Board Certified Vs. Non Board Certified

Board certification in the health care industry is a way for medical organizations to ensure that their members have the proper qualifications, education and training to perform specific tasks. It's also a way for patients to find the best practitioner for them.

Doctors

• Doctors can be board-certified in their various specialties.

  MDs (doctors of medicine) and DOs (doctors of osteopathic medicine), once they have obtained their medical degrees, have the opportunity to be "board-certified" in certain specialties. To do this, they have to meet certain eligibility specifications, and pass required examinations to test their mastery of the skills and knowledge of that particular field. To maintain their board certification, they need to stay abreast of all current advances in that field, and be re-certified every 7 to 10 years.

Dentists

• Dentists can be board-certified as general dentists, or in a particular specialty.

  General dentists can be certified by the American Board of General Dentistry by passing a rigorous examination and maintaining their skill level. Orthodontists, dental surgeons, and other dental specialists may also be board-certified in their specialities. There are governing bodies for each individual specialty, which determine what the requirements are for their members to be considered board-certified.

Nurses

• Nurses and nurse practitioners can also be board-certified in their specialities.

  Nurses can be board-certified in a variety of specialties, such as pediatrics, gerontology, oncology or surgery. The American Nurses Association authorizes many such specialities for credentialing, with different examination and educational requirements for each specialty, including standards for nurse practitioners.

Pharmacists

• Pharmacists can also hold board certification.

  Pharmacists can also be board-certified, in such specialties as oncology pharmacy and psychiatric pharmacy. The American Pharmacists Association has provisions for certification, and periodic re-certification, of pharmacists in their specialties.