• Carolyn L Kinney, Mikaela M Raddatz, James A Sliwa, Gary S Clark, and Lawrence R Robinson.
• From the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (CLK, MMR); Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona (CLK); Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine/Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, Illinois (JAS); Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Case Western Reserve University/Metro Health Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio (GSC); and Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (LRR).
• Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2019 Dec 1; 98 (12): 1079-1083.

ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to determine the relationship between performance on the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation primary certification examinations and the risk of subsequent disciplinary actions by state medical boards over a physician's career. The hypothesis is that physicians who do not pass either or both of the two initial specialty certification examinations are at higher risk of disciplinary action from a state medical licensing board.DesignThis is a retrospective cohort study that analyzed board certification examination data from all physicians who completed physical medicine and rehabilitation residency between 1968 and 2017.ResultsMatching examination and license data were available for 9889 physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, who received a total of 547 disciplinary action reports through the Federation of State Medical Boards. The results showed a significant correlation between failing an American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation certification examination and the risk of subsequent disciplinary action by a state medical board. Failure to pass either the written (Part I) or oral (Part II) examination increased the risk of subsequent disciplinary action by 5.77-fold (P < 0.0001, 95% confidence interval = 4.07-8.18).ConclusionsPhysicians in physical medicine and rehabilitation who do not pass initial certification examinations and become board certified are at higher risk of disciplinary action from a state medical licensing board throughout their careers.

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