Specialty board certification rates. A longitudinal tracking study of US medical school graduates
E. J. Levit and W. D. Holden
This study is follow-up analysis of increments in specialty board
certification rates occurring between 1971 and 1976 for 2,046 physicians
who graduated in 1960, 1964, and 1968. Data obtained at 8-, 12-, and
16-year intervals following graduation from medical school indicate that it
is not until 12 years' following receipt of the MD degree that most
physicians will have entered the certification process or be certified. An
additional increment is found 16 years following graduation. At eight and
12 years following graduation, the more recent graduates showed a much
higher rate of board certification than earlier graduates at a comparable
interval following graduation. Of the total study population, 81% are
either board certified or in the certification process. When two
essentially office-based specialties are excluded, 92% of the study
population have formally entered the certification process.
