Opinion
If board certification essential, why is it not part of licensure exam process
LETTER — Posted May 28, 2007
Regarding "As new certifications appear, they raise practical and legal issues" (Letters, April 16): The opinions expressed in the letter of Edward J. Volpintesta, MD, of Bethel, Conn., are shared by colleagues in my community as well, where HMOs have a very strong presence.
Unfortunately, lay people, including HMO administrators, assume that board certification is attestation of excellence when in fact such certification represents only membership in an association of physicians who have passed a test on material presented by that association.
If indeed it represents medical competency, the syllabus of this material should be included in the licensure examinations of all the states. This would obviate the need to have a separate body of medical examiners taking on the role of determining the competency of state-licensed physicians and surgeons.
Govindan P. Nair, MD, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/05/28/edlt0528.htm.
