Will diplomates from the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology - HNS who completed a fellowship in Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology (MDSO) qualify for MDS certification?

Will diplomates from the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology - HNS who completed a fellowship in Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology (MDSO) qualify for MDS certification?

Yes.  To accommodate the small number of diplomates from ABMS Member Boards who completed an MSDO fellowship prior to the change in fellow qualifications in the program requirements, the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery submitted a request to the ABMS to become Qualifying Boards for MDS subspecialty certification offered by the ABD.  That request was endorsed by ABD and approved by ABMS in October 2019. Because diplomates from those ABMS Member Boards are not certified by ABD in general dermatology, they will be required to pass an additional exam in clinical dermatology and dermatopathology, in addition to the MDS certifying exam.