certification
Board Qualification
After successful completion of the guided essay examination, the detailed case review, and the Grand Rounds examination, you will become Board Qualified. At this point, ABLES conducts primary source verification of your eligibility credentials. We will verify education, residency training and other postdoctoral education, and professional and drug licenses, including disciplinary actions taken. We verify credentials before certification and before recertification.
You will be required to sign an Authorization and Request to Release Information form to facilitate credentials verification. Your failure to sign and return the form when requested will halt the certification process, but the timeline for case submissions is still applicable. You may appeal denial of certification; contact us for more information about the appeal process.
Board Certification
When you have met all of the requirements for ABLES certification and paid all of the requisite fees, you will be granted certification in:
- Lower Extremity Medicine
- Lower Extremity Medicine and Surgery, or
- Lower Extremity Medicine and Comprehensive Surgery, including Rearfoot and Reconstructive Surgery
You will be issued a certificate inscribed with your name, level of certification, expiration date, a unique certificate number, and the corporate seal. Recertification is required every five years.
Certificate Ownership
The certificate we issue you remains the property of ABLES at all times and is subject to recall if you relinquish your certification or are decertified.
Certification Verification Service
ABLES will confirm the status of your certification in writing if we receive an inquiry from an interested party, accompanied by a release form that you have signed. We will provide the date of initial certification, the date of most recent recertification, and the period through which the certificate is valid.
If we receive an inquiry about a person whose certification has lapsed or been revoked, ABLES will indicate that we cannot confirm the individual’s certification. Certification may lapse for non-payment of annual dues or other fees, and may be revoked for disciplinary actions or any other circumstances that would severely impact your ability to practice. If we receive an inquiry about a person who has never been certified by the ABLES board, we will deny certification.
ABLES Diplomate Status
Upon certification, you will become a Diplomate of ABLES and will be accorded the rights, honors, privileges, and responsibilities commensurate with that status. To remain a Diplomate in good standing, you will be required to submit an annual renewal fee as set by the ABLES Board of Directors. Please contact us to learn more about the annual renewal process.