title: Orthopaedic recertification.
abstract: This report summarizes a symposium presented at the 2001 Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Association that was designed to assess the current status of recertification by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) and to determine how it will change in the near future. Recertification is a process whereby the general public is assured of quality medical care by a competent and knowledgeable physician. As a professional organization, we have an obligation to provide quality care. The nature of the public demand for standards ensuring competence and the history of recertification in orthopaedic surgery are examined. The recertification of commercial airline pilots is reviewed, as it provides a model of an unrelated but highly skilled profession requiring intellectual and technical proficiency. The goals and plans of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), which encompasses the views of all twenty-four major specialty boards including orthopaedic surgery, are reviewed. Finally, the future plans of the ABOS for recertification are considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Fl 33101, USA.
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Eismont
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Cruess
authors.forename: G Paul
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: DeRosa
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kohn
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States