American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS)

Founded in 1934 as a private, voluntary, nonprofit, autonomous organization, the ABOS exists to serve the best interest of the public and the medical profession by establishing educational standards for orthopaedic residents and by evaluating the initial and continuing qualifications and competence of orthopaedic surgeons. For this purpose, the Board reviews the credentials and practices of voluntary candidates and issues certificates as appropriate. It defines minimum educational requirements for the specialty, it stimulates graduate medical education and continuing medical education, and aids in the evaluation of educational facilities and programs by its work in conjunction with the Review Committee (RC) of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Mission Statement:
To ensure safe, ethical, and effective practice of orthopaedic surgery, the ABOS maintains the highest standards for education, practice, and conduct through examination, certification, and maintenance of certification for the benefit of the public.

Vision:
To improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients, the ABOS will establish and maintain high standards for competence and lifelong education of board certified orthopaedic surgeons.