The commitment to ABVM board certification is a serious and important one.  It requires hard work, time and effort.  The recognition, however, carries with it significant, long-term value including the following benefits:

• Certification provides assurance to the public, your colleagues and the medical profession that you have successfully completed an accredited course of education and training in vascular medicine and have passed an additional rigorous examination in vascular medicine. This demonstrates a high standard of physician excellence.
  
• Certification by the American Board of Vascular Medicine signifies that you have documented your commitment to continued professional development in vascular medicine.
  
• ABVM certification contributes to enhanced professional stature and credibility in the field of vascular medicine and provides stronger credentials for enhanced professional and advancement opportunities.
  
• ABVM certification will enhance the collegial relationship with others who share a commitment to training, education, expertise, and long-term professional development in vascular medicine.
  
• ABVM certification demonstrates that you have the knowledge, skills and commitment to provide quality patient care in vascular medicine.

Why is there a need for a certifying board in vascular medicine?
As the population of patients with non-coronary vascular disease continues to grow, the number of specialists with expertise in vascular medicine is inadequate. There is currently no board certification process to recognize vascular medicine as a medical specialty. The critical mass of vascular medicine practitioners comes from a variety of backgrounds such as general internal medicine, cardiology, nephrology, and hematology. Formal board certification will establish a consistent benchmark of expertise in the field of vascular medicine.