Family Medicine Certification (FMC) is the process that provides the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) with the means to continually assess Diplomates. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) determined that ABMS specialists within every discipline should be required to meet the highest standards of accountability. In response, the ABMS designed a process called Maintenance of Certification, and each specialty board within the ABMS has agreed to adhere to a set structure in developing their own individual programs. This structure consists of four components, each designed to assess important physician characteristics: Professionalism, Self-assessment and Lifelong Learning, Cognitive Expertise, and Performance Improvement. Although these elements are similar to and consistent with the ABFM’s long-standing recertification program, Family Medicine Certification stresses the importance of ongoing participation in activities that evaluate each of these components between recertification examinations. Family Medicine Certification is a requirement that the ABFM believes encourages clinical excellence and benefits both physicians and their patients.