Our Story

Celebrating 100 Years

At the 1912 meeting of the American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society (a.k.a The Triological Society), Dr. Wishart proposed a standardized period of post-graduate medical education for its specialists which would be part of a certification process. This initiative, the first of its kind, was published in The Laryngoscope in 1913, and embraced by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology (now two separate academies).

The American Board of Otolaryngology (ABOto) was subsequently founded and incorporated in 1924. It was the second specialty certifying body founded, following the establishment of the American Board of Ophthalmology in 1916. Today, there are 24 Member Boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), and ABOto was one of the founding boards for this organization in 1933. In 2018, ABMS approved changing the name of the board to the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and the specialty certification to otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

Watch Celebrating Our Centennial: 1924 – 2024
Watch Making a Difference: Voices of Leadership and Volunteers Interview Series
View a Timeline of ABOHNS 100-Year History Milestones
Read The American Board of Otolaryngology, 1924-1999: 75 Years of Excellence
Read The American Board of Otolaryngology, 2000-2024  (Coming Soon)