Extract
The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) is one of the twenty-four
separate boards that make up the American Board of Medical Specialties. Of the
twenty-four boards, fourteen require an oral examination. At present, the ABOS
is the only board with a computerized data collection system that allows for
the analysis of the collected information in the database.The ABOS exists to serve the interests of the public and the medical
profession by establishing educational standards for orthopaedic residents and
by evaluating the initial and continuing qualifications and competence of
orthopaedic surgeons. Upon completion of an approved residency program,
applicants for board certification must pass a comprehensive, proctored
written examination (the Part-I examination). Applicants must then practice
orthopaedics for twenty-two months, twelve of which must be in one location.
Many elect to begin the practice requirement following a fellowship. The
applicants must then satisfactorily complete a thorough credentialing process
and pass an oral examination (the Part-II examination) that is based on all of
the candidate's operative cases in six consecutive months beginning one year
before the oral examination.