How to verify a longevity doctor's board certification in 5 minutes
No doctor in the United States holds an ABMS board certification in longevity medicine, because the American Board of Medical Specialties does not recognize longevity as a specialty. The real check is the doctor's primary specialty board: search their name on ABMS Certification Matters (or the AOA's tools if they are a DO), then confirm an active license and any discipline on their state medical board site or DocInfo.org. It is free and takes about five minutes.
Longevity is not accidental, it is intentional. The same applies to choosing the person who guides it. Here is the full process, click by click.
| Step | Where to look | What it confirms | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ABMS Certification Matters | Certification by one of the ABMS member boards, and the specialty | Free |
| 2 | American Osteopathic Association (AOA) | Certification by an AOA board, for DOs | Free |
| 3 | State medical board and DocInfo.org | Active license, states licensed, discipline | Free |
| 4 | The board named in steps 1 or 2 | Whether the primary specialty fits preventive and longevity care | Free |
| 5 | The longevity credential's own website | What an extra longevity or anti-aging credential actually means | Free |
Step 1: Search ABMS Certification Matters by name and state
Certification Matters is the public lookup run by ABMS, the umbrella organization for the 24 member boards that certify MDs and many DOs, from internal medicine to orthopaedic surgery.
- Go to certificationmatters.org. You may be asked to create a free account before searching.
- Enter the doctor's last name, first name and state. If you know the city, add it to narrow the results.
- Open the matching profile.
A result shows whether the doctor is certified by an ABMS member board, the name of that board, and the specialty and any subspecialty. That is the information you need for the rest of this guide.
If nothing comes up, do not conclude the worst yet. Try a maiden name, a middle initial, or the state where the doctor trained. If there is still no record, the doctor may be a DO certified through the AOA (Step 2), or may simply not hold an ABMS certification.
Two more notes. If your doctor is an internist or an internal medicine subspecialist, such as an endocrinologist or geriatrician, the American Board of Internal Medicine's patient page offers its own way to check certification. And Certification Matters is built for patients: hospitals and employers that need verification for credentialing are pointed to separate ABMS services, as explained in the Certification Matters FAQ on professional use.
Step 2: For DOs, check AOA board certification
Doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) can be certified by an ABMS member board, by one of the AOA's specialty boards, or both. An AOA certification is a full specialty board certification, not a lesser one.
If your longevity doctor has "DO" after their name and did not appear in Step 1, check their certification through the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), which oversees osteopathic specialty boards. Look for the same three things: the certifying board, the specialty, and whether the certification is current.
Step 3: Check the license and any discipline
Board certification tells you about training and testing. A license tells you whether the doctor is legally allowed to treat you today. You need both.
- State medical board: every state runs a free license lookup. Search the doctor's name and confirm the license is active, see its expiration date, and look for any public orders, probation or restrictions.
- DocInfo.org: the Federation of State Medical Boards runs DocInfo.org, which pulls license and board action information from across states into one search. It is the fastest way to see every state where a doctor is licensed and whether any board has acted against them.
This step matters most for telehealth. In general, a physician must be licensed in the state where you are physically located during the visit. A longevity doctor in Florida treating you in Texas by video should show a Texas license.
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Active, no actions | Clean record in that state |
| Active with conditions or probation | Read the order; ask the doctor about it |
| Expired, lapsed or inactive | Not currently allowed to practice in that state |
| Revoked or surrendered | Serious red flag |
| No license in your state | Should not be treating you there |
Step 4: Identify the primary specialty
Because there is no ABMS longevity board, every legitimate "longevity doctor" has a home specialty. The board result from Step 1 or 2 tells you what it is. Some specialties map naturally onto prevention, hormones and healthy aging.
| Primary specialty | Certifying board | Why it fits longevity care |
|---|---|---|
| Internal medicine | ABIM | Adult chronic disease, labs, cardiometabolic risk |
| Family medicine | ABFM | Whole-person primary and preventive care |
| Preventive medicine | ABPM | Population health, risk reduction, screening |
| Endocrinology | ABIM (subspecialty) | Hormones, thyroid, diabetes, metabolism |
| Geriatric medicine | ABIM or ABFM (subspecialty) | Aging, function and multiple conditions |
A few other points help you read the result. The American Board of Preventive Medicine certifies preventive medicine and also administers subspecialties such as clinical informatics, which is about health data systems rather than patient longevity care. Lifestyle medicine certification comes from a separate organization, covered in Step 5.
Other specialties are not wrong for longevity work. An orthopedic specialist leading joint and regenerative care, for example, is a sensible match for that part of a program. What you want is a specialty that fits the care being offered to you.
Step 5: Look up any longevity credential, and know what it is
Many longevity doctors list an extra credential. These can reflect real interest and additional study, but none of them is an ABMS member board or an AOA specialty board, and none replaces the residency-based certification you checked above.
| Credential | Issued by | ABMS member board? | What it signals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lifestyle medicine diplomate | American Board of Lifestyle Medicine (ABLM) | No | Training and exam in nutrition, activity, sleep and behavior |
| Anti-aging and regenerative medicine | A4M and its affiliated board, ABAARM | No | Coursework and exam from an anti-aging organization |
| Longevity Docs CLD | Longevity Docs | No | A longevity-focused credential and directory listing |
To check one of these, go to the issuing organization's own site and confirm the doctor appears in its directory and that the credential is current. Read what it took to earn it: requirements vary widely between programs.
This is also why longevity doctor directories should be your starting point, not your final answer. A listing confirms the doctor paid for or earned a place on that site. Steps 1 through 3 confirm the rest.
Red flags to watch for
- "Board-certified" with no board named. Legitimate certification is always by a specific board. If the website will not say which, ask.
- "Board-certified in longevity medicine" or "anti-aging medicine" as the only credential. Those are not ABMS or AOA specialties.
- Expired or lapsed certification. Certification Matters shows status. A lapsed certification is not the same as current.
- Credentials only from course providers or societies. A weekend certificate plus a membership badge is not a specialty board.
- No license in your state for a telehealth doctor, or public discipline you were not told about.
- Vague titles. "Provider" or "practitioner" may describe a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. Those are licensed professionals, but they are not board-certified physicians, so ask exactly who will manage your care.
- Evasive answers. A good clinic answers "Which board certifies you, and where are you licensed?" in one sentence.
Applying this to BioCure Health
We would rather you check us than trust us. BioCure Health is a physician-led telehealth longevity clinic with a physical clinic in the Fort Lauderdale area, licensed to treat patients in 47 states, with availability in your state confirmed at intake. Our team page lists co-founders Dr. Joaquin Rosado and Dr. Vaneza Chaple, Dr. Naveed Shafi (orthopedic specialist), Dr. Annie Casta (anti-aging specialist) and William Bodden, who is listed as a practitioner.
Run each name through Certification Matters, the AOA lookup and DocInfo.org exactly as described above. If you want to know which board certifies a particular clinician, what their primary specialty is, or whether they are licensed in your state, ask us directly. The team replies to new inquiries within 24 hours.
If you want to see what a structured longevity program looks like once you have chosen a clinician, read BioCure's 5 steps to longevity.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a board certification for longevity medicine?
Not from the ABMS or the AOA, the two systems that certify physician specialties in the United States. Longevity doctors are certified in a primary specialty such as internal, family or preventive medicine. Credentials labeled "longevity" or "anti-aging" come from separate organizations.
Is ABLM or A4M certification the same as being board-certified?
No. The American Board of Lifestyle Medicine and A4M's affiliated board, ABAARM, are not ABMS member boards. Their credentials can show extra training, but they do not replace certification in a primary specialty after residency.
Is Certification Matters free to use?
Yes, Certification Matters is a free public tool from ABMS, though it may ask you to create an account. It shows whether a doctor is certified by an ABMS member board and in which specialty. Organizations verifying credentials for professional use are directed to separate ABMS services.
How do I check if a telehealth doctor is licensed in my state?
Search the doctor's name on your state medical board's license lookup, or on DocInfo.org from the Federation of State Medical Boards. In general, the doctor needs a license in the state where you are located during the visit. Confirm the license is active and check for any public actions.
What does it mean if a doctor is not on Certification Matters?
First, try name variations and other states. If the doctor is a DO, they may be certified through the AOA instead. If neither search finds them, they may not hold specialty board certification, and it is reasonable to ask them directly.
Does a DO with AOA board certification count as board-certified?
Yes. AOA specialty boards issue full board certification for osteopathic physicians. Many DOs hold ABMS certification instead, or both.
A decade ago, most people took a doctor's credentials on faith. Today, five minutes and three free websites tell you exactly who you are trusting with your health. Make the check part of how you choose, by design rather than by default.
Let BioCure Health lead you in the right direction. Call or text us to schedule an introductory call at 754-206-0838. Your future self will thank you.