In FULL Support of ABORM

[Guest guest]

I respect those of you who wish to keep high standards in our

profession. I completely understand and respect the sentiment that we,

as a profession, must continue to raise standards and improve our

standing in the medical community. I simply cannot see how it hurts us

to form Boards of specialization. This is done in the medical field

all the time.

 

Even in Western Reproductive Medicine, there are Board Certified

specialists, and there are doctors who call themselves 'specialists'

who are NOT board certified. The Reproductive Endocrinologist that I

work with in San Antonio is Board Certified in Reproductive

Endocrinology and Infertility. He is an Infertility Specialist.

However, there are several other OB/GYN's in our area that perform IVF

and treat Infertility and call themselves specialists that ARE NOT

Board Certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Both

have the same rights and benefits when it comes to scope of practice.

 

This is the same model that ABORM seems to be adopting. Any licensed

practitioner is free to claim to be a specialist. As things currently

stand - ANY acupuncturist can represent themselves as a Fertility

Specialist - whether or not they have any specialized knowledge or

training of any kind.

 

Anyone is free to represent themselves as a qualified reproductive

acupuncturist JUST BECAUSE THEY SAY that they are. And nobody can tell

them to do any differently. With ABORM certification, anybody can

STILL call themselves a reproductive specialist, whether they are

certified by ABORM or NOT.

 

Here is the difference: With the formation of ABORM, consumers now

have some reference point, some means of distinguishing from among the

so called, " specialists. " ABORM may not be perfect. How could it be?

It is in its infancy. ABORM may look very different in ten years. But

for right now, I hardly see how setting a minimum bar for specialized

knowledge is detrimental to our profession. And I CERTAINLY do not see

how it is ill begotten, unethical, or bogus, as some of our colleagues

would have you believe.

 

ABORM is not a vehicle to get a few fancy letters after our names. It

is a legitimate test of basic understanding of the principles that

govern the practice of modern Oriental Reproductive Medicine. Without

ABORM, how will the infertile consumer possibly distinguish one so

called " specialist " from another??

 

SUPPORT ABORM. It is not perfect, but it is good. It is not harmful to

our profession, it is of great benefit. Like all things

organizational, it will take time to develop and mature. But we must

start somewhere and we must start now. If we wait until such

certifying boards are without flaws and satisfy the needs and concerns

of everybody................well, we all know that day will never come.

 

Support ABORM NOW. Instead of complaining and trying to tear down this

intrepid effort, get involved and help shape it into the regulating

agency that best represents your views. DO something constructive

instead of trying to stop what is being done.

 

David Karchmer

The Texas Center for Reproductive Acupuncture

Registered for the 2008 ABORM Exam