American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery

What American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery does

The American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS) is a San Francisco-based nonprofit professional certification board founded in 1975 that serves as the sole recognized certifying body for foot and ankle surgeons in the United States, with recognition from the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME). ABFAS administers a two-part certification pathway: Part I Board Qualification examinations (Didactic and Computer-based Patient Simulation components) in Foot Surgery and Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle (RRA) Surgery, and Part II Board Certification through Case Review of submitted surgical cases. The organization also supports residents at the 11 CPME-accredited podiatric medical colleges via In-Training Examinations (ITEs) and maintains certification of more than 10,000 diplomates through the LEAD (Learning, Evaluation, and Assessment for Diplomates) Continuous Certification Program, a quarterly assessment cycle.

The technology stack is centered on a member portal (my.abfas.org) and public website (abfas.org), with examination delivery outsourced to Pearson VUE's global testing center network and case logging managed through the Podiatry Logging Service (PLS) and Podiatry Residency Resource (PRR) integrations. The organization operates with 11-50 employees and is governed by an elected Board of Directors, with the most recent 2026 election yielding 19.8% voter participation among 7,744 eligible diplomates.

ABFAS generates revenue through four primary streams: recurring annual fees from candidates and diplomates, transaction-based examination registration fees (Part I, Part II, ITEs), and credentialer verification services used by hospitals and insurance companies. Specific fee schedules are not publicly disclosed. Distribution is primarily direct via digital self-serve portals, with supplemental marketing through industry conferences (notably ACFAS), newsletters, podcasts, and student engagement programs such as the Surgeons of Tomorrow Scholarship Contest and the annual Michael L. Stone, DPM, Outstanding Professional Conduct Awards.

Name

American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery

Legal name

American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery

Website

https://abfas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS) is the sole CPME-recognized nonprofit certification board for US foot and ankle surgeons, administering Part I qualification exams, Part II case review, residency ITEs, and the LEAD continuous certification program for 10,000+ diplomates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Annual Fees - Candidates: Candidates pursuing board qualification and certification pay annual fees to maintain their status and access examination registration.
2. Annual Fees - Diplomates: Board-certified podiatric surgeons (diplomates) pay annual fees to maintain their certification and participate in the LEAD continuous certification program.
3. Examination Registration Fees: Fees for registering for Part I qualification exams (Didactic and CBPS), Part II Case Review, and In-training Exams during residency.
4. Verification Services: Credentialers (hospitals, insurance companies) pay for verification of podiatric surgeon credentials and board certification status.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ABFAS certifies podiatric surgeons (DPMs) through a two-step pathway: Board Qualification via Part I Didactic and Computer-based Patient Simulation (CBPS) examinations in Foot Surgery and Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle (RRA) Surgery, followed by Board Certification via Part II Case Review of submitted surgical cases. It also provides In-Training Examinations for residents and the LEAD Continuous Certification Program for ongoing assessment of practicing Diplomates, plus credential verification services for hospitals and insurance companies.

Product overview

ABFAS operates as a certification board offering a two-part certification process for podiatric surgeons. The core offering consists of Board Qualification (Part I exams) and Board Certification (Part II Case Review), supported by In-Training Examinations for residents and the LEAD Continuous Certification Program for maintaining certification. ABFAS also provides a public Find a Surgeon search tool and a member portal for exam scheduling, case logging, and CME tracking. The organization partners with Pearson VUE for computer-based testing and the Podiatry Residency Resource system for residency program coordination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Board Qualification (Part I Qualification Exam) ABFAS Part I Board Qualification examination consisting of Didactic and Computer-based Patient Simulation (CBPS) exams in Foot Surgery and Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle (RRA) Surgery, taken by podiatric surgeons pursuing full board certification.
• Board Certification (Part II Case Review)
• In-Training Examinations (ITEs)
• LEAD Continuous Certification Program
• Find a Surgeon Search
• Credentialer Verification Services
• ABFAS Member Portal (my.abfas.org)

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of DPMs who attempt ABFAS Board Certification in Foot Surgery are successful
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABFAS holds its Annual Business Meeting in conjunction with the ACFAS Annual Scientific Conference. The organizations collaborate on student programming, with ACFAS hosting ABFAS winners at their conferences.
• Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPME is the accrediting body that recognizes ABFAS as the only foot and ankle surgery certification board. CPME also maintains college documents for podiatric medical education.
• American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational professional organization for podiatrists. APMA supports podiatric physicians' ability to practice to the full extent of their education and training.
• American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization representing the 11 accredited colleges of podiatric medicine. Works to promote and support podiatric medical education.
• Podiatry Residency Resource (PRR)coreTechnology or IntegrationResidency management system used by residency programs to register students for ABFAS In-training Exams. Residency directors register candidates through PRR before they can access ABFAS profiles.
• Podiatry Logging Service (PLS)coreTechnology or IntegrationSystem used by candidates to log their surgical cases for ABFAS Case Review and certification requirements.
• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or IntegrationTesting center network used for administering ABFAS Didactic and CBPS examinations. Candidates schedule exams through Pearson VUE after completing PRR registration.
• Meta (Facebook)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial media platform used by ABFAS for marketing and communication. ABFAS has implemented social media plug-ins on their website.
• LinkedInminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional networking platform used by ABFAS for marketing and communication. ABFAS has implemented social media plug-ins on their website.
• Step Into PodiatryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAPMA student recruitment initiative that introduces students to podiatric medicine careers and includes information about ABFAS certification.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM): ABPM is the companion certification board for podiatric medicine (non-surgical), making it the closest direct peer to ABFAS. Both organizations certify podiatrists, partner with the same 11 colleges, and serve overlapping candidate populations, but ABFAS focuses on surgery while ABPM focuses on primary podiatric medicine.
• American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS): ABOS certifies orthopedic surgeons using a similar two-part process (written exam and oral/practical assessment) with a continuous certification program. As a surgical specialty board with comparable structure and mission, ABOS is highly comparable to ABFAS in operating model and member lifecycle.
• American Board of Surgery (ABS): ABS is a major surgical specialty certification board that uses written exams, oral exams, and continuous certification (Continuous Certification Program). Its scale and governance structure closely parallel ABFAS, making it a strong structural comparable.

Broad incumbents

• American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM): ABIM is one of the largest ABMS member boards certifying internists and subspecialists. It shares the same fundamental model as ABFAS (exam-based certification with continuous maintenance of certification) but operates at much greater scale and across multiple subspecialties.
• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS): ABMS is the umbrella organization overseeing 24 medical specialty boards in the US. ABFAS is a member of the broader specialty certification ecosystem, and ABMS provides the overarching framework and standards that guide how specialty boards like ABFAS operate.
• American Osteopathic Association (AOA): AOA is the certifying body for osteopathic physicians (DOs) in the US. While broader in scope than ABFAS, AOA operates a similar specialty board certification model and represents a comparable approach to physician credentialing outside the allopathic MD pathway.

Emerging players

• National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME): NBME develops and administers medical licensing and assessment examinations used across the medical profession. While not a certifying body itself, NBME provides the examination infrastructure and psychometric expertise that boards like ABFAS rely on, making it a closely adjacent peer in the assessment ecosystem.

Others

• American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS): ACFAS is a strategic partner and the professional society for foot and ankle surgeons. While ACFAS focuses on education, advocacy, and member services rather than certification, it shares the same candidate population and co-hosts events with ABFAS, making it a closely adjacent peer.
• American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA): APMA is the national professional association for podiatrists and a core strategic partner of ABFAS. While APMA advocates for the profession broadly rather than certifying individuals, it shares the same member ecosystem and collaborates on recruitment initiatives like Step Into Podiatry.

Regional players

• Royal College of Podiatry: The Royal College of Podiatry is the UK professional body and accreditor for podiatry. It serves as a regional peer to ABFAS in the podiatry certification space but operates in a different geographic market with distinct regulatory and professional frameworks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ABFAS.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/6460639

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 Foot and Ankle Surgery