The Importance of Board Certification When It Comes To Selecting the Right Doctor
You may have seen the term “board certified” linked with a medical provider’s name, but do you know what it means or why it’s important?
Dr. Ray Powell
Over the course of his career, Dr. Powell has made an extensive effort to continue his training and expand his certification to the following Medical Boards:
- Board Certified, Emergency Medicine, 2002
- Board Certified, Bariatric Medicine, 2006
- Board Certified, Physician Nutrition Specialist, 2010
- Board Certified, Obesity Medicine, 2013
These certifications are an important indicator for patients and prospective patients, that Dr. Powell is not only knowledgeable about the latest advances and best practices in the areas of his certification, but also that he is able to provide the best care possible to his weight management patients.
What is Board Certification? How Does a Doctor Get Certified?
To practice medicine in the United States, doctors must graduate from a post-graduate medical school program, complete their medical residency and become licensed in the state in which he or she will practice. In order to be qualified to practice in a specialty such as bariatric medicine or a sub-specialty such as obesity medicine, however, a doctor must voluntarily meet additional requirements, appropriate to that specialty.
For example, to earn board certification in Obesity Medicine, a doctor must already maintain active board certification in an American Board of Medical Specialty, have successfully completed an on-site clinical fellowship with an obesity component (or have successfully completed a minimum of 60 credit hours of continuing medical education (CME), have passed a written Board exam, and have completed a case review.
Once board certification is earned, it must be maintained over the course of his or her career. This generally requires additional training, education and testing.