Board Policies

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.

Post-board eligibility process

Candidates who do not achieve board certification by the conclusion of the six (6) year board eligibility timeframe must apply for examination to the AOBNP to enter the post-board eligibility certification process within three (3) years of termination of the board eligibility status timeframe.

Upon acceptance by the Board, candidates must adhere to the process as outlined below:

• Candidates must follow the AOBNP certification examination application process as outlined on the website.
• Candidates must participate in the first available administration of each exam.
• Candidates will have four (4) attempts to pass each step of the examination process.
  • Failure to apply for or participate in the next available examination is considered a forfeiture of one attempt.
• Candidates must participate in the next available examination if unsuccessful on an examination attempt.

Candidates who do not achieve board certification through the post board eligibility process will have no further opportunity to obtain AOA-board certification in the specialty or subspecialty.

Right to appeal

If a candidate feels that the actions of the AOBNP with regard to any part of the examination 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.

Appeals to the board must be made in writing via email to the chair of the Board stating the reasons for the appeal and should include any applicable appeal fee as well as any supporting documentation for proper review of the case. The appeal must be emailed within seven (7) days of receiving exam results.

The AOBNP will not consider appeals based on exam content, sufficiency or accuracy of answers to exam questions, scoring of the exam and/or the determination of the minimum passing score. If an appeal is denied by the AOBNP, the candidate retains the right to appeal to the AOA Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (BOS).

Compliance with federal regulations

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

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): The AOBNP 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.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): In compliance with the HIPAA Act of 1996 and any subsequent modifications, the AOBNP 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 AOBNP certification will be de-identified by the candidate prior to submissions, such that the remaining information cannot be used to identify an individual patient.