The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has approved subspecialty certification in disaster medicine.
Physicians with special expertise are increasingly needed as disasters—from natural to human-made disasters, including violence—are on the rise. These situations require knowledge and skill that combines caring for and managing patients outside conventional care protocols with the ability to plan for, mitigate against, operate in, and lead recovery efforts from situations where available resources are inadequate. A disaster medicine subspecialty certification is a step forward in addressing this growing need.
The goal of this subspecialty is to formally recognize the specialized expertise of all physicians who specialize in disaster medicine. Establishment of this certification will help ensure that communities have improved access to physicians with advanced knowledge and skills across all phases of disaster care.
The American Board of Surgery (ABS), the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM), and the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM), along with other qualifying boards, have collaborated on this initiative and together will offer this subspecialty certification to interested and eligible surgeons and physicians from the following specialties: anesthesiology, internal medicine, neurological surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopaedic surgery, pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, preventive medicine, psychiatry and neurology, radiology, and surgery.
“The American Board of Surgery is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our colleagues across specialties to protect the public in case of disaster,” said ABS President and CEO Dr. Jo Buyske. “This subspecialty recognizes the unique skills needed to manage large scale disruptions and catastrophes. Surgeons have always had an important role in this arena, and this subspecialty certificate acknowledges and codifies this field of work.”
The ABS will continue to share updates on disaster medicine and looks forward to bringing this subspecialty opportunity to its certified surgeons.
About the ABS
The American Board of Surgery is an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1937 for the purpose of certifying individuals who have met a defined standard of education, training, and knowledge in the field of surgery. Surgeons certified by the ABS have completed at least five years of surgical training following medical school and successfully completed a written and oral examination process administered by the ABS. They must then maintain their board certification through ongoing learning and practice improvement activities.
The ABS offers board certification in general surgery, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery, surgical critical care, and complex general surgical oncology. It is one of the 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties.
MAR. 02, 2026|