How Patient Health Benefits from ABIM Board Certification

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What is a board certified physician?

Board certification is a way for a physician to demonstrate that they have the knowledge, expertise and skills to provide high quality care to patients. Although board certification is voluntary, ABIM Board Certification is recognized globally as signifying excellence in the practice of internal medicine and its subspecialties.

Physicians with this certification have proven that they are committed to lifelong learning by passing rigorous knowledge assessments which have been correlated to better patient outcomes. More than 270,000 physicians have chosen to become ABIM Board Certified. That means approximately one out of every four practicing physicians nationwide are certified by ABIM.*

Why trust your care to a board certified physician?

Research published in peer-reviewed journals shows that when patients are cared for by a board certified physician, they have a number of better health outcomes, including:

• Lower rates of mortality
• Fewer visits to the emergency department
• Fewer hospitalizations
• Better physician-patient relationships that lead to clearer treatment guidelines and preventive planning

What does a physician do to become ABIM Board Certified?

Your physician must meet a rigorous set of requirements to earn ABIM Board Certification, including:

• Completing medical school
• Completing a residency and/or fellowship program
• Evaluation from a training director or hospital chief
• Acquiring a license to practice medicine
• Passing a certification examination

Is your physician maintaining board certification?

Medicine changes rapidly, requiring physicians to stay current in the diagnosis and treatment of patients in order to provide high-quality care. By participating in ABIM's Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, physicians demonstrate their commitment to the highest standards of care.†

After your physician has earned their certificate, they must participate in ABIM’s MOC program to stay certified. The program includes participating in relevant educational activities, as well as periodic knowledge assessments in their discipline to affirm their medical knowledge is current.

You can check the certification of any ABIM Board Certified physician using the Verification of Certification tool below.