Functions of medical boards and activities of the Board of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology of Turkish Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (IHKMEYK)

After the establishment of the first medical board in USA, in 1917, the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS) and European medical boards were established in Europe in 1958 and in 1993, respectively. Medical boards in Turkey started to be active after the establishment of the Coordinating Committee of Medical Specialist Societies by Turkish Medical Association (TTB-UDEK) in 1994 and National Board (UYEK) in 2004. Medical boards are organizations founded to monitor speciality training of which the principal aims are to set and improve training standards. Their tasks include: Development of core curricula, and logbooks, giving continuing medical education, administration of board examinations and certification of training institutions. The board of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (IHKMEYK) was founded by Turkish Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in 2002. During the period of 2002-2008, IHKMEYK activities were as follows: Development of core curriculum and a logbook for trainees, administration of yearly board examinations (2005, 2006, 2007) for practising specialists, and three continuing medical education courses for trainers. In addition, preparations for national accreditation by visiting training institutions were completed recently.