What “board certified” means in the United States

What board certification is

If you're looking at surgeons in the US, you'll see “board certified” everywhere. On websites, in adverts, in directory listings. It sounds official, and it can be. But on its own it doesn't tell you enough. The useful question is always the same: certified by whom?

In the US there's no single national register of doctors. Instead, there are two separate things to check. A licence, issued by a state, says a doctor can practise medicine there. Board certification, from a specialty board, shows they trained in a specialty and passed that board's exams. For plastic surgery, the board to look for is the American Board of Plastic Surgery, or ABPS.

The American Board of Plastic Surgery

ABPS is one of the 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the organisation that sets common standards for specialty certification across US medicine. To be certified, a surgeon must complete the required training in plastic surgery and pass ABPS's written and oral examinations. ABPS also says an active, unrestricted licence is a requirement for certification.

Certification isn't a one-off. ABPS certificates issued since 1995 are valid for ten years, and surgeons take part in a continuous certification programme to keep them. So when you check, look at whether the certification is current, not just whether it was ever granted.

Why the board's name matters

Here's the catch. “Board certified” is a description, not a single credential. There are boards outside the ABMS system, some with names that sound very similar. A surgeon can be truthfully “board certified” by a board that isn't recognised for plastic surgery by ABMS.

That doesn't make every other certificate meaningless. It just means the phrase isn't enough on its own. So ask the simple question: “Which board are you certified by?” For plastic surgery, the answer you're looking for is the American Board of Plastic Surgery. If you hear another name, ask what that board requires and whether it's an ABMS member board.

You may also hear “board eligible”. That usually means a surgeon has finished training but hasn't yet completed certification. It's fine to ask where they are in the process.

For the wider picture on titles, see cosmetic or plastic surgeon?

Licences, states and DocInfo

Each state has its own medical board that issues licences and handles discipline. A surgeon may hold licences in more than one state. The licence should be active in the state where your operation will take place.

DocInfo is a free search run by the Federation of State Medical Boards, a non-profit organisation that brings together information from state boards. It shows the states where a doctor is licensed and any actions taken by a state board. If you see an action listed, read the detail. The state board's own website usually has the full record.

If something doesn't match, don't panic. Names can be spelled differently, and a surgeon who has recently moved may still be updating records. Ask the surgeon's office for their full name as it appears on their licence and certification, then search again. A clear, quick answer is a good sign.

How to check in a few minutes

• Search the surgeon's name on the ABPS “Is your surgeon certified?” lookup.
• Confirm the certification is current.
• If they name a different board, check it on ABMS's Certification Matters site.
• Search DocInfo for their state licences and any board actions.
• Check the licence covers the state where you'll have surgery.

Membership of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons or The Aesthetic Society is another useful sign, as both set certification requirements for members. It's voluntary, though, so it's extra evidence rather than a requirement.

Or send us a name and we'll check the board, the licence and the societies for you, with every source labelled. Our United States page has the links if you'd rather look yourself.

Sources

• American Board of Plastic Surgery, certification lookup Independent
• American Board of Medical Specialties, Certification Matters Independent
• Federation of State Medical Boards, DocInfo Independent
• State medical boards, licence records Official
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons and The Aesthetic Society Independent