Practicing Without Board Certification

[dukethin]

I'm a Canadian anesthesiologist, FRCPC certified. I will be doing an ACGME pain fellowship next year. After the fellowship, I would consider staying in the US to work, if that's even possible. I've come to realize that the ABA will not allow me to sit the anesthesia boards, as residency in Canada is not recognized by the ABA (don't ask why). Because I cannot be board certified by the ABA, I am then not eligible to sit for the ABA's pain boards. If I really wanted to sit for the anesthesia and then pain boards, I would have to repeat residency in the US or follow the Alternate Entry Pathway (4 years). There is no way I would repeat residency but I would consider the AEP route.

All to say, with my pain fellowship, can I practice in pain without ABA board certification? I know I can get a state medical license and be hired, but will insurance companies reimburse me?

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[BobBarker]

Yes, you can practice. No issues.

 

[Laryngospasm]

The only issues you will likely have would be in holier than thou locations. If you’ve got skills and are smart, respectful and hardworking you will make it work for sure.

 

[pmrmd]

You would probably have problems getting hospital procedure privileges but no problems in outpatient private practice.

 

[Eilat87]

You would probably have problems getting hospital procedure privileges but no problems in outpatient private practice.

I don't know how it is in the rest of the country but some areas require hospital privileges in order to get on insurance panels (NYC).

 

[BobBarker]

You can do anything we need to do in the office or ASC. We have family physicians in this state billing posterior fusion codes at rural hospitals.

 

[swamprat]

I’d say no issues. Even hospital privelages u prob could get. Sit for one of the non abms boards. My buddy did an interventional spine 2 year fellowship and obviously can’t sit for the abms boards. He’s had no issues getting credentialed and is a fantastic pain doc

 

[dukethin]

I don't think I'll have issues getting hospital privileges. My bigger concern was that insurers wouldn't reimburse me or would do so at a significantly discounted rate because I lacked pain board certification, despite an ACGME fellowship.

 

[BobBarker]

Insurers will reimburse without issue except just a few select areas if any. Probably no issues there. They might not let you on panel in some markets but you might encounter that if you had ABMS certification or not.

 

[bedrock]

I agree that I would recommend sitting for ABPM boards which help in many states.

You can practice and get paid in 80% of the US, but you’ll struggle to be hired in academics, hospital employment, and some insurance panels if you live in a highly desirable area like LA, NYC, Miami.

Otherwise, the other 80% of situations you’ll be fine.

 

[bedrock]

I agree that I would recommend sitting for ABPM boards which help in many states.

You can practice and get paid in 80% of the US, but you’ll struggle to be hired in academics, hospital employment, and some insurance panels if you live in a highly desirable area like LA, NYC, Miami.

Otherwise, the other 80% of situations, (most private practice situations) you’ll be fine.

 

[Ducttape]

it is location dependent.

some insurers will not cover.

like bedrock stated - go to an underserved area, you wont have any problems. but get some credentialing.

if at the very least so that patients can ask you "are you board certified". doesn't matter in what nowadays, apparently, to be considered "an expert"...

 

[drusso]

It's like a moonlighting gig in the ED. Sure, you can do it, but if you have a complication "you will be held to the standard of a BOARD CERTIFIED PAIN SPECIALIST."

 

[kamilo6]

I agree with everyone that it may not make a difference except for some hospital employed positions.
Would your fellowship in the US make you eligible to sit for the Canadian pain board?

 

[Ferrismonk]

Some insurances care if you're BE/BC. BCBS in my state for example. Many employers would like you to be BE/BC as well, but many don't care as long as you did proper training. Agree that the PP world is likely more favorable.

 

[dukethin]

Looks like eligibility for APBM requires "certification by an ABMS member board." So as per that language, I can't sit that exam either.

I would be eligible for the Canadian pain boards, although that 'certification' has only recently become a thing.

 

[deleted993114]

I'm a Canadian anesthesiologist, FRCPC certified. I will be doing an ACGME pain fellowship next year. After the fellowship, I would consider staying in the US to work, if that's even possible. I've come to realize that the ABA will not allow me to sit the anesthesia boards, as residency in Canada is not recognized by the ABA (don't ask why). Because I cannot be board certified by the ABA, I am then not eligible to sit for the ABA's pain boards. If I really wanted to sit for the anesthesia and then pain boards, I would have to repeat residency in the US or follow the Alternate Entry Pathway (4 years). There is no way I would repeat residency but I would consider the AEP route.

All to say, with my pain fellowship, can I practice in pain without ABA board certification? I know I can get a state medical license and be hired, but will insurance companies reimburse me?

You could probably get some form of certification other than the ABA. Do they still have that?

Board certification helps in getting hospital privileges. Also, if you get sued, it really helps to be board certified.

Insurance companies at this time do not discriminate among those boarded and those not boarded.

 

[Gauss]

I don't see why he could not receive pain cert from NBPAS and ABPM? American Board of Pain Medicine
Most states recognize abpm and allow yourself to be called "board certified in pain" for credentialing and advertising

 

[bedrock]

Looks like eligibility for APBM requires "certification by an ABMS member board." So as per that language, I can't sit that exam either.

I would be eligible for the Canadian pain boards, although that 'certification' has only recently become a thing.

ABPM does typically want you to have some kind of ABMS pain boards such as ABMS boarded in PMR or Anes. So that might limit you from ABPM.

If you take and hold the canadian pain boards, that's at least as good as ABPM from a standpoint of private practice job in most cities.

 

[deleted993114]

I don't see why he could not receive pain cert from NBPAS and ABPM? American Board of Pain Medicine
Most states recognize abpm and allow yourself to be called "board certified in pain" for credentialing and advertising

Yes- one of my former partners had that ABPM certification. State medical boards and insurers make no distinction between that and ABA certification.

 

[sdnuser001]

ABPM does typically want you to have some kind of ABMS pain boards such as ABMS boarded in PMR or Anes. So that might limit you from ABPM.

If you take and hold the canadian pain boards, that's at least as good as ABPM from a standpoint of private practice job in most cities.

I believe for ABPM you just need boards in Anesthesia, PMR, neuro or psych and then either ACGME fellowship or non ACGME fellowship plus 6 months of work experience in a pain practice.