Professional Standing, Professionalism, and Professional Conduct Policy

This policy outlines the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s (ABOG) expectations for professional standing, professionalism, and professional conduct. It applies to all physicians seeking Certification or Continuing Certification (CC), and physicians holding Diplomate status.

Professional standing refers to the minimum credentials a physician must maintain to be eligible for ABOG Certification or CC. This includes holding an unrestricted medical license and meeting other foundational requirements that affirm a physician’s legal and professional authority to practice medicine. Demonstration of professional standing may differ in different practice settings.

Medical professionalism encompasses the values, behaviors, and attitudes expected of physicians in their interactions with patients, colleagues, and society. It represents medicine’s social contract and includes:

Empathy, integrity, respect, and accountability
Effective communication and collaboration
Commitment to clinical excellence and lifelong learning
Dedication to evidence-based practice and patient-centered care
Attention to personal well-being to ensure safe, high-quality care

Professional conduct refers to the ethical and appropriate actions physicians must take in clinical and professional settings. Physicians are expected to:

Obtain informed consent
Maintain patient confidentiality
Avoid conflicts of interest
Uphold patient autonomy and beneficence
Promote evidence informed care
Refrain from providing inaccurate, misleading and potentially harmful information related to OB-GYN care and women’s health
Represent ABOG Certification and CC status accurately

ABOG also defines specific behaviors that constitute serious violations of professional conduct. These include but are not limited to:

Sexual misconduct and boundary violations
Falsification of data submitted to ABOG
Cheating or collusion in any ABOG-related activity
Misrepresentation of disease management or therapies that are not aligned to medical practice standards

Such actions are considered egregious breaches of ethical and professional standards and are incompatible with ABOG Certification. All physicians must maintain good moral character and an untarnished professional reputation.

Professionalism and professional conduct are both essential for ensuring that patients receive high-quality, safe, and compassionate care and play an important role in building trust between patients and physicians, and in maintaining the integrity and reputation of the medical profession.

All ABOG candidates and Diplomates are expected to:

Act in the best interests of patients
Take appropriate care of themselves
Uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics
Maintain competence through Continuing Certification
Demonstrate professionalism across diverse practice settings

Disqualification or revocation of Certification may occur for violations of this policy as set forth more fully herein and in the Revocation of Diploma or Certificate policy.

Primary Professional Standing and Professionalism Requirements

As its primary measures of professional standing, professionalism, and professional conduct, ABOG relies on the rigorous periodic peer review of medical staff membership and state licensure. ABOG requires that physicians:

as set forth herein, have an active, unrestricted license to practice medicine in each and every state or territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Province of Canada in which the physician holds a current medical license;
have documented evidence regarding their professional standing, good moral and ethical character, untarnished professional reputation and unsupervised, unrestricted hospital privileges in each hospital (if applicable) in which patient care had been conducted. The method of demonstrating professional standing may be different for different practice settings. For physicians without hospital privileges (not due to adverse privileging issue), an attestation of professional standing must be completed by another ABOG Diplomate in good standing;
devote the majority of their practice to the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology, unless also certified by another ABMS Board and practicing primarily in that certified specialty;
disclose any actions required to be reported to ABOG as set forth herein or as an attestation in a Bulletin governing a physician’s Certification or status.

To the extent ABOG takes action under this policy for a professional standing, professionalism, or professional conduct reason that is a primary requirement, the Appeals for Issues Other than Exams policy applies, provided however, that the physician must demonstrate an “appealable reason.” For purposes of primary requirements, an appealable reason is a demonstration that there is new factual information demonstrating that the primary requirement is satisfied by the physician.

Unrestricted License to Practice Medicine

As a primary requirement, physicians must continuously hold an unrestricted, active license to engage in the practice of medicine in each and every of the states and territories in which they are licensed, subject to the exceptions set forth below.

Physicians who do not maintain unrestricted, active licensure for clinical inactivity or other reasons may apply to the ABOG Credentials Subcommittee for an exception but generally will be expected to meet applicable state requirements for administrative licenses or similar status. The decision of the Credentials Subcommittee not to grant a licensure exception is final and cannot be appealed. Physicians in training need a license free from adverse actions in the appropriate category for the applicable state.

ABOG may, at its discretion, allow a physician practicing medicine exclusively outside the United States, its territories, District of Columbia, and Canada to be certified or maintain certification without a full and unrestricted license in at least one jurisdiction in the United States, its territories, District of Columbia, or Canada if all of the following requirements are met.

The physician has complied with all legal and regulatory requirements governing the practice of medicine in the country where the physician is practicing and has an unrestricted license to practice medicine in that country; and
Any prior license to practice medicine in the United States, its territories, District of Columbia, or Canada has not been revoked or suspended, voluntarily surrendered, or allowed to expire to avoid disciplinary action(s).

A physician's license shall be deemed “restricted” for purposes of this policy if, as a result of final action by a State or other legally constituted Medical Board (hereinafter “State Medical Board”), the physician shall have:

A. had their license revoked or surrendered in lieu of revocation;

B. had their license suspended for a specified period of time or until specified conditions have been met and the suspension remains in effect;

C. been placed on probation and the probationary period had not expired;

D. been made subject to special conditions or requirements which are still in effect (including, but not limited to, supervision, chaperoning during the examination of patients, additional training beyond that required of all physicians for the maintenance of licensure), regardless of whether or not such conditions or requirements are imposed by order of the State Medical Board or are the result of a voluntary agreement between the physician and the State Medical Board.

Letters of concern or reprimand not resulting in one of the stipulations set forth in A-D above shall not be considered a restriction on the physician’s license, even if such letters are made part of the physician’s State Medical Board record. Likewise, a physician who has voluntarily entered into a rehabilitation program for chemical dependency with the approval of a State Medical Board shall not be considered for purposes of this policy, to have a restriction on their license to practice medicine, however, ABOG requires documentation of the Physician Health Program (if mandated by the state licensure board and/or hospital) to determine whether or not there are restrictions to the practice of medicine.

Upon receipt of notice (including notice by the physician, the State Medical Board, or other entities) that the license of a physician has been restricted, as defined above, such physician may be disqualified from sitting for any ABOG Examination or entering the CC process until such restriction has been removed or expires. In the alternative, the Board has the authority, and may at its discretion, undertake proceedings consistent with due process to revoke their status, in accordance with the Revocation of Diploma or Certificate policy.

Physicians with medical licenses on probation for a specified length of time may request, or be assigned to, participate in the CC process in a probationary certification status if the reason for probation is not associated with a criminal conviction, plea, or deferred disposition. The ABOG Credentials Subcommittee will review each request or situation. The decision of the Credentials Subcommittee is final and cannot be appealed.

2. Hospital Privileges or Other Evidence of Professional Standing

As a primary requirement, if (i) a physician has had privileges restricted, suspended, placed on probation, surrendered or revoked, or has had any negative action taken by a hospital, medical facility, or healthcare organization, or (ii) a physician has resigned from a hospital staff or other healthcare organization or had/allowed privileges to expire, including all membership organizations, while under investigation for substandard patient care, ethical, moral, professional, or other alleged misbehavior, ABOG will review the material to determine whether the physician is eligible to participate in the Certification or CC process. The scenarios in the previous sentence (including conditions placed on hospital privileges) are considered to be restrictions to the practice of medicine. If the loss or limitation of privileges was tied to a termination of employment for cause, it is still considered to be a restriction to the practice of medicine. In most cases, ABOG will require the physician to clear any and all restrictions and/or conditions in the hospital practice before being eligible to participate in the Certification or CC process.

If any of the above is determined by ABOG to be a restriction to the practice of medicine, and the physician is currently in good standing with active privileges at another hospital or healthcare facility, the physician may request that the ABOG Credentials Subcommittee grant an exception based on a letter of good standing from the other hospital or healthcare facility. The letter of good standing must fully meet the requirements set forth in ABOG’s notification that the physician is ineligible based on a restriction to the practice of medicine, which will include that the letter of good standing confirm the other hospital or healthcare facility is aware of the prior restriction impacting the physician. The letter of good standing should accompany the exception request and must be submitted by the date indicated in ABOG’s notification. If the letter is not received by the due date stated by the Credentials Subcommittee, regardless of the reason, the physician will not be eligible to participate in the Certification or CC process. Upon receipt of the letter, the Credentials Subcommittee will deliberate and (i) grant the exception; (ii) deny the exception; or (iii) request more information regarding the restriction or the letter of good standing. A decision by the Credentials Subcommittee to grant or deny an exception as set forth herein is final and cannot be appealed.

Physicians with hospital staff membership: If a physician has unsupervised hospital privileges, those privileges must be unrestricted in each hospital in which patient care has been conducted since their last application. Physicians who must have their practice monitored for quality, patient care, or professionalism concerns (including but not limited so a Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) for cause that is triggered by a specific concern identified by Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluations (OPPE), other institutional surveillance, or via an institutional reporting process) will be reviewed by ABOG to determine if the required monitoring or proctoring represents a restriction to the practice of medicine. ABOG may make confidential inquiries to any hospital; other medical facility; other healthcare organization (including membership organizations); physicians, nurses, trainees; and patients, as needed, for further context.

Clinically active physicians without medical staff membership: In lieu of hospital privileges, an attestation form must be completed once per 6-year CC cycle. The attestation form must be signed by another ABOG Diplomate in good standing and cannot be signed by a spouse or family member.

Clinically inactive physicians: If a physician is not actively involved in the clinical practice of medicine but chooses to participate in the CC process, another ABOG Active Diplomate in good standing, excluding a spouse or other family member, must attest in a letter once per 6-year CC cycle that the applicant is of good moral and ethical character and that the applicant has elected not to have a clinical practice. If the physician returns to clinical practice, they must submit written notification to ABOG within 60 calendar days.

Physicians in international practice settings: Once per 6-year cycle, physicians practicing in a country other than the United States and its territories, District of Columbia, or Canada must submit a letter with the application from a responsible senior official in the hospital or clinical setting where the applicant practices. The letter must attest that they have independent, unsupervised privileges for the practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology and that the physician’s practice of medicine meets all local standards of medical care.

3. Majority Practice is the Specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology

As a primary requirement, a physician not board certified by another ABMS board should devote the majority of their practice to the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology.

A physician certified by another ABMS Board and practicing primarily in that certified specialty will be deemed to have met this requirement.

4. Duty to Disclose and Report to ABOG

As a primary requirement, it is each physician’s responsibility to fully and accurately make the attestations required under the applicable governing Bulletin.

Falsification of data submitted to ABOG or evidence may result in deferral of a physician’s application for Certification or CC for a minimum of (3) years. Failure to disclose in a timely fashion may be considered falsification of data. Physicians will lose Certification during this deferral period and must apply for the Re-Entry Process to regain Certification.

In addition to the attestation obligations required under the applicable governing Bulletin, it is each physician’s responsibility to inform ABOG in writing within 60 calendar days of:

any and all actions involving a medical license, hospital or other privileges, and credentials, including having their practice monitored;
any resignations or expirations of hospital or other privileges while under investigation, or other circumstances that trigger National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) reporting; and
felony indictments, guilty or no-contest pleas, felony or misdemeanor convictions, or deferred dispositions as well as disciplinary or non-disciplinary actions taken by or agreements with an institution or other government agency including, but not limited to, Medicare/Medicaid exclusion, DEA registration, federal healthcare program exclusion due to healthcare fraud, controlled substance license violation, or other cause.

If a physician is unsure whether a matter must be reported to ABOG, the Board encourages erring on the side of timely and complete disclosure to the Board.

It should be noted that ABOG will query each state licensing board through the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) for lists of physicians who hold active licenses. In addition, ABOG is informed through the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and other appropriate sources about criminal matters, any medical board actions that are taken against physicians’ licenses to practice, or other restrictions to the practice of medicine.

Secondary Professional Standing and Professionalism Requirements

In addition to the primary requirements set forth above, ABOG will review information it receives from physicians or third parties to evaluate the professional standing, professionalism, and professional conduct of the physician at issue and determine if they are eligible to participate in the CC process or if action against their Certification is warranted.

To the extent ABOG takes action under this policy for a professional standing, professionalism, or professional conduct reason that is not a primary requirement, the physician will first be offered the opportunity to submit a response to the ABOG Credentials Subcommittee. The physician will also be offered due process, including the right to appeal—see the Appeals for Issues Other than Exams policy.

Policy revised and approved October 2025