Dr. Eberle holds certification from both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, one of only 75 surgeons in the United States with this combined training.
With board certifications from both the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery, oral surgeon and plastic surgeon Dr. Nathan Eberle has the backing of two of medicine’s most respected organizations. Board certifications are a way for patients to feel confident in a surgeon’s capabilities, and for surgeons to be held accountable for maintaining the highest standards of quality in their work.
Not every plastic surgeon in South Florida is double board-certified like Dr. Eberle. In fact, some are not even board-certified at all. Dr. Eberle is part of an even more exclusive group: surgeons trained in Oral and Maxillofacial, General, and Plastic Surgery, with only 75 such surgeons in the United States. He is also an active member of the ABOMS, helping with the certification process for new surgeons.
You do not have to be board-certified to practice medicine. You just have to be licensed in the state where you practice. Board certification is how surgeons demonstrate their competency to patients and peers by going above and beyond the minimum approvals to practice medicine. It requires dedication, study, and skill, and it is by no means a sure thing.
Active certifications: American Board of Plastic Surgery and American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Surgeons in the United States trained in Oral and Maxillofacial, General, and Plastic Surgery (one of only 75).
Certifications issued by the American Board of Plastic Surgery since 1937, with just over 100 new diplomates per year.
Most “Boards” are nonprofit organizations dedicated to maintaining the integrity of their fields of specialty. When a surgeon or doctor is “board certified,” that means the physician has passed that organization’s criteria for certification. In effect, the organization trusts that doctor to operate under their seal of approval.
These approval processes differ slightly from one board to the next, but usually include a written and oral examination component, for which certain educational and training benchmarks must be achieved to even sit for the exams.
Dr. Eberle is a double board-certified Miami plastic surgeon, meaning he has been certified by two different boards: the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Don’t think that once a surgeon becomes certified the process is over. From then on, the surgeon must perform yearly certification procedures to retain board-certified status. Understanding what it takes to be certified by each of these organizations can help you make better choices on which surgeon you trust with your healthcare desires.
The American Board of Plastic Surgery has issued over 9,000 certifications since 1937, meaning that just over 100 surgeons a year are accepted as diplomates of this prestigious organization. To become an ABPS diplomate, surgeons must meet the following requirements:
All surgeons must graduate from an accredited medical school in either the United States or Canada, or receive certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates before being considered. They must also complete five (5) years of training in an approved residency program following graduation, where they must gain extensive operating experience and expand their knowledge of health and disease management.
Following residency, surgeons can apply for certification. If approved initially, they can proceed to the exam phase. All applicants must also have current U.S. or Canadian medical licenses before beginning their exams.
Surgeons must pass both a written qualifying exam and an oral exam. These Qualifying and Certifying exams are extensive and test the surgeons’ practical knowledge as well as their ability to diagnose and treat a litany of surgical issues and potential complications. If they pass both exams, they are deemed “board-certified” and may call themselves diplomates.
In addition to these initial training and certification requirements, the ABS mandates that all surgeons undergo “continuous certification,” a program with ongoing requirements for testing and continuing education programs that surgeons must pass to keep their certifications.
The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS) is the certifying board for the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery in the United States, recognized and approved by the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association.
Overseen by an eight-member Board of Directors, ABOMS exists to elevate the standards of oral and maxillofacial surgery through a certification and maintenance-of-certification process that fosters excellence and encourages learning, promoting the delivery of superior health care.
The certification process assures the public that certified oral and maxillofacial surgeons have successfully completed a rigorous peer evaluation, holding the appropriate professional credentials and demonstrating the requisite training, experience, and knowledge.
Diplomates of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS) are committed to lifelong learning, keeping current in knowledge and skills, and practicing in a safe and contemporary manner. ABOMS assures Diplomates’ commitment to these goals through the Certification Maintenance process.
Board Certification by ABOMS requires successful completion of the Qualifying and Oral Certifying Applications and Examinations. Once certified, the candidate becomes a Diplomate of the Board and must participate in the Certification Maintenance process.
The certification process is comprehensive, covering the biological sciences and clinical practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The certification process in oral and maxillofacial surgery consists of two examinations, plus an ongoing process of learning and assessment.
The Qualifying Exam is a computer-based examination designed to test competency in the oral and maxillofacial surgery specialty. The first step in the ABOMS Board Certification process, this examination contains 300 questions covering 10 subject areas. Successful completion of the QE makes a Candidate eligible to apply for the Oral Certifying Examination.
The Oral Certifying Exam is an oral examination designed to test a Candidate’s knowledge and judgment in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The second step in the ABOMS Board Certification process, the test is comprised of three sections, each with four twelve-minute cases, for a total of 144 minutes, compared to the previous 200-minute exam. Successful completion of the OCE results in being formally recognized as a Diplomate of ABOMS. Once an applicant successfully completes their Qualifying Examination, the Candidate is eligible to begin their application for the OCE. A Candidate has three consecutive years, following successful completion of the QE, in which they can take and pass the OCE.
The ABOMS Board Certification process assures the public that certified oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMS) have successfully completed a rigorous peer evaluation process by requiring surgeons to present and maintain appropriate professional credentials, and demonstrate the requisite training, experience, and knowledge. During its meetings in 2016, the Board reviewed the ABOMS Certification Maintenance (CM) process for relevance and consistency. ABOMS has adopted objectives designed to improve the CM process by creating a more meaningful and engaging program. With the aim of developing a CM process that is both contemporary and educational, the ABOMS eliminated the high stakes examination after its 2019 administration. Diplomate profiles are now the platform for all CM activities. Any Diplomate who holds a time-limited certificate is required to complete the components of CM to maintain their status with ABOMS.
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