727-525-0900Who Trained Your Doctor? The Importance of Board Certification
Most people, when searching for a doctor, know how important it is to find a practitioner who is licensed. However, the word ‘license’ is somewhat misleading. Just because a doctor holds a license doesn’t actually mean that they are necessarily qualified to practice certain medical specialties.
What does this mean exactly? It means, in its simplest terms, that when you visit a licensed doctor for surgery, medical assistance or any other form of treatment, the license itself doesn’t guarantee that they’ve had the right level of training to carry out the procedure to the highest standards.
Finding the Right Doctor for the Job
Fortunately, there’s an easy way of determining whether or not your doctor is qualified provide you with the treatment you require, and that’s Board Certification. Unlike doctors who are just licensed and nothing more, Board Certified doctors willingly meet additional standards, which go beyond basic licensing requirements.
In order to become Board Certified, doctors must meet rigorous requirements. This includes:
- Four years premedical education
- An MD or DO from a qualified medical school
- Three to five years of full-time experience in a residency training program
They’re also required to complete a written exam. However, Board Certification doesn’t begin and end with this first training section. Board Certified doctors are dedicated to life-long education and development, which is required by the ABMS MOC program.
In addition to this high level of training, Board Certified doctors are also committed to remaining up-to-date with medical advances; including technology, patient care and surgical techniques.
How to Find Out if Your Doctor is Board Certified
It’s easy to find out whether your practitioner is certified. You can check online, or you can contact an ABMS member board directly. You’ll also find the information in The Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists.
Board Certified Doctors in St Petersburg
If you’re looking for a dedicated Board Certified internist in the St Petersburg area, simply visit Dr Kavita Rao and her team today. You can book an appointment by calling 727-525-0900.