Because of continuing confusion about the term "board eligible", the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) wishes to reiterate its position about that term. The specific term "board eligible" has been given such diverse meanings by different agencies that it has lost its usefulness as an indicator of a physician's progress toward certification by a specialty board. Furthermore, because some candidates have used the term year after year while making no perceptible progress toward certification, it has sometimes been accepted improperly as a permanent alternative to certification. The requirements for admission to the certification process change from time to time, making the term "board eligible" equally susceptible to changes in meaning. For these reasons, the ABMS recommends to its Member Boards that the use of the term "board eligible" be disavowed. Instead, the Boards are urged to respond to inquiries by stating an individual's precise position in the certifying process.

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