JAOA publishes statistics on AOA board certification

The AOA’s Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (BOS) continues to see an increase in the number of osteopathic physicians seeking osteopathic board certification. According to the most recent data, published in the April issue of The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA), 29,646 osteopathic physicians held 34,555 active certificates in 2016, an 8.4% increase in certificates held versus 2015.

A total of 3,199 certificates were awarded in 2016 alone. The top certifications for 2016 were internal medicine, family medicine/osteopathic manipulative treatment, and emergency medicine. “We are happy to see continued strength in the number of osteopathic physicians choosing osteopathic board certification in areas of primary care,” says the BOS chair and lead author, J. Michael Wieting, DO, MEd.

“Certification demonstrates a standard of excellence for osteopathic physicians, including quality of services and commitment to lifelong learning,” the authors write.

With the Certifying Board Services Task Force’s recent recommendations to improve customer experience, increase quality and standards, simplify and align the osteopathic continuous certification process across all specialties, and focus on technological enhancement, the BOS is striving to improve and enhance the AOA certification process.

Access the JAOA article to see the full update.