The American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AOBOG) is an organization that provides
board certification
Board certification is the process by which a physician or other professional demonstrates a mastery of advanced knowledge and skills through written, practical, or simulator-based testing.
Certification bodies
There are more than 25 boards that ...
to qualified
Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) who specialize in the care of the female reproductive tract and children during the course of
pregnancy
Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins.
Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse, but ca ...
,
childbirth
Childbirth, also known as labour and delivery, is the ending of pregnancy where one or more babies exits the internal environment of the mother via vaginal delivery or caesarean section. In 2019, there were about 140.11 million births globall ...
, and the
postnatal
The postpartum (or postnatal) period begins after childbirth and is typically considered to end within 6 weeks as the mother's body, including hormone levels and uterus size, returns to a non-pregnant state. The terms puerperium, puerperal perio ...
period (
obstetricians
Obstetrics is the field of study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. As a medical specialty, obstetrics is combined with gynecology under the discipline known as obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), which is a sur ...
) and to qualified Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the female reproductive tract (
gynecologists
Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined are ...
). The board is one 18
medical specialty
A medical specialty is a branch of medical practice that is focused on a defined group of patients, diseases, skills, or philosophy. Examples include those branches of medicine that deal exclusively with children (paediatrics), cancer (oncology), ...
certifying boards of the
approved by the
American Osteopathic Association
The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) is the representative member organization for the more than 176,000 osteopathic medical doctors (D.O.s) and osteopathic medical students in the United States. The AOA is headquartered in Chicago, Illinoi ...
(AOA), and was established in 1942. As of December 2011, 1,082 osteopathic obstetricians and gynecologists held active certification with the AOBOG.
Board certification
Initial certification is available to eligible
osteopathic
Osteopathy () is a type of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of the body's muscle tissue and bones. Practitioners of osteopathy are referred to as osteopaths.
Osteopathic manipulation is the core set of techniques i ...
obstetricians and gynecologists who have successfully completed an AOA-approved
residency
Residency may refer to:
* Domicile (law), the act of establishing or maintaining a residence in a given place
** Permanent residency, indefinite residence within a country despite not having citizenship
* Residency (medicine), a stage of postgrad ...
in obstetrics and gynecology, or a fellowship in
female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery
Urogynecology or urogynaecology is a surgical sub-specialty of urology and gynecology.
History
In 1893, Howard Kelly, a gynecologist and pioneering urogynecologist, invented an air cystoscope which was simply a handheld, hollow tube with a glass ...
,
gynecologic oncology
Gynecologic oncology is a specialized field of medicine that focuses on cancers of the female reproductive system, including ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, vaginal cancer, cervical cancer, and vulvar cancer. As specialists, they have extensive ...
,
maternal-fetal medicine, or
reproductive endocrinology.
Since June 2002, board certified osteopathic obstetricians and gynecologists have been required to renew their certification every six years to avoid expiration of their board certified status. However, diplomates of the AOBOG who received their certification prior to this time are not required to undergo the recertification process and possess lifelong certification.
Osteopathic obstetricians and gynecologists may also receive Certification of Special Qualifications (CSQ) in the following areas:
*Female Pelvic Medicine/Reconstructive Surgery
*Gynecologic Oncology
*Maternal and Fetal Medicine
*Reproductive Endocrinology
References
External links
AOBOG homepage
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Osteopathic medical associations in the United States
Organizations established in 1942
Medical and health professional associations in Chicago
Obstetrics and gynaecology organizations
1942 establishments in the United States