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Formal Verification of Certification
The ABO is the primary resource for verifying that an ophthalmologist is certified. If your organization requires written verification of a physician's certification, please submit a request to the ABO Office that includes the physician's name and a check in the amount of $35 made payable to the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Verify a Physician

The search information provided on this page details the American Board of Ophthalmology certification history for each ophthalmologist. Search by name or location for a board certified ophthalmologist using the fields below. The online directory uses the city and state provided by each physician as a mailing address and is not necessarily the physician's city and state of practice.

Enter the name and/or location of your physician to verify their certification.

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Name

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Showing Results for: sidney chang (1 results found)
Name Location Certification Status Certification History
Chang, Sidney Tan Hagerstown
MD 21740 		Certified – Holds a time-limited certificate.
Participating in MOC
2010 - 2020
 

How to Interpret Certification Status

Certified (Non Time-Limited)
Non time-limited certificates awarded prior to 1992 do not require recertification. However, the ABO encourages all diplomates to voluntarily renew certificates and participate in Maintenance of Certification.

Certified (Time-Limited)
Diplomates certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology after 1992 are certified for a period of 10 years. Their certificates are renewed by completing the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process.

Certified - Clinically Inactive
Clinically Inactive diplomates report having no direct patient care. These physicians may be retired from practice or presently working in administrative or research capacities. Despite no longer seeing patients, Clinically Inactive physicians have chosen to renew their board certification via the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process in areas of ophthalmic knowledge and skills. The ABO encourages patients to seek more information about an individual physician's practice history from the physician's state medical licensing board. 

Pride -PinMaintenance of Certification (MOC) Participation
Maintenance of Certification (MOC) establishes high standards for patient care in ophthalmology, equips diplomates with tools for lifelong learning and continuous practice improvement, and provides patients with a credible indicator of physician quality. The ABO encourages all diplomates to participate in MOC; however, this program is required only for diplomates certified after 1992. 

Participating in MOC

Pride -PinPhysicians who are Participating in Maintenance of Certification (MOC) are board certified and engaged in a structured program of lifelong learning designed to help them stay up to date in practice. This patient-centered process includes continuing medical education, patient safety modules, knowledge assessments, and quality improvement programs. Like certification, MOC is not required to practice medicine, but all ophthalmologists certified after 1992 must participate in the program as a condition of their certification. Certified ophthalmologists who are completing the MOC process on time, and in accordance with the program rules, are listed as Participating in MOC.

Certification Status

Board Certification is a voluntary physician credential, driven by a commitment to higher standards in patient care. Ophthalmologists who are listed as “Certified” have completed a verified program of medical training in the specialty of ophthalmology and a rigorous assessment of their post-training knowledge and skills.

Certification Status Key:

Primary Status

Meaning

Certified

Holds a certificate in ophthalmology which is in good standing.

Not Certified

Not certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Retired

Retirement from clinical practice has been self-reported.

Deceased

The passing of this physician has been verified with an obituary.

 

Status Details

Meaning

Holds a time-limited certificate

Physicians certified after 1992 are required to recertify every 10 years through Maintenance of Certification—a program of lifelong learning and quality improvement.

Holds a time-limited certificate and has recertified

Has completed at least one cycle of the Maintenance of Certification program for lifelong learning and quality improvement in order to recertify.

Holds a non time-limited certificate.

Physicians certified prior to 1992 were awarded certificates before the recertification program was introduced. Therefore, they are encouraged, but not required, to participate in the Maintenance of Certification program.

Holds a non time-limited certificate and has voluntarily recertified.

Has, on a voluntarily basis, completed the Maintenance of Certification program for lifelong learning and quality improvement in order to recertify.

Clinically Inactive

Though not retired, this physician self-reports no longer seeing patients and may work in academic, administrative, or research fields.

 

Certification History

The year a physician originally became board certified is listed here, along with the dates of any certification renewals through the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program.

  • A single date (1992 or earlier) indicates the physician holds a lifetime certificate, issued prior to the implementation of recertification requirements.
  • Date ranges from 1993 or later indicate the time periods during which a physician’s certification is or was valid.
  • Physicians who have voluntarily recertified will have a single date followed by a date range.

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A Founding Member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties

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