BCFMO Brochure

B OA R D

O F

CERTIFICATION IN FAMILY MEDICINE

OBSTETRICS

速

Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics® (BCFMO®) The BCFMO® has developed an innovative, new and nationally recognized board of certification in support of family physicians who have completed advanced training in maternity care, including operative obstetrics.

BCFMO® is dedicated and committed to ensuring and assuring that BCFMO® Diplomates demonstrate the highest degree of quality and a core body of knowledge for obstetrical care that is above and beyond that conveyed by certification in Family Medicine alone.

BCFMO® is fully dedicated to women’s health and will facilitate continual learning among family medicine physicians caring for pregnant patients.

Board Certification for Family Medicine Obstetrics is now available through the Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics® (BCFMO®).

The BCFMO® has taken the lead with a newly emerging, national and valid board of certification that is comparable and equivalent with any other nationally recognized board of certification.

The BCFMO® has recently been developed by dedicated family medicine physicians from the United States and Canada. It is important to note, that some of the Board Members of the Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics® are dual-boarded physicians ---- board certified by member boards of the ABPS® and also board certified by member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (AOABOS).

Consider the following: • OB/GYN residencies are decreasing in number; • OB/GYN residency graduates are electing for NonOB subspecialties; • Practicing OB physicians are limiting or leaving maternity care; • CNMWs perform well but cannot perform alone; • It is ironic and unusual in these times to practice in a high risk setting such as operative obstetrics without recognized board certification; and • Hospitals, managed care organizations and the public expect their attending physicians to be board certified in all significant areas of clinical practice.

Family Medicine Obstetrics The BCFMO速 recognizes the advanced level of training and experience some Family Medicine physicians gain through recognized Fellowship programs or their historical equivalent. Therefore, if Family Medicine Obstetrics is a field to which you aspire and possess significant background and experience, we certainly encourage you to consider board certification through BCFMO速. Board certification in Family Medicine includes routine maternity care only and does not cover advanced or operative obstetrics. Board certification by BCFMO速 has been developed specifically to meet this need.

Evidence consistently favors the need for more primary care if we are committed to better outcomes. The scope and practice settings for Family Medicine are ideal for OB. There are inadequate numbers of role models for Family Medicine OB training. Graduates of OB fellowship programs are in demand to meet this need.

Family Medicine residency programs vary considerably in exposure and commitment to maternity care. Meeting the patient care and training program needs for maternity care will require more Family Medicine Obstetrical training. There are currently 32 Family Medicine OB fellowship programs. Both operative and high risk OB privileges are attainable, especially in areas of need.

Obstetrics Fellowships Are Increasing Obstetrics Fellowship programs for Family Physicians who choose to practice advanced and operative obstetrics began in 1984. Training programs that taught obstetrics, whether they were OB/GYN or Family Medicine Residencies or Rotating Internships, began seeing a decrease in patient care opportunities as far back as the 1980s. Patients with Medicaid, patients without insurance, charity patients, and those with no prenatal care were historically the mainstay for teaching institutions.

With improvement in qualification for coverage and reimbursement to physicians approaching commercial insurance, most healthcare providers in Obstetrics enrolled as providers for Medicaid. While this was good for patients, it presented a challenge for teaching institutions from coast to coast. Training programs added extra rotations, junior attendings and eventually Obstetrics Fellowships to achieve added numbers of deliveries. We now see the number of Family Medicine Obstetrics Fellowships grow each year.

Why Board Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics?

There are many compelling reasons why board certification of Family Medicine Obstetricians has become so important. Board certification has become a necessary and essential component in the practice of all medical disciplines today. The public has come to expect that physicians will be board certified. Issues surrounding authentication of training and capability of fellowship graduates, the comparability of training with OB/GYNs, and recognition of this unique subspecialty are best addressed by Board certification. Among the most compelling reasons to certify Family Medicine Obstetricians are addressing criteria for hospital and surgical privileging and facilitating success with insurance credentialing and malpractice carriers. Department Chairs and Program Directors seek a valid and authentic method to certify a fellow’s training and level of competency. Similarly, board certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics will be the stepping stone to accreditation for fellowship training programs.

Recognition of Family Medicine Obstetrics Clinical disciplines are recognized as a medical specialty when sufficient numbers of physicians practicing that specialty join together in organizations to establish criteria for core competencies, set standards for eligibility and develop certifying examinations to verify knowledge and skill within that specialty. This process happened in Family Medicine several decades ago. More recently, recognition of advanced training has occurred in core areas of Family Medicine such as Geriatrics and Sports Medicine, and is now happening with Family Medicine Obstetrics.

Evolution of Family Medicine Obstetric Care Because of the tremendous needs of obstetrical care in many parts of the United States of America, many Family Medicine Obstetricians have evolved their care and practices into “Obstetrics only� practices. These practices attest not only to the terrific need for care but the support these physicians receive from patients, communities, hospitals and colleagues. In most settings however, Family Medicine Obstetricians provide full service OB care as a part of their family practice. Physicians in both types of practice need an examination, certification and recertification system that addresses and recognizes the scope of practice they see and manage. The Board of Certification in Family Medicine ObstetricsŽ has fully recognized the need for advanced training in OB as a matter of public health.

BCFMO® does not differentiate between allopathic and osteopathic physicians and eligibility is extended and available to Board Certified Family Physicians practicing in the U.S. and Canada.

BCFMO® is also unique among Boards by including a public, consumer member on the board, with the same full voting rights as the physician board members.

Interested Family Medicine Obstetricians are encouraged to contact us at 813-433-2277 or visit us at www.BCFMO.org to obtain additional and detailed information concerning board certification in family medicine obstetrics. Comprehensive information is available including eligibility requirements and standards, examination information, study references and applications.

BCFMO® will also be pleased to respond to physician inquiries via mail or fax and provide BCFMO® information kits. Please complete and return the attached reply card.

Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics® 5550 West Executive Drive • Suite 400 Tampa, Florida 33609 813-433-2277 • Fax: 813-830-6599 wcarbone@aapsus.org • www.bcfmo.org BCFMO® is a Member Board of the American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS®)

FAMILY MEDICINE OBSTETRICS CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS A Comparison between ABPS, ABMS†, AOABOS†

Advanced Specialty Training/Residency (Number of Years Required) ABPS 3*

Documentation of Clinical Experience & Case Reports Required

ABMS AOABOS ABPS

ABMS AOABOS ABPS

ABMS AOABOS

CNO

CNO

CNO

CNO

Yes

Oral Exam ABPS Yes

No

CNO

Clinical Exam

6

CNO

Life Certification Offered

ABMS AOABOS ABPS

ABMS AOABOS ABPS

ABMS AOABOS

CNO

CNO

CNO

CNO

Membership Prerequisite Required ABPS

Years to Complete Certification after initial Application

No

CNO

Require Public Members

No

CNO

Limited Exam Attempts Per Applicant Cycle

ABMS AOABOS ABPS

ABMS AOABOS ABPS

ABMS AOABOS

CNO

CNO

CNO

CNO

Yes

CNO

Yes

CNO

Annual Attestation of Full Unrestricted Medical License ABPS Yes

ABMS AOABOS CNO

CNO

FAMILY MEDICINE OBSTETRICS RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS A Comparison between ABPS, ABMS†, AOABOS†

Number of Years Before Recertification Required ABPS 8

ABMS AOABOS ABPS

ABMS AOABOS ABPS

ABMS AOABOS

CNO

CNO

CNO

CNO

Number of CME Hours Required Per Year ABPS 50

Documentation of Clinical Year Voluntary Recertification Experience & Case Reports Ended Required No

CNO

Completion of Non-Remedial Medical Ethics Course

RAR

CNO

Recertification Reciprocity Offered

ABMS AOABOS ABPS

ABMS AOABOS ABPS

ABMS AOABOS

CNO

CNO

CNO

CNO

Yes

*Residency must be in specialty in which certification is sought CNO: Certification Not Offered RAR: Recertification Always Required † Source: Internet web sites November 2008

CNO

Yes

CNO

Life Certification Offered ABPS No

ABMS AOABOS CNO

CNO

Disclaimer: ABPS has used reasonable efforts to insure that the above information is accurate and up to date; ABPS makes no warranties or representations as to such accuracy, and assumes no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information or content. Use of the information is at your own risk. Neither ABPS nor any other party involved in creating, producing, or delivering the information is liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages arising out of your access to, or use, of the information. Without limiting the forgoing, everything is provided to you ‘AS IS’ WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NOT ON NON-INFRINGEMENT.

Board of Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics

Please send me a BCFMO® application packet for board certification:

®

Please print all information clearly, detach, and return by mail: 5550 West Executive Drive • Suite 400 Tampa, FL 33609-1035 • 813-433-2277 or fax: 813-830-6599

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