Its purposes include: The mission of the ABFM is to improve the health of the public through:[1] Candidates seeking certification or recertification must meet the eligibility criteria specified by the American Board of Family Medicine.
This structure consists of four components, each designed to assess important physician characteristics: Professionalism, Self-assessment and Lifelong Learning, Cognitive Expertise, and Performance Improvement.
Family Medicine Certification is a requirement that the ABFM believes encourages clinical excellence and benefits both physicians and their patients.
Members in good standing of these colleges who meet all other requirements of the ABFM and reside in the United States may be eligible to take the Certification Examination.
Eligibility to sit for the American Board of Family Medicine Certification Examination through reciprocity is available only to physicians who have satisfactorily completed formal Family Medicine or General Practitioner training accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization within Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, or New Zealand.