Exams were to be held in Dallas this fall; however, ob\/gyns feared potential violence in anti-abortion state<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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TUESDAY, July 19, 2022 (HealthDay News) — In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, many ob\/gyns around the country are welcoming a change that allows them to continue taking accreditation exams virtually.<\/p>\n
The tests, typically hosted in Texas, had been held virtually during the pandemic, but there had been plans to host the exams in Dallas this fall. However, ob\/gyns, including some who perform abortions, feared that gathering to take the exam would subject them to potential violence in what is an anti-abortion state, the Associated Press<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n The three-hour test to be certified by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology<\/a> is voluntary, but the certification is required by some employers and it lends credibility to doctors’ credentials. <\/p>\n The board decided on Thursday to stay virtual again this year. The decision was made “due to the increase in COVID-19 cases across the country and concerns regarding the U.S. Supreme Court opinion,” the board said on its website.<\/p>\n “They’re scared. They have nothing to lose but their own personal safety,” Jocelyn Fitzgerald, M.D., a Pennsylvania ob\/gyn who signed a petition against in-person exams, told the AP<\/em>. Fitzgerald added that the setup is similar for attending the exam either virtually or in person, and she saw no advantage to taking the tests in person.<\/p>\n