Board Certification Process
From Qualification to Certification
Once candidates meet all Part I Board Qualification requirements and pass the Board Qualification examinations, ABFAS will issue a letter bearing the embossed ABFAS seal and update the candidate's status to Board Qualified. Board Qualified surgeons may promote their status on letterhead, publications, or other advertisements in accordance with the ABFAS Advertising Policies for ABFAS Board-qualified DPMs.
Certification Requirements
Board Qualified Candidates need to meet the following requirements in order to attain Board Certification.
License
Maintain a valid, unrestricted, podiatric license in the US or Canada. Candidates must report any change in licensing status to ABFAS.
- Submit via email to licenses@abfas.org or by fax to 415.553.7801
Privileges
Maintain active surgical privileges at a hospital or surgical center and send proof of privileges to ABFAS. Documentation must contain the signature of a hospital/surgery center official if possible or be on the letterhead of hospital/surgery center. View a sample of a hospital/surgical center privilege letter.
- Submit via email to privileges@abfas.org or by fax to 415.553.7801
Exams
Once Board Qualified, candidates will be able to register and Case Review. These exams include:
- Foot Surgery Case Review
- RRA Surgery Case Review (if pursuing)
Statute of Limitations
If Board Qualified candidates do not achieve Board Certification by the close of the seventh year after achieving Board Qualification, they are no longer eligible for ABFAS certification unless they finished a PMSR or PMSR/RRA residency program prior to 2014.
If a candidate’s Board Qualified status in Foot Surgery expires before their Board Qualified status in RRA Surgery, ABFAS will suspend the RRA status until the candidate has successfully reestablished the required status in Foot Surgery. At that time, the time limit for the candidate's RRA Surgery Board Qualification status will not be extended. The candidate must have completed a PMSR/RRA residency prior to 2014, be eligible to requalify, and must successfully pass the Board Qualification examinations in order to reestablish the required status in Foot Surgery.