Board certified vs. non Board certified

[Capes55]

How important is it that a cataract surgeon be Board certified?

I've narrowed my choices to 2 Doctors.

1 is very experienced, late 50s, does surgery 2 days a week, Mondays and Thursdays and is not Board certified.

The other is around 40, does surgeries 1 day a week, on Wednesdays, and is Board certified.

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

This is a no-brainer.  What you have to ask yourself is why is the one surgeon not board-certified?  Perhaps he could not pass the exam?  Perhaps he was rejected or kicked out?  I'm assuming you are referring to the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO.) Please clarify.  There are also surgeons that are certified by the American Board of Eye Surgery which is another, lesser known board but not recognized for insurance plans and for hospitals.  If that is what you are talking about please clarify. If a doctor is not board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, it raises a red flag in my book and usually that doctor cannot get hospital privileges.  All of my mentors and respected peers have been board-certified by the ABO.  I actually had to do my ten year recertification test last year which is a new requirement.  The doctors before my year got a lifelong certification with no recertification requirement.

MJK MD

[JodieJ]

Certainly, there are excellent surgeons who are not board certified.  But given a choice, I'd definitely prefer a surgeon who has board certification.