American Board of Dermatology

What American Board of Dermatology does

The American Board of Dermatology, Inc. (ABD) is an independent, Delaware-incorporated nonprofit headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, and one of 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Founded in 1932, ABD certifies dermatologists and three subspecialties (dermatopathology, pediatric dermatology, and micrographic dermatologic surgery) in the United States, serving dermatology residents, fellows, practicing dermatologists, and — via a separate International Pathway — internationally trained dermatologists who hold full-time U.S. or Canadian academic faculty appointments.

Its core product is a staged certification pathway launched in 2021 (BASIC, CORE, and APPLIED Exams) administered at Pearson VUE test centers and via online proctoring, plus a Continuing Certification Program anchored by CertLink — a longitudinal assessment platform delivering 13 questions per quarter with immediate feedback, an 85+ activity Focused Practice Improvement library, and an integrated article library. Technology stack consists of computer-based testing delivery, online proctoring, the CertLink web platform, and virtual dermatopathology scanning for exam items. Core delivery is supported by a 7-person office staff, with governance provided by a volunteer Board of Directors.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual diplomate fees of $150 for Continuing Certification Program participation, one-time exam fees ($200 per CORE module, $2,250 for APPLIED), and a $500 non-refundable International Pathway application fee. The go-to-motion is direct: working with residency programs to register candidates, communicating via the ABD website, email, and CertLink platform, and supporting diplomates through a Physician Experience Team. Customer segments include dermatology trainees, board-certified diplomates (15,452+ as of 2021), international faculty candidates, and the public for credential verification. The entity has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and operates as a 501(c)-style nonprofit funded entirely through these fees.

Name

American Board of Dermatology

Legal name

American Board of Dermatology, Inc.

Website

https://abderm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The American Board of Dermatology (ABD) is a 1932-founded, ABMS-affiliated nonprofit that certifies U.S. dermatologists through BASIC, CORE, and APPLIED exams and maintains certification via the CertLink longitudinal assessment platform and a $150 annual diplomate fee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Board Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Clinical Professional Certifications (EDAAANAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

General & Medical Dermatology (HLAKACAA)

Keywords

• Dermatology board certification
• Medical specialty certification
• Continuing medical certification
• Physician credential verification
• Subspecialty certification exams

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Exam Fees: Fees collected from candidates taking CORE and APPLIED certification exams. CORE Exam fee is $200 and APPLIED Exam fee is $2,250 for international pathway candidates.
2. Continuing Certification Annual Fees: Annual fee of $150 for diplomates participating in the Continuing Certification Program, which covers access to CertLink and other certification maintenance activities.
3. International Pathway Application Fees: International Pathway formal application fee of $500 (non-refundable) for internationally trained dermatologists seeking ABD certification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The American Board of Dermatology certifies dermatologists through a staged pathway of examinations (BASIC, CORE, and APPLIED Exams) and subspecialty examinations in dermatopathology, pediatric dermatology, and micrographic dermatologic surgery. It also administers the Continuing Certification Program, anchored by the CertLink longitudinal assessment platform, which delivers quarterly knowledge checks with immediate feedback and practice improvement activities for board-certified diplomates throughout their careers.

Product overview

The American Board of Dermatology offers a certification ecosystem comprising the staged pathway to initial certification (BASIC, CORE, and APPLIED Exams) and a continuing certification program. The BASIC Exam is taken during first-year residency and the CORE Exam consists of four modules covering medical, pediatric, surgical, and dermatopathology. The APPLIED Exam is the final certification assessment. For certified dermatologists, the Continuing Certification Program uses CertLink as its primary assessment platform, delivering quarterly questions with immediate feedback. The ABD also offers subspecialty certification exams in dermatopathology, pediatric dermatology, and micrographic dermatologic surgery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BASIC Exam A four-hour, approximately 200-item multiple-choice exam taken in the spring of the first year of dermatology residency, testing visual recognition of common conditions, management of uncomplicated conditions, and familiarity with simple surgical procedures. Not required for certification.
• CORE Exam Four two-hour module exams covering medical dermatology, pediatric dermatology, surgical dermatology, and dermatopathology. Candidates may begin after 1.5 years of training and must pass all four modules to be eligible for the APPLIED Exam.
• APPLIED Exam An eight-hour, approximately 200-item multiple-choice exam assessing the ability to apply knowledge in clinical scenarios relevant to general dermatology practice. The final step in the staged pathway to initial certification.
• Dermatopathology Subspecialty Certification Exam An annual subspecialty certification exam for dermatologists seeking certification in dermatopathology, offered each September.
• Pediatric Dermatology Subspecialty Certification Exam An annual subspecialty certification exam for dermatologists seeking certification in pediatric dermatology.
• Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery (MDS) Subspecialty Certification Exam An annual subspecialty certification exam for dermatologists seeking certification in micrographic dermatologic surgery (Mohs surgery); the Practice Pathway ends with the 2025 administration.
• Continuing Certification Program A streamlined program supporting lifelong learning for board-certified dermatologists, anchored by the CertLink longitudinal assessment platform along with practice improvement activities and an annual fee of $150.
• International Pathway for Certification A certification pathway for internationally trained dermatologists who hold full-time faculty positions (Assistant Professor or higher) at U.S. or Canadian academic institutions, including a $500 non-refundable formal application fee and the same CORE and APPLIED Exam fees as U.S. candidates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% satisfaction rate among CertLink users (2025 survey)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Candid (GuideStar)minorOthers · 1 January 2025ABD maintains a Platinum Seal of Transparency with Candid (formerly GuideStar), the highest level of transparency awarded by the nonprofit information service.
• Journal Editors and PublishersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership with journal leaders to provide access to articles through the ABD CertLink Article Library. Worked with journal leaders to redesign the article library to provide access to all articles.
• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)coreOthers · 1 January 1932ABD is one of 24 member boards of ABMS, the umbrella organization for medical specialty boards. Through ABMS, the boards work together to establish common standards for physicians to achieve and maintain board certification. ABD's Executive Director serves on ABMS's board of directors and executive committee.
• American Dermatological AssociationminorOthers · 1 January 1932One of the original three sponsoring organizations of the American Board of Dermatology (along with the Section on Dermatology and Syphilology of the AMA, and later the American Academy of Dermatology in 1939).
• American Academy of DermatologyminorOthers · 1 January 1932Joined as the third sponsoring organization in 1939. The AAD and ABD work together on dermatology standards and education.
• American Medical Association (Section on Dermatology and Syphilology)minorOthers · 1 January 1932One of the original two sponsoring organizations (along with the American Dermatological Association) when ABD was founded in 1932.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Board of Pediatrics (ABP): ABP is another ABMS member board serving a similarly structured pediatric specialty with longitudinal MOC participation requirements. Like ABD, it serves both initial certification candidates (residents) and a sustained diplomate renewal base across general and subspecialty pathways.
• American Board of Surgery (ABS): ABS certifies general surgeons and surgical subspecialists, often overlapping with dermatologic surgeons. As a sister surgical-specialty ABMS board with a comparable staged-exam architecture, ABS is a relevant peer in governance structure and continuing-certification design.
• American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM): ABFM is one of the larger ABMS member boards, also employing continuous knowledge assessment as its primary MOC mechanism. Operationally comparable in scale to ABD and shares the same volunteer-board governance and single-specialty certification model.
• American Board of Pathology (ABPath): ABPath co-sponsors the Dermatopathology Subspecialty Certification Exam with ABD, making it an operational peer for joint subspecialty certification administration and a structural comparability for board-level subspecialty exam governance.
• American Board of Ophthalmology: One of the four original ABMS member boards alongside ABD (founded 1917), the American Board of Ophthalmology shares ABD's century-long institutional scale, single-specialty focus, and gold-standard certification positioning in its field.
• American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM): ABIM is the largest ABMS member board, certifying internists and subspecialists using a longitudinal assessment model conceptually parallel to ABD's CertLink. It has weathered high-profile MOC backlash, providing ABD a directly relevant precedent for managing continuing-certification revenue risk.
• American Board of Otolaryngology: Another of the four founding ABMS boards (established 1924), the American Board of Otolaryngology mirrors ABD's nearly century-long institutional maturity, single-specialty scope, and ABMS-aligned continuing-certification model.

Broad incumbents

• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS): ABMS is the umbrella organization that establishes common standards for all 24 member boards, including ABD. ABD's Executive Director sits on ABMS's board of directors and executive committee, making ABMS the closest governance and standards analog to ABD's mission.
• American Academy of Dermatology (AAD): AAD is the largest dermatology professional society in the US, founded in 1938 with 20,000+ members, and is one of ABD's three founding/sponsoring organizations. While primarily a membership and advocacy body rather than a certifying board, AAD sets adjacent professional standards and is the dominant dermatology brand alongside ABD.

Emerging players

• National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS): NBPAS is an alternative to traditional ABMS Maintenance of Certification, providing recertification based on CME and active licensure without longitudinal assessment requirements. Its emergence represents a direct competitive threat that could pressure ABD's recurring diplomate revenue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/abd_feedback
• Facebookfacebook.com/abdermatology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-board-of-dermatology-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Board of Dermatology