Tampa, FL — The American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS) is proud to announce the renewal of its Gold Partnership with the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) for 2012.

The foundation of ABPS is placing patients first by meeting the board certification needs of rural physicians.

“Healthy communities are dependent upon the supply of physicians and the quality of the workforce,” said ABPS CEO William Carbone. “Not only is an adequate supply of physicians needed to ensure access to care, but being seen by a board certified physician is vital to the health of rural communities.”

Board certification is a voluntary process and a public statement that a practitioner has mastered a core body of specialized knowledge and skills in a chosen specialty at a specific time.

In addition to its focus on the rural physician workforce, ABPS invites all NRHA partners to join in promoting public awareness for disaster medicine preparedness and response planning in rural America.

ABPS is the official certifying body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc., headquartered in Tampa, FL, ABPS certifies both allopathic and osteopathic physicians in 17 medical specialties including anesthesiology, dermatology, diagnostic radiology, disaster medicine, emergency medicine, family medicine obstetrics, family practice, geriatric medicine, hospital medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, psychiatry, radiation oncology, surgery, and urgent care medicine. Learn more at http://www.abpsus.org.