B O A R D O F CERTIFICATION INFAMILY MEDICINE O B S T E T R I C S

®

Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics® (BCFMO®)

The BCFMO® has developed an innovative, new and nationally recognized board of certification in support of family physicians who have completed advanced training in maternity care, includ-ing operative obstetrics.

BCFMO® is dedicated and committed to ensuring and assuring that BCFMO® Diplomates demonstrate the highest degree of qual-ity and a core body of knowledge for obstetrical care that is above and beyond that conveyed by certification in Family Medicine alone.

BCFMO® is fully dedicated to women’s health and will facilitate continual learning among family medicine physicians caring for pregnant patients.

Board Certification for Family Medicine Obstetrics is now available through the Board of Certification

in Family Medicine Obstetrics® (BCFMO®).The BCFMO® has taken the lead with a newly emerging, national and valid board of certification that is comparable and equiva-lent with any other nationally recognized board of certification.

The BCFMO® has recently been developed by dedicated family medicine physicians from the United States and Canada. It is im-portant to note, that some of the Board Members of the Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics® are dual-boarded physicians ---- board certified by member boards of the ABPS® and also board certified by member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or the American Osteopathic Associa-tion Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (AOABOS).

Consider the following:

• OB/GYN residencies are decreasing in number;

• OB/GYN residency graduates are electing for Non-OB subspecialties;

• Practicing OB physicians are limiting or leaving maternity care;

• CNMWs perform well but cannot perform alone;

• It is ironic and unusual in these times to practice in a high risk setting such as operative obstetrics without recognized board certification; and

• Hospitals, managed care organizations and the pub-lic expect their attending physicians to be board certified in all significant areas of clinical practice.

Family Medicine ObstetricsThe BCFMO® recognizes the advanced level of training and experience some Family Medicine physicians gain through recognized Fellowship programs or their historical equiva-lent. Therefore, if Family Medicine Obstetrics is a field to which you aspire and possess significant background and experience, we certainly encourage you to consider board certification through BCFMO®. Board certification in Family Medicine includes routine maternity care only and does not cover advanced or operative obstetrics. Board certification by BCFMO® has been developed specifically to meet this need.

Evidence consistently favors the need for more primary care if we are committed to better outcomes. The scope and practice settings for Fam-ily Medicine are ideal for OB. There are inadequate numbers of role models for Family Medicine OB training. Graduates of OB fellowship programs are in demand to meet this need.

Family Medicine residency programs vary consider-ably in exposure and commitment to maternity care. Meeting the patient care and training program needs for maternity care will require more Family Medicine Obstetrical train-ing. There are currently 32 Family Medicine OB fellowship programs. Both operative and high risk OB privileges are attainable, especially in areas of need.

Obstetrics Fellowships Are Increasing

Obstetrics Fellowship programs for Family Physicians who choose to practice advanced and operative obstet-rics began in 1984. Training programs that taught obstet-rics, whether they were OB/GYN or Family Medicine Residencies or Rotating Internships, began seeing a de-crease in patient care opportunities as far back as the 1980s. Patients with Medicaid, patients without insur-ance, charity patients, and those with no prenatal care were historically the mainstay for teaching institutions. With improvement in qualification for coverage and reimbursement to physicians approaching commercial insurance, most healthcare providers in Obstetrics en-rolled as providers for Medicaid. While this was good for patients, it presented a challenge for teaching institu-tions from coast to coast. Training programs added extra rotations, junior attendings and eventually Obstetrics Fellowships to achieve added numbers of deliveries. We now see the number of Family Medicine Obstetrics Fel-lowships grow each year.

Why Board Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics?

There are many compelling reasons why board certifica-tion of Family Medicine Obstetricians has become so important. Board certification has become a necessary and essential component in the practice of all medical disciplines today. The public has come to expect that physicians will be board certified. Issues surrounding authentication of training and capability of fellowship graduates, the comparability of training with OB/GYNs, and recognition of this unique subspecialty are best ad-dressed by Board certification. Among the most compel-ling reasons to certify Family Medicine Obstetricians are addressing criteria for hospital and surgical privileging and facilitating success with insurance credentialing and malpractice carriers. Department Chairs and Program Directors seek a valid and authentic method to certify a fellow’s training and level of competency. Similarly, board certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics will be the stepping stone to accreditation for fellowship train-ing programs.

Recognition of Family Medicine Obstetrics

Clinical disciplines are recognized as a medical specialty when sufficient numbers of physicians practicing that spe-cialty join together in organizations to establish criteria for core competencies, set standards for eligibility and develop certifying examinations to verify knowledge and skill within that specialty. This process happened in Fam-ily Medicine several decades ago. More recently, recog-nition of advanced training has occurred in core areas of Family Medicine such as Geriatrics and Sports Medicine, and is now happening with Family Medicine Obstetrics.

Evolution of Family Medicine Obstetric Care

Because of the tremendous needs of obstetrical care in many parts of the United States of America, many Family Medicine Obstetricians have evolved their care and prac-tices into “Obstetrics only” practices. These practices attest not only to the terrific need for care but the support these physicians receive from patients, communities, hospitals and colleagues. In most settings however, Family Medi-cine Obstetricians provide full service OB care as a part of their family practice. Physicians in both types of practice need an examination, certification and recertification sys-tem that addresses and recognizes the scope of practice they see and manage. The Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics® has fully recognized the need for ad-vanced training in OB as a matter of public health.

BCFMO® does not differentiate between allo-pathic and osteopathic physicians and eligibility is extended and available to Board Certified Fam-ily Physicians practicing in the U.S. and Canada. BCFMO® is also unique among Boards by includ-ing a public, consumer member on the board, with the same full voting rights as the physician board members.

Interested Family Medicine Obstetricians are en-couraged to contact us at 813-433-2277 or visit us at www.BCFMO.org to obtain additional and detailed information concerning board certifica-tion in family medicine obstetrics. Comprehen-sive information is available including eligibility requirements and standards, examination infor-mation, study references and applications.

BCFMO® will also be pleased to respond to physi-cian inquiries via mail or fax and provide BCFMO® information kits. Please complete and return the attached reply card.

Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics®

5550 West Executive Drive • Suite 400Tampa, Florida 33609

813-433-2277 • Fax: 813-830-6599wcarbone@aapsus.org • www.bcfmo.org

BCFMO® is a Member Board of the American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS®)

Advanced Specialty Training/Residency

(Number of Years Required)

Documentation of Clinical Experience &

Case Reports Required

Years to Complete Certification after initial

Application

ABPS ABMS AOABOS ABPS ABMS AOABOS ABPS ABMS AOABOS

3* CNO CNO Yes CNO CNO 6 CNO CNO

FAMILY MEDICINE OBSTETRICSCERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

A Comparison between ABPS, ABMS†, AOABOS†

Oral Exam Clinical Exam Life Certification Offered

ABPS ABMS AOABOS ABPS ABMS AOABOS ABPS ABMS AOABOS

Yes CNO CNO No CNO CNO No CNO CNO

Membership Prerequisite Required Require Public Members Limited Exam Attempts Per

Applicant Cycle

ABPS ABMS AOABOS ABPS ABMS AOABOS ABPS ABMS AOABOS

No CNO CNO Yes CNO CNO Yes CNO CNO

Annual Attestation of Full Unrestricted Medical License

ABPS ABMS AOABOS

Yes CNO CNO

FAMILY MEDICINE OBSTETRICSRECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

A Comparison between ABPS, ABMS†, AOABOS†

*Residency must be in specialty in which certification is sought CNO: Certification Not Offered RAR: Recertification Always Required

† Source: Internet web sites November 2008

Disclaimer: ABPS has used reasonable efforts to insure that the above information is ac-curate and up to date; ABPS makes no warranties or representations as to such accuracy, and assumes no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information or content. Use of the information is at your own risk. Neither ABPS nor any other party involved in creating, producing, or delivering the information is liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages arising out of your access to, or use, of the information. Without limiting the forgoing, everything is provided to you ‘AS IS’ WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NOT ON NON-INFRINGEMENT.

Number of Years Before Recertification Required

Documentation of Clinical Experience & Case Reports

Required

Year Voluntary Recertification Ended

ABPS ABMS AOABOS ABPS ABMS AOABOS ABPS ABMS AOABOS

8 CNO CNO No CNO CNO RAR CNO CNO

Number of CME Hours Required Per Year

Completion of Non-Remedial Medical Ethics Course

Recertification Reciprocity Offered

ABPS ABMS AOABOS ABPS ABMS AOABOS ABPS ABMS AOABOS

50 CNO CNO Yes CNO CNO Yes CNO CNO

Life Certification Offered

ABPS ABMS AOABOS

No CNO CNO

Please print all information clearly, detach, and return by m

ail: 5550 West Executive D

rive • Suite 400 Tampa, FL 33609-1035 • 813-433-2277 or fax: 813-830-6599

Please send me a BC

FMO

® application packet for board certification:Nam

e:_________________________________________________________M.D./D

.O.___Specialty:___________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________

City:______________________________________________

State_________________Zip:_____________________Hom

e _Phone:_______________________________________________________

Office:_____________________________C

ell:___________________________Em

ail:_________________________________________

Please send a BCFM

O® application to m

y colleague:Nam

e:_________________________________________________________M.D./D

.O.___Specialty:___________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________

City:______________________________________________

State_________________Zip:_____________________Hom

e _Phone:_______________________________________________________

Office:_____________________________C

ell:___________________________Em

ail:_________________________________________

BOARD OF CERTIFICATION IN FAMILY M

EDICINE OBSTETRICS®