title: Board Certification: Going Back to the Future.
abstract: The authors present snapshots of board certification in 1916, the year that the American Board of Ophthalmology was founded, 60 years later in 1976 as periodic recertification emerged, and speculation about what certification might look like in 2036. The concept of board certification and continuous certification in the medical specialties took shape at the beginning of the 20th century with the convergence of a new system of assessment, the emergence of certifying boards, and the creation of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The importance of self-regulation is emphasized as are the principles underlying board certification and the standards that guide it to support its continued relevance as a valued credential and symbol of the highest standard in the practice of medicine.
authors.affiliation: American Board of Medical Specialties, Chicago, Illinois. Electronic address: msteirer@abms.org.
authors.forename: Lois Margaret
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Nora
authors.affiliation: American Board of Medical Specialties, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Sylvia Fonte
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: McGreal
authors.affiliation: American Board of Medical Specialties, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Samantha Guastella
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Nugent
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation / Q000266:history; D002568:Certification / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000266:history*; D013038:Specialization / Q000266:history / Q000592:standards; D013044:Specialty Boards / Q000266:history* / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States