ABOS offers two Subspecialty Certificates: Surgery of the Hand and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. There are approximately 2,700 Diplomates who hold an Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Subspecialty Certificate and 2,300 who hold the Surgery of the Hand Subspecialty Certificate. Thirty-six hold both.
The Subspecialty Certificate in Surgery of the Hand, established in 1989, is for Board-Certified orthopaedic surgeons who have demonstrated qualifications in hand surgery or microvascular surgery beyond those expected of other orthopaedic surgeons by virtue of additional training and a practice characterized by volume and diversity of cases in hand surgery, or have made significant contributions to this field.
The Subspecialty Certificate in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, established in 2007, is for Board-Certified orthopaedic surgeons who have demonstrated qualifications in sports medicine beyond those expected of other orthopaedic surgeons by virtue of additional training, a practice characterized by a volume of cases in sports medicine, or have made significant contributions to this field.
The ABOS has announced a new initiative to allow surgeons to take their Subspecialty Certification Examinations earlier in their careers, making the process of obtaining Subspecialty Certification less burdensome. The changes will be effective for the 2025 Examinations, offered on August 5, 2025.
Currently, surgeons must be ABOS Board Certified before they are eligible to apply for a Subspecialty Examination. With the change, Candidates are eligible to take their Subspecialty Examination after successfully completing an ACGME-accredited fellowship. This allows them to be assessed when their knowledge is at its peak and their practice demands are at their lowest.
Passing the Examination is just one step in the process of obtaining Subspecialty Certification. The requirements for earning Subspecialty Certification will not change, just the order. Candidates must achieve primary Board Certification by the ABOS before they can submit an Application, Case List, and Letters of Recommendation as part of the certification process.
