What Does Board Certified Mean?

Why Board Certified?

Board Certification is an important factor in selecting a physician. All of the physicians at Rio Grande Orthopedic Center are board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons (ABOS). This important certification is conferred on physicians who have met the educational requirements, undergo a peer-review process, and demonstrate their orthopedic skills by passing a rigorous test of competency. Only then will the ABOS bestow the title of "Board Certified" and allow the physician to become a fellow of the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Education and Training

Our orthopedic surgeons have completed more than thirteen years of formal education, which consists of the following:

Four years of study in a college or university (Pre-med)
Four years of study in a medical school
Five years of concentrated study in an orthopedic residency at a major medical center
An additional year of specialty training is common, which is called a fellowship

All of the physicians at Rio Grande Orthopedic Center have completed additional educational degrees and/or fellowships, which were not required, in order to provide the best possible care to our patients and the community.