Ryan Fitzgerald, DPM PRESENT RI Associate Editor Hess Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Harrisonburg, Virginia

The Importance of
Board Qualification/Certification

There is an excellent thread on the PRESENT Podiatry website eTalk section regarding the importance of board qualification/certification, and after reading the initial thread, and the varied responses, I wanted to share this thread you, and with our greater on community. This is a topic that has received much debate, and I wanted to weigh in with my thoughts and observations.

Let me start by staying that I am, now, fully a believer in the idea of board certification. This was not always the case, but as I have progressed through my residency training and into my own clinical practice, the value these qualifications and certifications provide have gradually become clearer to me. Board certification is becoming increasingly valuable to the provider, for a variety of reasons. Successful certification does indicate, both to hospitals, medical colleagues, and members of the community that a physician has obtained (and maintained) a certain level of excellence in their clinical practice. It is an important litmus test, so to speak. Does this always ring true? No, certainly a board certified provider has the potential to make mistakes just like one who is not certified. However, the general perception within the clinical and patient community is that a board certified provider is going to be better than one who is not certified — and as with most things, rightly or wrongly, perception becomes what matters most to the patients. So what does this mean to you? You want to be on the correct side of that equation. Board certification is certainly a process, and requires a significant amount of sustained effort and organization — but that is partially why it is so valuable, once you have achieved it.

My Own Experience

I've been in practice now for almost 2½ years.  As such, board certification is now starting to loom in the not too far distant future — indeed, I recently submitted my total case log to the ABPS and am awaiting their selection of the specific cases for which I'll send all of the supporting documentation.  During residency, I didn't spend much time worrying about board certification, but as a I look back, I feel I should have spent more time educating myself on the various board options and the processes to allow myself to have a greater understanding of what would be required of me once I got into board-preparation mode.

There are 2 Primary Boards to Consider

It is important to note that there are there are TWO PRIMARY BOARDS you can certify with: the American Board of Podiatric Surgery, ABPS (www.abps.org) and the American Board of Podiatric Orthopedics and Primary Podiatric Medicine, ABPOPPM (www.abpoppm.org). There are differing beliefs as to the value of double board certification, as well as whether or not there is a "better" or "more valuable" board option. Others may argue that one board is more or less surgical than the other, and ultimately, I encourage you to speak with your attendings and mentors and determine which board would be most appropriate for your clinical interest and level of training.

I Chose ABPS Certification

Currently, I am focusing on the ABPS certification. There are a number of reasons for this — most specifically that it is the certification that is recognized by my hospital. To educate yourself on the ABPS process, you can garner a great deal of information from the ABPS website, where you'll see a section for members/candidates.  Go to "documents" and you'll find access to the 210 and 220 documents that will provide you with information and forms about the process.  I would recommend keeping a copy for yourself.  There are two types of certification possible with the ABPS: FOOT SURGERY and REARFOOT RECONSTRUCTION & ANKLE SURGERY. You can test for either or both.

The ABPS Application Process

Foot surgery certification requires submission of 65 cases, while rearfoot reconstruction requires 30 submissions. Within these numbers, you must demonstrate appropriate variety of case procedures to demonstrate the scope and breadth of your training within the subcategories and then, once your total list has been submitted, 10 of these cases are selected by ABPS to be used in your binder, where you send all the required supporting documentation for these specific cases. This information used to be sent via a binder but is now done electronically via website. Assuming your list of 10 cases are accepted, you then have the opportunity to sit for the oral portions of the exam, which are offered in Chicago during the early summer.

It is a harrowing process, and one that can be made better by educating and preparing yourself. I would offer...

Two Recommendations

1. Stay organized and start the process early.  It's no fun trying to tackle a mountain of work at the last minute.  Break the process up into small bites that you can fit into your busy schedule.
2. Keep board certification in mind when you're looking for a job after residency.  If you plan on certifying for the rearfoot reconstruction exam, be sure you'll have the opportunity to build these cases in practice.  If you, for example, go into a practice where the patient population prevents you from doing rearfoot surgery or any trauma, then you may have difficulty compiling enough cases for the boards.

For those of you who have already started the process, or who have recently gone through it, We'd love to hear from you! What tips do you have for the rest of us to make all our lives that much easier?  What hurdles have you come across with your preparations? Good luck with your board preparations.

We at PRESENT love hearing from you. I would encourage you to share your experience, pearls, and wisdom on this topic, or on any other that you would like to share with our online community via eTalk. 
Your continued participation is what makes this Web portal great!

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