Earning American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians Certification

Doctor signing papers 

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A former medical commander for the United States Air Force, Dr. Daniel Skotte practices family medicine at High Desert Family Medicine in Oregon. Active in the professional community, Dr. Daniel Skotte maintains board certification with the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians (AOBFP).

Maintained by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the AOBFP provides certification opportunities to professionals working in the family medicine industry. This certification ensures professionals continually advance their knowledge and skills, thus improving their individual practices and boosting the quality of family medicine as a whole.

To become certified by the AOBFP, professionals must first be board eligible. According to eligibility requirements, professionals must be graduates of a college of osteopathic medicine that is accredited by the COCA. Further, they must hold an active license to practice, follow the AOA code of ethics, and complete training relating to their subspecialty or specialty. (Assuming professionals meet these requirements, their eligibility lasts for six years following the completion of specialty and subspecialty training.)

From there, professionals must select the specialty they want certification in. The AOBFP offers primary certification in family medicine, along with specialty certifications in such fields as geriatric medicine, sports medicine, and sleep medicine. Depending on the specialty selected, eligibility requirements may vary slightly.

Once professionals pass the examinations relating to their specialties, they receive certification. Subspecialty certifications remain active for 10 years once they are issued, while primary certifications are only good for 8 years.