board certification

American  

[bawrd sur-tuh-fi-key-shuhn] / ˈbɔrd ˌsɜr tə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the process of certifying that a physician has passed an examination and met the standards of a professional organization representing a particular medical specialty.

---

Other Word Forms

• board-certified
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of board certification

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

But piano competitions freaked him out and he fled from music; he moved to L.A. and took pre-med courses at USC, earning board certification as an eye surgeon.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026

Do you need to pay for any licensing or a board certification?

From Slate • May 31, 2023

“It’s cruel and it’s creating stress and delays in what is already a tragic situation,” said Dr. Amy Crockett, a physician with board certification in obstetrics and gynecology.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 17, 2022

A doctor and microbiologist, Badescu, 82, was in retirement but maintained the credentials and board certification to run a high-complexity lab.

From Washington Post • Mar. 24, 2022

But when he applied for membership with the American Academy of Pediatrics — its one criteria for admission was board certification — he was rejected multiple times beginning in 1939.

From New York Times • Aug. 20, 2020