American Board Admission Requirements

The admission requirements of the American Board are among the most important factors for medical laboratory professionals who wish to obtain this important professional certification to consider. In this article, we introduce the American Board and the admission requirements for obtaining its professional certification.

What Is the American Board?

The American Board organization is a group of independent professional boards that set professional standards and provide certification programs for practitioners in a wide range of fields, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy and veterinary medicine.

American Board certifications are prestigious professional credentials awarded to practitioners who have demonstrated competence in their field. These certifications offer many benefits for both practitioners and patients.

What Are the Admission Requirements for the American Board?

There are two types of requirements for the American Board:

General admission requirements

There is a set of general requirements that all applicants for the American Board must meet, as follows:

Age: The applicant must have obtained a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory sciences or another related specialty before the age of 65.
Nationality: There are no restrictions on the nationality or place of residence of applicants for the American Board.
Language: The applicant must be able to communicate fluently in English, both in writing and speaking.

Specific admission requirements

In addition to the general requirements, there is a set of specific requirements that applicants for the American Board must meet, as follows:

Bachelor’s or master’s degree: The applicant must hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in medical laboratory sciences or another related specialty from a university accredited by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).
Practical training: The applicant must have completed an accredited training program in medical laboratories lasting at least two years.
English language admission test: If English is not the candidate’s native language, they must pass the American Board’s English language admission test.
American Board exam: The applicant must pass the American Board exam, which is held twice a year at accredited test centers around the world.

Why Is It Important to Obtain American Board Certification?

It proves the practitioner’s professional competence in their field.
It is an international recognition of professional competence.
It opens up better job opportunities and higher pay.
It helps practitioners excel in their field and provide better patient care.
It allows practitioners to advance in their careers.

What Are the Fields of the American Board?

Medicine: ABOS offers board certifications in more than 150 medical specialties, including internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry and pediatrics.
Pharmacy: ABOS offers board certifications in more than 40 pharmacy specialties, including clinical pharmacy, medication management and primary care pharmacy.
Nursing: ABOS offers board certifications in more than 50 nursing specialties, including clinical nursing, nursing administration and nursing education.
Dentistry: ABOS offers board certifications in more than 15 specialties, including general dentistry, preventive dentistry and restorative dentistry.
Other health professions: ABOS offers board certifications in a variety of other health professions, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical-surgical nursing and emergency medicine.

Criteria for Obtaining American Board Certification:

Completing a medical degree from an accredited medical school

The first requirement for American Board certification is completing a medical degree from an accredited medical school. Admission criteria for medical schools vary, but they generally require a bachelor’s degree in a science field, a high GPA and good scores on admission exams.

Completing an accredited training program in the required specialty

After graduating from medical school, applicants for American Board certification must complete an accredited training program in the required specialty. Medical boards oversee accredited training programs, which usually last 3 to 7 years.

Passing the American Board certification exam

The final requirement for American Board certification is passing the American Board certification exam. The exam varies by medical specialty, but it is usually a multiple-choice exam that assesses the knowledge and skills needed to practice in the required specialty.