It is the duty of the ABPath to grant certification in Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology and/or Anatomic/Neuropathology to qualified Doctors of Medicine and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (M.D./D.O.).
The mission of the American Board of Pathology, a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties, is to serve the public and advance the profession of pathology by setting certification standards and promoting lifelong competency of pathologists.The ABPath issues Primary certificates in: The ABPath issues Subspecialty certificates in: For physicians to receive ABPath certification, they must: The American Board of Pathology administers two "primary examinations": one examination in anatomic pathology and one in clinical pathology, where candidates pursuing combined certification are required to take both.
[5] A physician who is board certified is recognized as a diplomate; one who has medical specialty expertise.
[2] To maintain this precedence, the physician must participate in the ABPath's program for Continuing Certification (CC).
This program has a four-part framework that emphasizes 1) Professionalism and Professional Standing, 2) Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment, 3) Assessment of Knowledge, Judgment, and Skills, and 4) Improvement in Medical Practice.