American Board of Plastic Surgery

What American Board of Plastic Surgery does

The American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc. (ABPS) is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization founded in June 1937 and headquartered at 1601 Market Street, Suite 900, Philadelphia, PA. It is one of 24 medical specialty boards comprising the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and has held major specialty board status since May 1941. ABPS administers the primary US credential for plastic surgeons, encompassing cosmetic, reconstructive, craniomaxillofacial, and hand surgery disciplines, and has issued over 10,940 certificates since inception with approximately 7,749 actively practicing diplomates as of January 2026.

ABPS's core products are the Written Examination (computer-based, 250 scored and 50 unscored multiple-choice items administered annually at Prometric Test Centers in May) and the Oral Examination (case-based assessment administered annually in Phoenix, AZ in November), plus the joint Hand Surgery Subspecialty Certification shared with the American Boards of Orthopaedic Surgery and Surgery. For certified diplomates, the Continuous Certification (CC) Program requires annual self-assessments, CME tracking, tracer procedure logs, and professionalism verification on a 5-year cycle following the 2024 transition from 10-year dated certificates to undated 5-year cycles. Underlying technology consists of a web-based certification management platform handling online application registration, individualized diplomate tracking pages, public certification verification search, and online self-assessment delivery with immediate rationale feedback.

ABPS generates revenue through examination and certification fees, including Resident Registration ($185), Application Registration ($450), Written Examination ($1,000), Oral Examination ($1,295), Continuous Certification Annual Fee ($410), Hand Surgery examination fees, verification fees, and various administrative and late fees. All fees are non-refundable. The Board is governed by at least 20 volunteer Directors who are actively practicing plastic surgeons, supported by an Advisory Council drawn from 20 sponsoring specialty organizations including ASPS, AAPS, ASAPS, AAHS, ASSH, ASMS, and ASRM, with operational headquarters in Philadelphia and legal domicile in Illinois.

Name

American Board of Plastic Surgery

Legal name

The American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc.

Website

https://abplasticsurgery.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The American Board of Plastic Surgery is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) credentialing body and ABMS member board that certifies plastic surgeons in the US through written and oral examinations, the joint Hand Surgery Subspecialty Certification, and the Continuous Certification Program serving approximately 7,749 active diplomates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Board Certification

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150)

akta.pro primary industry

Educator Preparation Program (EPP) Approval & Oversight (EDADAJAD)

Keywords

• Plastic surgery certification
• Physician credentialing
• Medical specialty boards
• Continuous certification program
• Subspecialty certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Examination and Certification Fees: ABPS generates revenue through examination registration fees, application fees, and certification fees charged to plastic surgery residents and candidates. Fees include Resident Registration ($185), Application Registration ($450), Written Examination ($1,000), Oral Examination ($1,295), Continuous Certification Annual Fee ($410), and various administrative and late fees. The Board also issues certificates and verification of status for fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) is an independent nonprofit certification body that administers board certification in plastic surgery through a multi-step pathway including resident registration, written computer-based examination, and oral examination. It also offers a Hand Surgery Subspecialty Certification jointly with the American Boards of Orthopaedic Surgery and Surgery, and a Continuous Certification Program that requires annual self-assessments, CME credits, and practice improvement activities to maintain diplomate status.

Product overview

The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) operates as a certification body offering Board Certification in Plastic Surgery as its primary offering. The certification process involves two major examinations: a Written Examination (computer-based test at Prometric centers) and an Oral Examination (case-based assessment). ABPS also offers Hand Surgery Subspecialty Certification as a joint program with the American Boards of Orthopaedic Surgery and Surgery. For certified diplomates, the Continuous Certification Program provides ongoing requirements including Self-Assessment Activities (annual 30-question assessments), Tracer Procedure Logs for practice improvement, Professional Standing Updates, and CME requirements. Supporting services include Resident Registration and Evaluation of Training for those entering the certification pathway, a Practice Exam for Written Examination preparation, and a public Verification of Certification search tool. The organization transitioned from 10-year to 5-year certification cycles in 2024 with undated certificates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Board Certification in Plastic Surgery Voluntary professional certification demonstrating completion of prescribed education and training requirements beyond medical licensure, and passage of comprehensive written and oral examinations covering all plastic surgery procedures. Certification valid under the Continuous Certification program for practicing plastic surgeons.
• Written Examination Computer-based test evaluating candidate's cognitive knowledge in plastic surgery, administered annually in May at Prometric Test Centers in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Comprises 250 scored and 50 unscored multiple-choice items in three blocks of 100 questions each. Examination fee of $1,000 with separate late registration and withdrawal fees.
• Oral Examination Assessment of candidate's reasoning, judgment, and problem-solving skills in plastic surgery. Candidates submit a nine-month case list and prepare case reports for five selected cases. Administered annually in November at Arizona Grand Resort & Spa, Phoenix, AZ. Examination fee of $1,295 plus separate case list review and late fees.
• Continuous Certification (CC) Program Lifelong learning and practice improvement program for ABPS-certified plastic surgeons demonstrating commitment to continuing education, assessment of knowledge, and practice improvement throughout the certification period. Includes professionalism verification, CME requirements (125 credits every five years), self-assessment activities, and practice improvement modules. Annual fee of $410.
• Hand Surgery Subspecialty Certification Joint subspecialty certification in hand surgery administered with American Boards of Orthopaedic Surgery and Surgery through the Joint Committee on Hand Surgery. Covers all structures of the upper extremity including investigation, preservation, and restoration by medical, surgical, and rehabilitative means.
• Resident Registration and Evaluation of Training Required online form for all plastic surgery residents planning to pursue ABPS certification. Verifies prerequisite and requisite training requirements and triggers processing fee of $185.
• ABPS Written Examination Practice Exam Online practice exam to familiarize candidates with the computer-based testing format before the actual ABPS Written Examination. Available through Prometric's platform.
• Verification of Certification Search Public online search tool allowing patients and credentialing specialists to verify if a surgeon is certified by ABPS. Reports certification dates and Continuous Certification participation status.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87.2% Written Exam pass rate (2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABPS is one of 24 Member Boards of ABMS. Through ABMS, the boards work together to establish common standards for physicians to achieve and maintain board certification. ABMS has been committed to providing patients with highest quality healthcare for 80+ years. ABMS serves as the primary equivalent source of certification data for medical specialists and hosts www.certificationmatters.org for public verification.
• Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSMB represents 70 state medical and osteopathic regulatory boards within the US. ABPS refers patients and credentialers to FSMB for state medical license verification, active unrestricted license status, and formal patient complaints. ABPS receives notifications of state medical board actions against diplomates, which may result in certification suspension or revocation.
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASPS is a key sponsoring organization of ABPS. ASPS members can import CME records automatically into ABPS tracking. ASPS EdNet provides multi-week virtual master classes and educational resources. ASPS serves as a primary referral source for residents and practicing surgeons seeking ABPS certification information.
• Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACGME accredits plastic surgery residency programs in the US. ABPS requires that residency training be completed in ACGME-accredited programs for certification eligibility. ABPS recognizes programs approved by the RRC-PS and accredited by ACGME.
• Sponsoring Organizations (20 organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABPS has 20 sponsoring organizations including: The Aesthetic Surgery Education & Research Foundation, American Council of Educators in Plastic Surgery, American Association for Hand Surgery, American Head and Neck Society, American Association of Pediatric Plastic Surgeons, American Association of Plastic Surgeons, American Burn Association, American Cleft-Palate Craniofacial Association, American College of Surgeons, American Society for the Peripheral Nerve, The Aesthetic Society, The American Society of Craniofacial Surgery, The American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery, The American Society for Surgery of the Hand, The American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, The American Surgical Association, Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons, Plastic Surgery Research Council, and Plastic Surgery Foundation.
• American Board of Surgery (ABS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABS partnered with ABPS for hand surgery certification. Effective 2025, ABS transitioned from a sponsoring board to a qualifying board under ABPS. ABS diplomates who held hand surgery certificates have been transitioned to ABPS for future maintenance. ABS diplomates can participate in ABS Continuous Certification and remain certified by ABS in general surgery while maintaining hand surgery certification with ABPS.
• American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABOS and ABPS jointly offer the Surgery of the Hand Subspecialty Certification through the Joint Committee on Hand Surgery, consisting of Directors from ABOS, ABPS, and ABS. The Hand Surgery Examination was first administered in 1989. Effective 2025, the examination timing was changed to allow surgeons to take the subspecialty examination earlier in their careers after completing an ACGME-accredited fellowship.
• American Medical Association (AMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABPS grants CME credits through AMA for completion of Continuous Certification cycles. 30 Category I credits awarded for each 5-year cycle completed; 60 credits for each 10-year cycle. The Board facilitates this process with AMA on behalf of diplomates. Additionally, ABMS Continuing Certification Directory CME activities count toward ABPS requirements.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Federation of State Medical Boards: Represents 70 U.S. state medical and osteopathic regulatory boards. Adjacent comparator for managing physician credentials, licensure verification, and disciplinary actions across jurisdictions.
• American Board of Medical Specialties: The umbrella organization of which ABPS is a Member Board. Provides the shared certification framework, certificationmatters.org public verification platform, and continuing certification directory serving all 24 member boards.
• Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education: Accredits U.S. residency programs whose graduates are eligible for ABPS certification. Operational upstream peer in the medical training-to-certification pipeline.
• National Board of Medical Examiners: Develops and administers the USMLE and related assessments used for medical licensure. Comparable in function as a high-stakes medical assessment organization, though focused on licensure rather than specialty certification.

Regional players

• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: National specialty certification body for Canadian physicians, with which ABPS coordinates through RCPSC-recognized training. Comparable in mission and structure but operating exclusively in Canada.

Others

• Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates: Credential evaluation body for international medical graduates seeking U.S. training. Functionally related as a medical credentialing organization and integration partner for ABPS's international candidate pathway.

Direct peers

• American Board of Surgery: Fellow ABMS Member Board for general surgery certification. Direct peer in medical specialty board certification, and just transitioned to a qualifying board under ABPS for hand surgery in 2025, making it both a peer and a partner.
• American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery: Fellow ABMS Member Board for orthopaedic surgery certification. Direct peer with overlapping subspecialty involvement via the Joint Committee on Hand Surgery, co-administering hand surgery subspecialty certification with ABPS.
• American Board of Internal Medicine: One of the largest ABMS Member Boards, with a similar operational structure (written exam, MOC/CC program). Direct peer in medical specialty certification, continuous certification, and diplomate directory management.
• American Board of Pediatrics: ABMS Member Board for pediatric certification with established MOC and continuous certification programs. Structurally similar to ABPS in operating model, examination format, and diplomate base size.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/abplasticsurg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-american-board-of-plastic-surgery-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Board of Plastic Surgery