemma 2025 The Association Between Residency Characteristics and Graduates Caring for Children: A Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project Go to The Association Between Residency Characteristics and Graduates Caring for Children: A Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project
Author(s) Lipner, R S, Hess, B J, and Phillips, Robert L Topic(s) Family Medicine Certification, Role of Primary Care, and Achieving Health System Goals Keyword(s) Cognitive Expertise, Performance Improvement, Professionalism, Quality Of Care, and Self-Assessment And Lifelong Learning Volume Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions Source Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions
ABFM Research Read all 2020 Oral corticosteroid use, obesity, and ethnicity in children with asthma Go to Oral corticosteroid use, obesity, and ethnicity in children with asthma 1994 A statement on the generalist physician from the American Boards of Family Practice and Internal Medicine Go to A statement on the generalist physician from the American Boards of Family Practice and Internal Medicine 1990 Prenatal care–a serious national dilemma Go to Prenatal care–a serious national dilemma 2025 The Association Between Residency Characteristics and Graduates Caring for Children: A Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project Go to The Association Between Residency Characteristics and Graduates Caring for Children: A Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project
2020 Oral corticosteroid use, obesity, and ethnicity in children with asthma Go to Oral corticosteroid use, obesity, and ethnicity in children with asthma
1994 A statement on the generalist physician from the American Boards of Family Practice and Internal Medicine Go to A statement on the generalist physician from the American Boards of Family Practice and Internal Medicine
2025 The Association Between Residency Characteristics and Graduates Caring for Children: A Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project Go to The Association Between Residency Characteristics and Graduates Caring for Children: A Family Medicine Residency Outcomes Project