American Board of Physician Specialties

What American Board of Physician Specialties does

The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) is a Tampa, Florida-based 501(c)(6) non-profit multi-specialty physician certifying body founded in 1952 and certified its first physician in 1960. ABPS is the third-largest multi-specialty physician certifying body in the United States, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor alongside ABMS and AOA, and accepted by federal entities (CMS, VHA, U.S. Armed Forces under the GI Bill) and multiple state medical boards. The organization offers board certification in 20 specialties through 12 Member Boards to both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) physicians, including differentiated first-to-market credentials in Disaster Medicine (since 2006) and Integrative Medicine.

ABPS operates a digital certification platform comprising the CredentialSmart online application system, an online Diplomate portal, a computer-based testing network across the U.S. and Canada, and primary source verification via Verisys (Joint Commission/NCQA-accredited CVO), with integration into the CAQH Proview credentialing platform. Revenue is generated through non-refundable application fees (e.g., $500–$995 depending on timing), one-time examination fees (e.g., $1,100–$1,540 for written/oral components), recurring annual Certification Management Fees (e.g., $895/year for Emergency Medicine diplomates), discounted fellow pricing via the AAEP channel partnership, and voluntary National Initiative Fund donations supporting advocacy and recognition efforts. GTM is primarily direct-to-physician through the website and CredentialSmart, with secondary enterprise channels through hospitals, health plans, credentialing organizations, and federal healthcare systems. ABPS is a wholly certifying subsidiary of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc. (AAPS) and is led by CEO Jeff Morris with an 11–50 person staff.

Name

American Board of Physician Specialties

Legal name

American Board of Physician Specialties, Inc.

Website

https://abpsus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ABPS is a Tampa-based 501(c)(6) non-profit and the third-largest multi-specialty physician certifying body in the U.S., offering board certification in 20 specialties to allopathic and osteopathic physicians through 12 Member Boards, with revenue from application fees, exam fees, and annual Certification Management Fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Physician Board Certification Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare Licensing, Accreditation & Credentialing Boards (HLAJACAC)

Keywords

• Physician board certification
• Medical specialty certification
• Physician credentialing services
• Board certification exams
• Healthcare credential verification

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Application Fees: Non-refundable application processing fees for initial certification. Fees vary based on submission timing, with early applications at lower rates.
2. Examination Fees: Fees for written and oral certification examinations. Written exams are computer-based at testing centers; oral exams are conducted virtually. Retake fees apply for failed attempts.
3. Certification Management Fee (CMF): Annual recurring fee required to maintain active certification status. Covers certification governance, standards maintenance, board administration, advocacy, and brand awareness. Also defrays costs for verification services to hospitals and managed care organizations.
4. Fellowship Program Fees: Discounted application and examination fees for fellows of AAEP-recognized emergency medicine fellowship programs.
5. National Initiative Fund (NIF) Donations: Voluntary donations from diplomates to support advocacy efforts, stakeholder awareness, and recognition of ABPS certifications with Congress, state legislators, medical boards, hospital systems, and health plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) provides physician board certification across 20 medical specialties through 12 Member Boards, for both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) physicians. Services include eligibility review, computer-based written examinations, oral examinations, primary source credential verification through Verisys, an annual Certification Management Fee (CMF) for active status maintenance, and a credential verification platform (CredentialSmart) for hospitals, health plans, and managed care organizations.

Product overview

The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) is a nationally recognized multi-specialty physician certifying body offering both allopathic and osteopathic physicians certification in 20 specialties through 12 Member Boards. The core offerings include individual board certifications such as BCEM (Emergency Medicine), BCUCM (Urgent Care Medicine), ABODM (Disaster Medicine), and ABOIM (Integrative Medicine), alongside 18 additional specialty certifications ranging from Anesthesiology to Radiation Oncology. The organization also provides an AAEP-recognized Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program, the CredentialSmart electronic application system, a Diplomate Portal for certified physicians, and a Career Center for job matching. Founded in 1952 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida, ABPS is the third-largest multi-specialty physician certifying body in the nation, recognized by federal organizations including CMS, VHA, and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• American Board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM): A member board of ABPS offering physician certification in Integrative Medicine.
• Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM)
• Board of Certification in Urgent Care Medicine (BCUCM)

Products and services

• Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM) Physician board certification in Emergency Medicine offered through the American Board of Physician Specialties, including written and oral examinations for initial certification and written examination for recertification; also accessible to AAEP-recognized fellowship graduates.
• Board of Certification in Urgent Care Medicine (BCUCM) Physician board certification for experienced, residency-trained physicians specializing in Urgent Care Medicine.
• American Board of Disaster Medicine (ABODM) Certification The nation's first physician board certification in Disaster Medicine, offered since 2006, enabling physicians to demonstrate expertise in disaster preparedness and response.
• American Board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM) Certification Physician board certification in Integrative Medicine, with its own distinctive Diplomate Mark identifying physicians as integrative medicine specialists.
• Administrative Medicine Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in administrative or management roles within healthcare organizations.
• Anesthesiology Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in anesthesiology.
• Dermatology Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in dermatology.
• Diagnostic Radiology Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in diagnostic radiology.
• Family Medicine Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in family medicine.
• Family Medicine Obstetrics Certification Board certification for family medicine physicians with specialized training in obstetrics.
• Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in gastrointestinal endoscopy.
• General Surgery Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in general surgery.
• Geriatric Medicine Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in geriatric medicine.
• Hospital Medicine Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in hospital medicine.
• Internal Medicine Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in internal medicine.
• Interventional Pain Management Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in interventional pain management.
• Obstetrics & Gynecology Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynecology.
• Ophthalmology Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in ophthalmology.
• Orthopedic Surgery Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in orthopedic surgery.
• Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery.
• Psychiatry Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in psychiatry.
• Radiation Oncology Certification Board certification for physicians specializing in radiation oncology.
• AAEP Emergency Medicine Fellowship Recognition Program Fellowship recognition program by the American Academy of Emergency Physicians (AAEP) that meets BCEM eligibility standards, enabling primary care trained physicians who practice emergency medicine to pursue BCEM certification at discounted fees.
• CredentialSmart Physician Verification Platform Online credential verification platform that enables hospitals, health plans, and managed care organizations to verify physician board certification status and identify qualified practitioner candidates.

Quantifiable outcome

• ABPS certification standards are equivalent to ABMS and AOA standards per Castle Worldwide assessment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Academy of Emergency Physicians (AAEP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAAEP developed the Post-Primary Care Graduate Emergency Medicine Fellowship Recognition Program that recognizes fellowships meeting BCEM eligibility standards. AAEP-approved fellowship graduates are eligible for BCEM board certification. This partnership provides a pathway for primary care physicians to become certified in Emergency Medicine.
• Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH)coreTechnology or IntegrationABPS Member Boards are indexed in CAQH Proview application, a platform that gathers enrollment and credentialing data in a single repository for participating health plans and healthcare organizations.
• VerisyscoreTechnology or IntegrationVerisys is a Joint Commission and National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) accredited Credentials Verification Organization (CVO) that provides primary source verification for all ABPS diplomates and applicants.
• Castle WorldwidecoreOthersCastle Worldwide conducted a comprehensive assessment of ABPS certification standards and found them equivalent to those set by ABMS and AOA. This independent validation supports ABPS recognition claims.
• The Greeley CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading healthcare and credentialing organization that has recognized ABPS as a choice in physician certification and included ABPS in their guidelines.
• HCProminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCPro's Medical Staff Governing Documents – Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures has been revised to reflect ABPS recognition. They are a leading healthcare credentialing organization.
• National Association of Medical Staff Services (NAMSS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAMSS has recognized ABPS in their Ideal Credentialing Standards Whitepaper and Managed Care Resource Toolkit as a recognized certifying board.
• American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc. (AAPS)coreOthersAAPS is the parent organization of ABPS. ABPS is the official board certifying body of AAPS, a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization. AAPS holds the House of Delegates and Annual Scientific Meeting.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC): NBRC is a U.S. specialty credentialing body that certifies respiratory therapists through examination and ongoing recertification. It is comparable to ABPS as a fee-based, exam-driven certification body with annual maintenance requirements and recognized payer/hospital standing, though it operates in an allied-health rather than physician specialty.
• American Osteopathic Association (AOA): AOA historically served as the third recognized U.S. certifying body alongside ABMS and ABPS, certifying osteopathic physicians across multiple specialties. ABPS explicitly references AOA as a peer in equivalence assessments, and AOA's subsequent unification with ABMS reshaped the competitive landscape ABPS operates in.
• American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT): ARRT is a leading U.S. certification body for radiologic technologists, administering initial certification, annual renewal, and continuing education requirements. It is comparable to ABPS as a fee-based certifying organization with rigorous examination standards, primary source verification, and recognized payer/employer standing in its field.
• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS): ABMS is the largest U.S. multi-specialty physician certifying body, offering board certification across 40+ specialties and 80+ subspecialties. ABPS explicitly competes with ABMS as the 'choice' alternative, and the two organizations are routinely referenced together by CMS, the U.S. Department of Labor, and state medical boards.

Others

• Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH): CAQH operates the Proview platform that centralizes physician credentialing data for U.S. health plans and hospitals. CAQH is comparable to ABPS as an integration partner that surfaces ABPS certification in payer credentialing workflows, and the two organizations share a distribution relationship that materially expands ABPS's reach to healthcare payers.

Emerging players

• American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS): ABNS is an alliance of nursing certification organizations that accredits specialty nursing credentialing bodies. It is adjacent to ABPS in operating as a multi-specialty credentialing accreditation/oversight body, with a comparable role in setting and validating specialty certification standards across its profession.

Broad incumbents

• The Joint Commission: The Joint Commission is the dominant U.S. healthcare accreditation body, evaluating hospitals and healthcare organizations using standards that often reference board certification status. It is comparable to ABPS as a federally recognized healthcare standards authority and works alongside ABPS-recognized credentialing verification organizations (CVOs).
• National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME): NBME develops and administers the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and supports ABMS member boards with assessment services. NBME is comparable to ABPS as a large-scale medical assessment and credentialing organization, though it focuses on licensing-stage rather than specialty-stage certification.
• National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA): NCQA is a leading U.S. healthcare quality accreditation organization whose standards are referenced by ABPS's primary source verification partner (Verisys). NCQA is comparable to ABPS as a standards-defining body in physician credentialing and is explicitly cited by ABPS as a compliance benchmark for its own certification processes.

Regional players

• Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB): FSMB supports U.S. state medical and osteopathic boards in physician licensure, discipline, and policy, and operates the USMLE co-sponsorship with NBME. It is comparable to ABPS in administering physician credentials used by state regulators and works alongside ABPS in shaping physician recognition pathways in the U.S. market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ABPS_AAPS

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Board of Physician Specialties