The American Board of Dermatology (ABD), located in Detroit, MI, certifies physicians in dermatology, dermatopathology and pediatric dermatology. Certified physicians are known as diplomates and may represent themselves to the public as “board-certified”. Since its inception in 1932, the ABD has certified over 13,000 physicians. The ABD was one of the original four sponsoring organizations of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)

American Board of Medical Specialties

The 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...

. Dermatologists possess expertise in all aspects of healthy and diseased skin through basic scientific research and clinical care. In addition to the wide range of medical diseases, dermatologists have practices devoted to skin surgery (including aesthetic procedures), care of children with skin disease, immunologic diseases of the skin and pathology of the skin. Dermatologists play an important role in the maintenance of the general public health in educating people about sun avoidance, sun protection and the signs of skin cancer.

Mission statement

The mission of the American Board of Dermatology is to serve the public interest by promoting excellence in the practice of dermatology through lifelong certification.

History

The American Board of Dermatology and Syphilology was incorporated in 1932 in order to set standards in the field and to assure the adequate training and experience of those physicians wishing to call themselves dermatologists. Evaluation of the skin was instrumental in the diagnosis of syphilis before serologic studies became available. In 1955, the name was changed to the American Board of Dermatology.

The ABD originally had nine Directors but has expanded to 16, reflecting the increasing complexity of the field and in response to the public demand for physician accountability in matters of quality assurance. A major new role for the ABD lies in the rigorous maintenance of certification (Maintenance of Certification – Dermatology or MOC-D) program that enrolls physicians in a lifelong certification process encompassing a variety of quality measures and outcomes.

Certification and Maintenance of Certification

Initial certification is attained after post graduate medical education and the notation, “board certified” attests to the physician’s successful mastery of a body of knowledge and set of skills. The ABMS and its affiliated boards strive for the highest standards to assure the public that a board certified physician is current in his/her medical knowledge and that he/she practices medicine ethically.

To assure ongoing competence, maintenance of certification was enacted. As of 2006, all dermatologists successful in initial certification enter MOC-D. Through periodic self assessment of medical knowledge, communication skills, patient safety and practice quality measures, physicians in MOC-D continue to document the high standards they have achieved.

Maintenance of Certification has four elements:

1. Professional standing – physicians must document that their state licenses are active and unrestricted.
2. Lifelong learning and self-assessment – physicians participate in a minimum amount of continuing medical education and self-assessment programs.
3. Cognitive expertise – physicians must take and pass a proctored and secure examination at least once every ten years.
4. Performance in practice evaluation – physicians study their own practice patterns against national measures to assure high quality.

Related organizations and links

• American Board of Dermatology (ABD)
• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)
  American Board of Medical Specialties
  The 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...
  
  
• American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)
  American Academy of Dermatology
  The American Academy of Dermatology is the largest organization of dermatologists in the world. It was founded in 1938 and represents 17,000 dermatologists in the United States, Canada, and around the world. The Academy grants Fellowships and Associate Memberships, as well as Fellowships for...
  
  
• American Society of Dermatopatholgy (ASDP)
• Society for Pediatric Dermatology (SPD)
• American College of Mohs Surgery
• American Society for Mohs Surgery
• American Society for Dermatologic Surgery