American Board of Family Medicine
Encyclopedia
The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) is a non-profit
, independent medical association
of American
physician
s who practice in family medicine
and its sub-specialties. Founded in February 1969 as the American Board of Family Practice (ABFP), the group was the 20th medical specialty to be recognized and was formed out of a need to encourage medical school
graduates to enter general practice. It adopted its current name in 2005.
The American Board of Family Medicine is the second-largest medical specialty board in the United States. Its purposes include:
Certification candidates must have satisfactorily completed three years of training in a Family Medicine residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) subsequent to receipt of the M.D. or D.O. degree from an accredited institution. Additional policies apply to candidates who have completed their medical or residency training outside the United States.
Review certification policies
The American Board of Family Medicine requires periodic recertification to maintain Diplomate status. Currently certificates are valid for a seven-year period; however, as of January 2007, a Diplomate who meets all the requirements for MC-FP within the required timeframes will have the opportunity to extend their certificate to a ten-year period.
is the official publication of the board, succeeding The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice which was published 1988-2005.
http://www.cfpc.ca, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
, and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
. Diplomates of the ABFM may be eligible to seek certification by these colleges as well. Members in good standing of these colleges who meet all other requirements of the ABFM and reside in the United States may be eligible to take the Certification Examination. Eligibility to sit for the American Board of Family Medicine Certification Examination through reciprocity is available only to physicians who have satisfactorily completed formal Family Medicine or General Practitioner training accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization within Canada
, Australia
, or New Zealand
.https://www.theabfm.org/cert/reciprocity.aspx
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, independent medical association
Medical association
A health association is a professional organization for health professionals. They are often based on specialty and are usually national, often with subnational or regional affiliates. Health associations usually offer conferences and continuing education...
of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s who practice in family medicine
Family medicine
Family medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body...
and its sub-specialties. Founded in February 1969 as the American Board of Family Practice (ABFP), the group was the 20th medical specialty to be recognized and was formed out of a need to encourage medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
graduates to enter general practice. It adopted its current name in 2005.
The American Board of Family Medicine is the second-largest medical specialty board in the United States. Its purposes include:
- Improving the quality of medical care available to the public
- Establishing and maintaining standards of excellence in the specialty of family medicine
- Improving the standards of medical education for training in family medicine
- Determining by evaluation the fitness of specialists in family medicine who apply for and hold certificates
Mission
The mission of the ABFM is to promote excellence in medical care through educational and scientific initiatives. Through certification and maintenance of certification programs the ABFM pursues its mission by establishing, maintaining, and measuring high standards of excellence in the specialty of Family Medicine. The ABFM seeks to provide assurance to the public that certified family physicians possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to provide quality care to the individual, family and community through commitment to professional standing, continued competency in the specialty of Family Medicine, and lifelong learning.Certification
Candidates seeking certification or recertification must meet the eligibility criteria specified by the American Board of Family Medicine. Candidates must complete all requirements, culminating in the successful completion of the cognitive examination.Certification candidates must have satisfactorily completed three years of training in a Family Medicine residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) subsequent to receipt of the M.D. or D.O. degree from an accredited institution. Additional policies apply to candidates who have completed their medical or residency training outside the United States.
Review certification policies
The American Board of Family Medicine requires periodic recertification to maintain Diplomate status. Currently certificates are valid for a seven-year period; however, as of January 2007, a Diplomate who meets all the requirements for MC-FP within the required timeframes will have the opportunity to extend their certificate to a ten-year period.
Maintenance of Certification for Family Physicians (MC-FP)
Maintenance of Certification for Family Physicians (MC-FP) is the process that provides the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) with the means to continually assess Diplomates. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) determined that ABMS specialists within every discipline should be required to meet the highest standards of accountability. In response the ABMS designed a process called Maintenance of Certification, and each specialty board within the ABMS has agreed to adhere to a set structure in developing their own individual programs. This structure consists of four components, each designed to assess important physician characteristics: Professionalism (Part I), Self-assessment and Lifelong Learning (Part II), Cognitive Expertise (Part III), and Performance in Practice (Part IV). Although these elements are similar to and consistent with the ABFM's long-standing recertification program, MC-FP stresses the importance of ongoing participation in activities that evaluate each of these components between recertification examinations. MC-FP is a requirement that the ABFM believes encourages clinical excellence and benefits both physicians and their patients.Publications
The Journal of the American Board of Family MedicineJournal of the American Board of Family Medicine
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine is the official publication of the American Board of Family Medicine. It was formerly published as The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice by the Board of the Massachusetts Medical Society....
is the official publication of the board, succeeding The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice which was published 1988-2005.
Reciprocity Agreements
The American Board of Family Medicine has reciprocity agreements with the College of Family Physicians of CanadaCollege of Family Physicians Canada
The College of Family Physicians of Canada is a professional association and the legal certifying body for family medicine in Canada. This national organization of family physicians was founded in 1954 and currently numbers over 25,000 members....
http://www.cfpc.ca, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
The Royal New Zealand College Of General Practitioners is the professional body for General Practitioners in New Zealand.The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners is responsible for maintaining standards for quality clinical practice, education and training, and research in New Zealand...
, and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
The Royal Australian College Of General Practitioners is the professional body for General Practitioners in Australia.The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners is responsible for maintaining standards for quality clinical practice, education and training, and research in Australian...
. Diplomates of the ABFM may be eligible to seek certification by these colleges as well. Members in good standing of these colleges who meet all other requirements of the ABFM and reside in the United States may be eligible to take the Certification Examination. Eligibility to sit for the American Board of Family Medicine Certification Examination through reciprocity is available only to physicians who have satisfactorily completed formal Family Medicine or General Practitioner training accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization within Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, or New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.https://www.theabfm.org/cert/reciprocity.aspx
See also
- American Academy of Family PhysiciansAmerican Academy of Family PhysiciansThe American Academy of Family Physicians was founded in 1947 to promote the science and art of family medicine. It is one of the largest medical organizations in the United States, with over 100,000 members...
- American Board of Medical SpecialtiesAmerican Board of Medical SpecialtiesThe American Board of Medical Specialties is a non-profit physician-led umbrella organization for 24 of the 26 approved medical specialty boards in the United States...
- Royal New Zealand College of General PractitionersRoyal New Zealand College of General PractitionersThe Royal New Zealand College Of General Practitioners is the professional body for General Practitioners in New Zealand.The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners is responsible for maintaining standards for quality clinical practice, education and training, and research in New Zealand...
- Royal Australian College of General PractitionersRoyal Australian College of General PractitionersThe Royal Australian College Of General Practitioners is the professional body for General Practitioners in Australia.The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners is responsible for maintaining standards for quality clinical practice, education and training, and research in Australian...