Certification Matters

National survey planned to assess current use of osteopathic principles and practice

New insights on how DOs use osteopathic skills in clinical practice will be used to strengthen osteopathic content in certifying board exams.

The 15-member panel of experts charged with improving osteopathic content on AOA board certification exams will meet next week in Chicago to help build an in-depth national survey about how DOs currently employ osteopathic medicine and its principles in their clinical practice.

The nationwide survey, which will likely be conducted in July, is intended to provide a comprehensive look at the specific techniques and philosophies DOs commonly use in patient care.

This information will be used to strengthen content for osteopathically focused certifying board exams as well as inform improvements to osteopathic continuous certification by identifying the knowledge and skills that shape osteopathic-centered medicine, said AOA President William S. Mayo, DO.

“The AOA Board of Trustees committed to meaningfully improving board certification by ensuring its relevance to clinical practice when it agreed to create two pathways to board certification,” Dr. Mayo said. “This panel of experts, representing several specialty colleges and certifying boards, is assessing the best ways to measure osteopathic competencies and the contemporary practice of osteopathic medicine.”

At its February business meeting, the Board of Trustees voted to create two pathways to AOA board certification. Candidates will be able to choose board certification in their medical specialty only or board certification in the osteopathic practice of their specialty.

Certifying Board Services will use interviews, focus group outcomes and survey data to take a qualitative and quantitative approach to developing content for osteopathically focused exams, honing in on the use of osteopathic principles and practice as well as manipulative treatment across medical specialties, said Dan Williams, DO, AOA vice president of certifying board services.

“When this work concludes, we expect to deliver the most relevant exam possible to physicians who want to demonstrate mastery of their ability to practice osteopathically in their medical specialty,” Dr. Williams said.

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