Being in-the-know about why physician board certifications matter can really pay-off for patients seeking a new doctor, especially if you are in need of an orthopedic surgeon or specialist. However, it’s not as cut and dried as it may appear.
After four years of medical school, students participate in hands-on clinical rounds otherwise known as a residency-training program. During residency, students gain experience at a teaching hospital, surrounded by skilled doctors and nurses.
The general public tends to understand how residency training works, thanks to television shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Scrubs. Beyond residency, people don’t typically see all the hard work that follows.
Receiving a diploma and state licensure is only step one. If a doctor wants to become board certified, they proceed to step two, which is really a lifelong commitment to a medical specialty. The reason you don’t see board certification on T.V.? Board certifications don’t make good T.V., they make good doctors.
To become board certified, you must complete and pass grueling exams. Known as “the boards”, these voluntary, yet exhaustive tests have a big impact on a medical doctor’s future: If you don’t pass your boards, you’re not board certified. And if you’re not board certified, it’s increasingly difficult to find a job in a highly competitive field. To be frank, at MOSH, we don’t hire physicians who are not board certified.
As you research potential doctors of any specialty, make sure board certifications are on your must-have list. Here are five reasons why:
1. Specificity
Physicians choose their board specialty for many reasons. And some earn double-board accreditation. With a laser-focused dedication to a specialty, you know you’re receiving care from a physician who has demonstrated mastery in a particular area of expertise. In the case where multiple board specialties are achieved, patients benefit from the knowledge that results from overlapping expertise, which is especially critical for less-common conditions.
2. Integrity
Board-certified orthopedic surgeons and physicians are steeped in the principles of medical ethics and must abide by a formal code of conduct to practice medicine with integrity and professionalism. In fact, board-certified doctors must pledge to a strict, enforceable code of ethics, which is centered on patient care.
3. Ongoing Education
Physicians don’t just pass their boards, establish a career and suddenly stop learning. The reality is quite the contrary. Board certifications can only be maintained through continued education. Doctors are constantly evaluated on medical advancements, research, and evolving best practices.
4. Improved Patient Outcomes
It may seem logical that physicians who pass strident exams and maintain continual learning offer better results for their patients. Scientifically, this topic has been researched and proven. A finding published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports, “We conclude that a physician’s current certification status should be among the evidence-based measures used in the quality movement.” In other words, board certification yields higher-quality healthcare. Period.
5. Accountability
With certification comes responsibility and consequences. Although rare, certifications can be revoked.
As you research potential providers, pay close attention to board certifications. We’re proud to say that not only are all of our physicians board certified, many hold double certification, including:
- Amin Afsari, D.O.: Certificate of Added Qualifications in Surgery of the Hand; Orthopedic Surgery
- Bindu S. Bamrah, MD: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery; Orthopedic Sports Medicine
- Jamie O. Edwards, MD: American Board of Sports Medicine; Family Medicine
- Brian A. McCarty, MD: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery; Orthopedic Sports Medicine
- Joshua M. Neubauer, MD: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery; Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
- William T. Pennington, MD: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery; Orthopedic Sports Medicine
- Eric B. Pifel, MD: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery; Orthopedic Sports Medicine
- John A. Schneider, MD: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery; Certificate of Added Qualifications in Surgery of the Hand
- James W. Stone, MD: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery; Orthopedic Sports Medicine
- Sean C. Tracy, MD: American Board of Orthopedic Surgery; Orthopedic Sports Medicine
If you want to learn more about board certification, check out the American Board of Medical Specialties website. And schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified physicians today.