BOARD CERTIFICATION

Certification by the ABU does not guarantee competence in practice, but does indicate that the physician has completed certain basic training requirements, and has 'demonstrated at the time of examination a fund of knowledge and competence in the care of patients. Certification by the American Board of Urology is voluntary: it is not a requirement for practicing urology.

WHAT IS CERTIFICATION AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Health care is one of today's most rapidly evolving fields. When choosing a physician or a treatment, it is helpful to consider whether or not an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) medical specialty board certifies the physician. The certification process evaluates a physician's clinical skills based on education, examination, review of actual surgery cases, peer review, and other criteria.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF UROLOGY?

To attain certification, a urologic surgeon must meet stringent educational practice, and peer review requirements. Following is a summary of the current standards for certification by the ABU. EDUCATION Graduation from medical school.and successful completion of a urology residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education. Accredited programs are a minimum of five years of clinical training. Twelve months of the residency must be spent in general surgery, urology, or other clinical rotation relevant to urology. The final three years of training must be spent in urology with the Last year as a chief resident in urology. EXAMINATIONS Qualifying Examination: This one day, written exam assesses a physician's knowledge of urology and related subjects.

WHAT IS THE AMERICAN BOARD OF UROLOGY?

There are currently 24 ABMS medical specialty boards in the U.S. that certify physicians. The American Board of Urology, Inc., is the ABMS medical specialty board that certifies urologists in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. The ABU was organized in 1935 to encourage study, improve standards, and promote competency in the practice of urology. The board's objective is to identify for the public's knowledge those physicians who have satisfied the board's criteria for certification in the specialty of urology. Although urology is classified as a surgical subspecialty, urologists must have an understanding of internal medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, and other specialties to treat the wide variety of medical problems encountered. In recognition of the breadth of this field, the American Urological Association has identified the eight subspecialty areas listed below. Many physicians choose to specialize in one or two of these areas.

Certifying Examination

This three part process includes written exams in urologic imaging and pathology and two oral exams. There are several prerequisites to the Certifying Examination: A passing grade on the Qualifying Examination, 18 months of continuous practice in the same community, Positive peer review and Letters of recommendation, and a surgical log of adequate breadth and depth to demonstrate clinical proficiency.