board certification

American  

[bawrd sur-tuh-fi-kay-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.

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Other Word Forms

• board-certified
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of board certification

First recorded in 1925–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

board certification

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

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