This is an official recognition by authoritative medical societies that a doctor has proven himself or herself to be an expert in a particular field of medicine. It helps the public better understand which doctors have demonstrated an expertise through education, practice and training. Not all doctors have a certification and many may have it in one field and perform procedures in another field for which they are not certified.

Phlebology Gains Certification

In phlebology, the medical specialty devoted to diagnosis and treatment of venous conditions, there has only been a Diplomat certification since 2008.  Certification in the field of phlebology is offered through the American Board of Venous & Lymphatic Medicine (ABVLM). This special credential was created to assist the public in correctly identifying those providers who have the knowledge, skills and experience to deliver quality care to phlebology patients, as prior to this it was considered a sub-specialty of general surgery. Dr. Lee G. Schulman M.D was among the first physicians in the world to take and pass the certification exam and become certified in phlebology, and the ability to even qualify to take the exam was rigorous.   While it is most common to think of certification as a medical benchmark, there are also certifications in fields such as nursing, pharmacology, and psychology. Some states even have an attorney certification. If a physician is certified in a specific field of medicine, it is considered valid in all 50 of the United States. While it can sometimes get a little political over what larger “umbrella organization” oversees each specific medical certification (for example, orthopedics, pediatrics, radiology, etc.), it’s always a good rule to try to have treatment with a physician who has proven themselves to be more specialized by having attained a certification.

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