Board Certified Foot and Ankle Surgeon
Board Certified Foot and Ankle Surgeon .What does it mean when your doctor states he or she is board certified? In addition what does i t mean to be board certified in foot and ankle surgery?
When choosing a surgeon to operate on your foot you have many choices and questions. It is important that your surgeon is well trained and up to date on the proper techniques. You want your foot doctor to be caring and sympathetic to your needs. As well you want your foot and ankle doctor to be available.
One of the ways to find out about their skills and training is to check if they are a board certified in Foot and ankle surgeon. There is one major board called the American Board of Foot And Ankle Surgeons https://www.abfas.org/ . One must be mindfull that when you choose your surgeon that they are board certified. There are many doctors that are licensed by the state they work in to practice medicine. However, Being board certified in foot and ankle surgery does not come along with that.
A board certified foot and ankle surgeon that is certified by the American Board of Foot And Ankle Surgeons can be found here https://www.abfas.org/Pages/Resources/FindADoctor.aspx
The certifying process for a Board Certified Foot and Ankle Surgeon is as follows, After schooling the doctor will to a training called residency which is about 3-4 years depending on the program. Many will go on for more specific training after called a fellowship. I performed a one year fellowship at the International Center for Limb lengthening and Reconstruction. Once the doctor is finished then they take a series of rigorous exams to test their competency. Then over the next few years the surgeon will gather their cases and present them to the board. The board will scrutinize the surgeries and if they pass
Ankle Fracture
muster, then there is another oral exam. After the surgeon successfully passes all those exams and case reviews then they can be board certified in foot and ankle surgery. There are other boards available in surgery but none that is dedicated to foot and ankle surgery and is as rigorous as the American Board of Foot And Ankle Surgeons.
So next time you need a doctor for a complex foot or ankle case, make sure to ask if they did a residency dedicated to foot and ankle surgery that was at least 3-4 years. and also check to see if they are board certified in foot and ankle surgery https://www.abfas.org/Pages/Resources/FindADoctor.aspx
As well check to see if your doctor is a member of The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. please visit http://www.foothealthfacts.org/ and put your surgeons name in the search bar
Board Certified Foot and Ankle Surgeon
