Board Policies

AOBFP mission

The AOBFP mission is to determine the qualifications required of osteopathic family physicians seeking initial and continued certification awarded by the American Osteopathic Association in the field of family medicine and of any other field that may be assigned, develop the methods of examination to assess those family physicians, administer and evaluate examinations to assess competency and excellence in those fields, and issue the appropriate certification upon the approval of the AOA.

Board eligibility

A physician’s eligibility for AOA board certification begins upon completion of their specialty or subspecialty training program and ends on Dec. 31 of the following sixth year.

Board eligibility status will be automatically terminated in the following circumstances:

• After completion of the board eligibility timeframe.
• Upon denial of an appeal to extend the board eligibility timeframe for an individual.
• Upon award of certification.

The following eligibility requirements must be met for AOA board certification:

• You must be a graduate of a COCA-accredited college of osteopathic medicine and have completed an AOA or ACGME-accredited training program OR be a graduate of a LCME-accredited medical school and have completed an ACGME-accredited training program.
• You must hold a valid, active license to practice medicine in a U.S. state, commonwealth, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory.
• You must adhere to the AOA Code of Ethics.
• You must follow the process as outlined by the board’s requirements and meet any specialty-specific requirements for board certification during the six-year board eligibility period.
• You must pass all required certification exams.

CAQ certification eligibility

To be eligible for AOBFP CAQ certification, a candidate must:

• Earn primary certification through the AOBFP.
• Successfully complete AOA-approved training in Family Medicine or AOA-approved fellowship training in the area in which CAQ certification is offered.
• Pass a written exam in area in which CAQ certification is offered.

AOBFP written verification of board eligibility requires your submission of all application documents and fee.

Re-entry into the certification process

Diplomates whose certification has expired or been placed in inactive status for any reason may petition the BOS to reactivate the certification.

A. Diplomates seeking to reactivate their certification three (3) years or less from the expiration or inactivation of their certification must suffice all outstanding OCC requirements not fulfilled before their certification expiration or inactivation.

1. The valid through date of certifications that have been placed in inactive status will be adjusted to reflect the date of inactivation.
2. Once reactivated, the issue date of certifications that have expired or been placed in inactive status will reflect the date that all requirements have been satisfied.

B. Diplomates seeking to reactivate their certification three (3) or more years following the expiration or inactivation of their certification must take and pass at a minimum the primary written certification examination. Specialty certifying boards may require additional examination(s) and remedial activities as approved by the BOS, such as training or CME, before certification reactivation.

1. The valid through date of certifications that have been placed in inactive status will be adjusted to reflect the date of inactivation.
2. Once reactivated, the issue date of certifications that have expired or been placed in inactive status will reflect the date that all requirements have been satisfied.

The candidate is not considered board-eligible during this time and verification of such status will not be provided to the candidate. Candidates who are not successful in becoming certified at the end of the final pathway have no further opportunity to become certified.

Right to appeal

If a candidate feels that the actions of the AOBFP, with regard to the exam’s administration, constitute unequal application of the regulations and requirements or standards, unwarranted discrimination, prejudice, unfairness or improper conduct of the examination, he or she has the right to appeal to this Board. The AOBFP will not consider appeals addressing examination content, exam evaluation or the determination of the minimum passing score.

A candidate must submit a written, signed statement stating the basis for the appeal within 30 days of the date of the exam result letter.

If an appeal is denied by the AOBFP, the candidate retains the right to request an appeal to the AOA Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (BOS).

Compliance with federal regulations

The AOBFP complies with all applicable federal and state regulations, including:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): The AOBFP complies with all applicable federal and state regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Board complies with requirements prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation, as well as regulations for Title II and Title III (and all subsequent regulations) as printed in the federal register. To request an ADA accommodation from the AOBFP, you can submit an ADA Accommodation Application.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): In compliance with the HIPAA Act of 1996 and any subsequent modifications, the Board ensures that individuals’ health information is properly protected, while allowing the flow of health information to provide and promote high quality health care. All medical records submitted for review by candidates for AOBFP certification will be de-identified by the candidate prior to submission, such that the remaining information cannot be used to identify an individual patient.