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Certification
The American Osteopathic Board of Pediatrics has outlined the following criteria as minimum requirements for certification:

Certification in General Pediatrics

1. The applicant must be a graduate of an AOA-accredited college of osteopathic medicine.
2. The applicant must be licensed to practice in the state or territory where his/her practice is conducted.
3. The applicant must have been a member in good standing of the AOA or the Canadian Osteopathic Association for the two (2) years immediately prior to the date of certification.
4. The applicant must conform to the ethical and moral standards as set forth in the Code of Ethics of the AOA.
5. The applicant must have satisfactorily completed a one-year AOA-approved internship.
6. A minimum of three (3) years of AOA-approved training in pediatrics shall be required after the required one (1) year rotating internship. If the internship year was a pediatric specialty track, two (2) years of AOA-approved training in pediatrics shall be required.
7. Following satisfactory compliance with the prescribed requirements for examination, the applicant is required to pass appropriate examinations planned to evaluate an understanding of the scientific bases of the problems involved in pediatrics, familiarity with the current advances in pediatrics, possession of sound judgment and a high degree of skill in the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures involved in the practice of pediatrics.
   

Certification in Pediatric Subspecialties

1. Be certified in pediatrics by the AOA through the AOBP.
2. Have completed one (1) year of AOA-approved subspecialty residency training and shall have practiced in the subspecialty for two (2) years, if training was completed prior to January 1, 1980.

-If training was completed between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 1989, two (2) years of AOA-approved subspecialty residency training and one (1) year of subspecialty practice shall be required.

-If training was completed after January 1, 1990, three (3) years of AOA-approved subspecialty residency training shall be required.

Understanding the Certification Process
An osteopathic physician has the option of entering an AOA- or ACGME-accredited Pediatrics residency program. Regardless of their residency program, the AOBP encourages all DOs interested in osteopathic Board certification in Pediatrics to apply.

During Your Osteopathic Pediatrics Residency
DOs enrolled in an AOA-approved (aka osteopathic) residency program who are interested in pursuing osteopathic Board certification must work with the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians to document residency training through the generation of yearly progress reports, which can be found on their website. Both the resident and his/her program director must complete and collaboratively review the forms for submission to the College. Both reports must be received by the College within thirty (30) days of the completion of the resident's program year contract date.

When the Graduate Medical Education Committee of the ACOP receives reports for each program year, which happens in the fall season, they will review and make recommendations, if applicable, to approve that year of training to the AOA, program director and resident. When the resident completes his/her residency, the ACOP will make a recommendation to the AOA to designate the osteopathic physician as "training complete," which means that the entirety of his/her Pediatrics residency has been approved by the College. When the AOA receives this recommendations, it will be reviewed and approved by the AOA's PTRC (Program and Trainee Review Council). At this point, the osteopathic physician will receive a letter indicating that the AOA and College have fully approved his/her training. The osteopathic physician may now apply for Board Eligible status from the AOBP for Board certification.
Board Eligible status is not granted automatically. A candidate has six (6) years following the completion of residency training or completion of the practice requirement to apply for Board Eligible status by the AOBP.

During Your Allopathic Pediatrics Residency
DOs enrolled in an ACGME-approved (aka allopathic) residency program who are also interested in pursuing osteopathic Board certification must work with the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians to document residency training through the generation of yearly progress reports, which can be found on their website. Both the resident and his/her program director must complete and collaboratively review the forms for submission to the College. Both reports must be received by the College within thirty (30) days of the completion of the resident's program year contract date.

Also, the osteopathic physician must apply to receive College and AOA approval of his/her internship (PGY1) and residency (PGY 2+). The form for approval of the internship can be found here; the residency approval form can be found here.

After receiving AOA/ACOP approval of their residency, the osteopathic physician may then apply for Board Eligible status from the AOBP for Board certification. Board Eligible status is not granted automatically. A candidate has six (6) years following the completion of residency training or completion of the practice requirement to apply for Board Eligible status by the AOBP.

For ABP-Certified Physicians Seeking AOBP Certification
If you obtained Board Certification by the American Board of Pediatrics and are interested in pursuing Board Certification by the AOBP, you may be able to obtain eligibility for the AOBP examinations through AOA's Resolution 56, which grants eligibility to ABMS-certified osteopathic physicians. Click here for the application.

After Obtaining Board Eligibility Status from the AOBP
The AOBP General Certification examination is offered annually, in conjunction with the fall AOA Annual Meeting. If you successfully pass the examination, your information will be reported to the AOA's Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists for their review and approval. If approved, you will be assigned a certificate.

Examination Preparation
Any board review programs, either written or live, which have been approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics (PREP) or American Board of Pediatrics are satisfactory for intensive preparation for our exam.

GME Flow Chart
Click here to view the pathway to certification.