 |
|
|
Board History
In the early 1900s, a number of leaders in American ophthalmology raised the question of the importance of adequate training and testing of the qualifications of specialists in ophthalmology. Discussions stemming from this concern culminated in 1914 with the formation of a joint committee among the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, the American Ophthalmological Society, and the Section on Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association to consider ophthalmic education.
The report of this committee in 1915, led to the establishment of the American Board for Ophthalmic Examinations on May 8, 1916. Following the annual Academy meeting in Memphis, the Board examined eleven candidates on December 13 and 14, 1916, at the University of Tennessee Medical School.
The Board was incorporated May 3, 1917. The name was changed from the American Board for Ophthalmic Examinations to the American Board of Ophthalmology in 1933. This was the first American Specialty Board to be established, with the American Board of Otolaryngology following in 1924 and the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1930. The early history of the American Board of Ophthalmology has been described in History of the American Board of Ophthalmology, 1916-1991 (Shaffer, Robert N., 1991).
Today, the American Board of Ophthalmology is overseen by 17 Board Directors who are clinicians and academicians with specific ophthalmologic skills and a broad geographic distribution. Board Directors are chosen for a four-year term and one additional four-year term is permitted. In addition to the 17 Board Directors, the Board is also served by a Public Director. The founding organizations, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Ophthalmological Society and the American Medical Association continue to serve as members of the corporation in an advisory capacity.
Diplomates of the American Board of Ophthalmology are listed in The Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists, published by Marquis Who's Who. This is the authorized publication of the 24 recognized specialty Boards that certify physicians in medical and surgical specialties.
|
|
