Certification Info

This exam is conducted by The American Board of Pediatrics, Founded in 1933. The American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) is one of the 24 certifying boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The ABP is an independent, nonprofit organization whose certificate is recognized throughout the world as a credential signifying a high level of physician competence. Click here for a brief history of the ABP.

The Board of Directors of the ABP consists of distinguished pediatricians in education, research, and clinical practice, as well as one or more nonphysicians who have a professional interest in the health and welfare of children and adolescents. The ABP strives to improve training, establishes the requirements for certification, and sets the standards for its examinations.

Certification by the ABP has one objective -- to promote excellence in medical care for children and adolescents. Certification represents dedication to the highest level of professionalism in patient care. ABP certification provides a standard of excellence by which the public can select pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists. Although ABP certification is voluntary, nearly all qualified pediatricians seek this recognition. Click here for a comprehensive overview of the board certification process.

Board Certification
The ABP's certificate in General Pediatrics is awarded after all the following requirements have been met:

• GRADUATION from an accredited medical school in the United States or Canada or from a foreign medical school recognized by the World Health Organization.
• COMPLETION of three years of training in pediatrics in an accredited residency program. This training involves the care of children and adolescents in hospital and outpatient settings and is supervised by highly trained medical specialists.
• VERIFICATION of satisfactory completion of residency training and acceptability as a practitioner of pediatrics, including the achievement of clinical competence and the demonstration of professional and ethical behavior.
• POSSESSION of a valid, unrestricted state license to practice medicine.
• SUCCESSFUL completion of a comprehensive two-day written examination covering all aspects of health care for infants, children, and adolescents.

Subspecialists may earn certification in their field after three additional years of training in a focused area such as pediatric infectious diseases. They must be evaluated and recommended by someone qualified to judge their work, and they must pass a demanding examination in their subspecialty.

Information about certification status can also be obtained by calling the ABP at 919-929-0461 or the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) at 1-888-ASK-ABMS (275-2267). Certified specialists are also listed under Who's Certified at www.abms.org and in directories published by the ABMS. These include individual directories for each specialty and The Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists, which can be found in many public and university libraries, hospital libraries, and medical school libraries.