Would you go to a non-Board Certified Physician?

E

EricaH

Cathlete
I think I need surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. I got a recommendation from a neighbor who had the surgery done and called the doctor's office. The receptionist said that there was a hand specialist in the practice and that I should see him and I made an appt. I looked this doctor up and found that he is Board Qualified, but not Board Certified. Now I'm seriously thinking of changing the appt. because I always thought that it's important that your doctor is board certified.

Any thoughts on this?

Erica
 
Ohhhhhhhh Erica - tread carefully sweets.

I personaly wouldnt. I want EVERYONE I see to be Board Certified. To me Board Qualified means he has proberly qualified to practice, but Board Certified means he can practice with the back up of the Medical Board and Insurance Companies (I think!)

The difference would be getting a C grade doctor and an A++ Grade doctor

Marion


:)
 
I'm in the medical field so my answer would be it depends, but I would lean towards choosing a board certified doc. One can be board qualified, meaning they're waiting for the board exams to be offered so they can take them which is more often the case with a new grad or a doc changing specialties. Another possibility would be that this doc failed the first time and needs to retake the exam. Board qualified simply means he/she has completed the necessary medical school, residencies etc.

Hope that helps a little.
 
Hi There!

Just wanted to let you know that I had carpel tunnel surgery in both of my hands last year. One in April, the next in June. I would go with board certified.

Good Luck!

KarenL
 
I absolutely would never go to a non-board certified doctor especially for surgery. There is a reason they are not certified.
 
Thanks so much everyone. My gut feeling was to stick with a board certified physician, but I wanted to get other opinions. This particular doctor graduated med school in '98, so my guess is that he hasn't had enough experience to be board certified?

Thanks again!

Erica
 
Karen...

If you're still reading this, would you mind telling me a little about your surgery and recovery?

Erica
 
No, I probably wouldn't. Especially for surgery. Maybe if I got lots of recommendations. But then again, I don't know the difference between Board Qualified and Board Certified and I've never actually checked the credentials of my doctors. My general physician is an internist who saved my life when I was 19 and had a blood clot in my leg. My OB/GYN was highly recommended to me by a coworker and I went to him because she said he was nice. Come to find out, he's one of the best in the city and I know a TON of women who go to him and his wife. The podiatrist who did both of my bunionectomies was also just recommended by a friend and he turned out to be excellent.

I've never checked their qualifications out. Just went on faith. That's probably not a good thing to do, eh? I'm pretty lucky!
 
Let me jump in here if you don't mind. I am married to a board certified physician.
Here are a few definitions-
Board elgible- means the physician has completed the necessary residency program &/or fellowship to be elgible to take the board certification examination in the said specialty.
Board Certified- means that the physician has taken the board certification examination and passed it.

People who are board elgible only may have different reasons for being that way. They may have failed to pass the board exam or never taken it. Or they may have recently completed their training and are waiting for the exam to be offered.

I would find out which is the case before hiring a physician to work for me.

Judy
AKA "Likes2bfit"
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http://groups.msn.com/CatheAddicts/jafitmamalikes2bfitfamily.msnw?Page=1
 
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