The American Board of Obesity Medicine has announced more than 720 physicians are newly certified in obesity careThe OAC is excited to share that 2021 is already bringing good news about what’s on the horizon for the treatment of obesity. The American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) has announced that a record 1,400+ physicians have applied to take the 2021 ABOM certification exam, which tests doctors for their competency in treating obesity. The total number of applicants (1,407) represents a 40% increase from the previous class of applicants. Over the past two years, more than 2,400 doctors have applied for ABOM certification. These numbers are both impressive and hopeful because they indicate that more and more doctors seek to gain knowledge about the disease of obesity and how to treat it.

COVID-19 and Weight

This promising news comes at a crucial time because the current COVID-19 pandemic has left many Americans struggling with their weight. A recent study of 7,753 people published in the journal Obesity reported that while 24.7% of individuals at an average healthy weight gained weight during the pandemic, those with obesity were even more affected, with 33.4% reporting weight gain. For these Americans and others who are searching for effective ways to improve their health, there will soon be more physicians with board-certified credentials to treat them.

About the Exam and Applicants

Physician candidates seeking ABOM certification will take the test between February 18-25 at computer-based testing centers throughout the U.S. and Canada and through live remote proctoring. The 2021 exam candidates represent more than a dozen fields of medicine, including internal medicine (38%), family medicine (30%), pediatrics (7%), endocrinology (6%), surgery (5%), gastroenterology (3%) and Ob/Gyn (3%). They come from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

The ABOM began overseeing the certification process for obesity medicine physicians in 2011. Today, there are more than 4,100 certified obesity medicine physicians throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more about the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the upcoming 2021 certification exam, click here. You can also find many ABOM-certified physicians in the OAC’s Provider Locator at ObesityCareProviders.com.