Osteopathic specialty board certification.

Specialty board certification, though voluntary, has become an indispensable designation for many osteopathic physicians. The authors report rates of osteopathic specialty board certification and recertification for osteopathic physicians. In the past year, osteopathic specialty boards have proposed conjoint examinations in hospice and palliative medicine as well as in sleep medicine. Plans for the addition of a new conjoint examination for undersea and hyperbaric medicine are also described. As the healthcare environment continues to evolve, the American Osteopathic Association, the Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists, and the 18 osteopathic specialty boards continue to adapt to meet the professional needs of osteopathic physicians.