DENVER, June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- If you are a physician, you can earn board certification in the practice of bariatric medicine, the non-surgical medical management of overweight and obese patients. If you are a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, you can earn a certificate of advanced training in bariatric medicine. The deadline to sign up to take the American Board of Bariatric Medicine (ABBM) certification exam is fast approaching. The early deadline is June 15, 2010, and the final deadline is July 31, 2010.

To fill out and submit an application, interested physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants should visit www.abbmcertification.org. More information about the exam, including preparation materials, cost information and eligibility requirements are also available on the site.

The ABBM will administer the exam at testing centers throughout the country between September 18 and October 2, 2010. Once a physician passes the exam, he or she must also pass a board inspection and board approval before earning the status of ABBM Diplomate.

The ABBM is an independent medical specialty board and administers the first and only exam that distinguishes physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, as having a knowledge base and specialized skills in the medical management of obesity. Certification ensures an elevated standard of care in the management and treatment of obesity and related conditions.

The ABBM was originally organized as a committee of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP) in 1970 and has been administering the certifying exam ever since. More than 800 individuals have taken the exam. Nearly 400 have completed the certification process and are certified Diplomates of the ABBM.

About the ABBM

The ABBM is the testing body for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants practicing bariatric medicine, the non-surgical medical management of overweight and obese patients. It is the only board that administers a medical exam to certify and distinguish doctors, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants who practice bariatric medicine. The ABBM will administer its next exam Sept. 18 – Oct. 2, 2010, at testing centers throughout the U.S. For more information or to register to take the exam, visit www.abbmcertification.org.

SOURCE The American Society of Bariatric Physicians