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Certification

The certification process of the American Board of Laser Surgery consists of three steps:

1. Application Form submission and acceptance
2. Written Basic Science and Safety Examinations
3. Oral Specialty Examination

The Application Form can be downloaded from the Contact, Application and Payments page. It is competed by typing in the required information into the expandable fields as shown, and it then can be conveniently emailed to us (it may also be typed and printed out, or hand written, and mailed to our Administrative Office).

Following acceptance of the Application, the Board provides a Study Guide containing the information required to sit for the Written Basic Science and Safety Examinations, which may be taken using the Study Guide on an open-book basis. The minimum passing score is 80% of the possible points earned with correct answers. The Study Guide is provided to all candidates and may be kept for future reference. Candidates may take up to one year maximum to review the Study Guide, prepare for and then sit for the Written Examinations. Once you feel fully prepared, you will contact us by email, and at your request we will either send you the Written Examinations by email (as PDF files) to take using an online answer key, or you may print out the examinations, complete them by hand, and mail them back to us. By special request, we can send the examinations in a printed booklet by Priority Mail. You will have five (5) full business days to complete the Written Examinations, following the day of receipt. Candidates who elect to take the Written Examinations by mail are responsible for paying the return postage.

The Oral Examination follows successful completion of the Written Examinations. It is designed to explore and evaluate the candidate's clinical experience. It does not revisit the topics covered in the Written Examinations. There is nothing to formally study for. The candidate will be asked to submit some additional information prior to the Oral Examination, including his/her previous education in laser use, examples of patient education materials, procedure flow sheets, a log of recent example procedures, and some before-and-after photos related to his/her specialty. The Oral Examination may be taken either in person, or remotely via video conference, depending on the candidate’s location, schedule and needs.

The fees for the certification process are as follows, with the total cost similar to many medical specialty boards. Unlike many boards, the Board’s fee structure is phased according to each step in the process in order to enhance convenience and affordability:

• The application fee is $150. If an applicant is not accepted based upon his/her credentials, the application fee is refunded with the exception of a $50 review and administrative processing charge.
• The fee for the Board’s Proprietary Study Guide and the Written Basic Science and Safety Examination is either $500 in one payment, or $600 in four installments of $150 each, depending on the payment method selected (please see next bullet). This fee is due within 30 days following notification of acceptance of the Application, and prior to provision of the study materials. This fee covers provision of the proprietary Study Guide, the Written Examinations, postage to the applicant if printed examinations are used, grading of the examinations, and formal notification of examination results on ABLS letterhead. If a candidate fails either the Basic Science or Safety Written Examination on the first attempt, the examination may be retaken without prejudice any number of times until it is passed. If the full examination is retaken, the retake fee is $150 when taken within 6 months of the date the candidate is informed of the failing grade. If taken after 6 months, the fee is $300.
• There are two options for payment of, and completing, the Study Guide and Written Examinations phase of the certification process:
  1. The candidate may assimilate the Study Guide in four separate parts, each part followed by a shorter written examination that is only taken with this option using an online answer form. The candidate pays a $150 fee upon acceptance of the Application and receives the Study Guide. This initial fee also includes the first shorter Part 1 Examination. Prior to taking each of the next three shorter examinations (Parts 2, 3 and 4), the candidate must remit a $150 fee. The total fee then is $600 for all four parts. The four shorter examinations ultimately comprise all of the questions in the full Basic Science and Safety Examinations. All four shorter examinations must be taken within one year from the date Study Guide is received, however candidates are encouraged to complete these as soon as their schedule allows. Candidates have three (3) full business days to complete any one of the four shorter examinations, following receipt of the examination.
  2. The candidate can elect to take the full Written Examinations at one sitting for a $500 fee, a fee discount of $100. The full Written Examinations must be taken within one year from the date the Study Guide is received, however candidates are again encouraged to complete this phase of the certification as soon as their schedule allows. Candidates have five (5) full business days to complete the full Written Examinations following receipt.
• The fee for the Oral Specialty Examination is $750. This fee is due within 30 days following notification of the successful completion of the Written Examinations. We ask candidates to sit for the Oral Examination within six (6) months of completion of the Written Examinations, which allows ample time for submission of required materials by the candidate and scheduling of the examination. The Oral Examination fee also includes provision of the A.B.L.S. Certificate (two copies) to the successful candidate. Please note that additional copies or replacement certificates cost $30.

There are two options for the payment of fees: for U.S. resident candidates, either online by major credit card, online by PayPal account, or by check mailed to our Administrative Office; for candidates residing outside of the U.S., either online by PayPal account, by check mailed to our Administrative Office, or by using another major funds transfer service such as Western Union (note Western Union fees are paid by the candidate). We cannot accept credit cards from non-U.S. residents. Checks written by non-U.S. candidates must be drawn on a bank with a major U.S. correspondent bank, and the date on the check must have the month written out (such as January 15, 2010, or 15 January, 2010).

Please go to the Contact, Application & Payment page for details. Credit card payments (U.S. residents) and PayPal payments are through our secure PayPal account.