Physicians have between three and seven years after finishing residency to become board certified, according to a new policy from the American Board of Medical ڴŮ.
The policy, which became effective this year, marks the first time that ABMS has set time limits for certification.
The four-year span "recognizes that 24 ABMS Member Boards, each certifying physicians in a specialty, have different requirements for Board Certification and offer their certification exams at different intervals," the organization said in a press release.
However, each of the 24 member boards will be required to choose a specific time frame for their individual specialty, with an April 16 deadline for making that decision.
Physicians who do not achieve certification within the specified time period will need to restart the process according to the requirements of the specific board, according to ABMS.
Kevin B. Weiss, MD, ABMS President and CEO, noted in the press release that "board certification is the gold standard for specialists in this country ... The new policy ensures that physicians enter into this process of lifelong learning and professional development without too big a gap after their training."
The new policy also means that physicians who have not yet achieved board certification will only be able to refer to themselves as "board eligible" -- a term not officially recognized by ABMS up until now -- for so long.
"We recognize that physicians sometimes need to signal their intention of becoming board certified when they apply for jobs and attending privileges in hospitals and other facilities," Weiss said. "This policy legitimizes the term 'Board Eligible' during a specific time period, but shuts off the potential for abuse of the term."
The rule also requires member boards to set a deadline -- sometime between 2015 and 2019 -- for physicians currently in the process of becoming board certified to achieve it.