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What is the American Board of Urology?
There are currently twenty four ABMS medical specialty boards in the United States that certify physicians. The American Board of Urology, Inc. is the 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 objective of the Board is to identify for the public's knowledge, those physicians who have satisfied the Board's criteria for certification and recertification 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 in order to treat the wide variety of medical problems encountered. In recognition of the breadth of this field, the American Urologic Association has identified the eight subspecialty areas listed below. Many physicians choose to specialize in one or two of these areas.
- Pediatric Urology
- Urologic Oncology (Cancer)
- Kidney Transplantation
- Male Infertility
- Urinary Tract Stones
- Female Urology
- Urinary Incontinence
- Pelvic Outlet Relaxation Disorders
- Genitourinary Trauma
- Neurourology
- Voiding Disorders
- Urodynamic Evaluation of Patients
- Erectile Dysfunction or Impotence
What is Board Certification and Why is it Important?
When choosing a physician or a treatment, it is helpful to consider whether or not the physician is certified by an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) member board. The certification process evaluates a physician's clinical skills based on education, examination, review of actual surgical cases, peer review, and other criteria. 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 ABU is voluntary: it is not a requirement for practicing urology.
What are the Requirements for Board Certification?
The Board Certification process includes the following components:
1. Education
- Must have graduated from an accredited medical school.
- Must have satisfactorily completed a minimum of five clinical years of postgraduate clinical training in an ACGME accredited program. 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.
2. Review of Credentials
- Upon satisfactory completion of their graduate education, urologists may apply for Certification if they wish. Upon satisfying all of the Board's requirements, they are admissible to the examination.
3. Examinations
- Applicants for Certification must first pass a day long written Qualifying Examination which assesses a physician's knowledge of urology and related subjects.
- Upon successful completion of the Qualifying Examination, 18 months of continuous practice in the same community, positive peer review and letters of recommendation, and submission of a practice log of adequate breadth and depth to demonstrate clinical proficiency, the Candidate is admissible to the Certifying Examination. During this interactive oral process between examiner and candidate, an assessment is made of the Candidate's ability to diagnose and manage ordinary and complex urologic problems.
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