What does "Board Certified" mean?

Board certified means that a doctor has completed a training program after going to medical school, and they have taken certification examinations to determine their proficiency in a particular specialty of medicine.  It is important to note that any group of medical professionals can create its own “certification” board. When a doctor claims to be “board certified,” ask by which board. Only one, the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) is recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) to certify doctors in the specialty of plastic surgery.