Jennifer Axelband, DO, of St. Luke's has become the first ever osteopathic emergency medicine trained-physician to be board certified in surgical critical care by the American Osteopathic Boards of Surgery.

"Board certification has never been available to anyone in my position until now," said Dr. Axelband, education medical director of Critical Care and Medical Director of Neurological Critical Care at St. Luke's University Hospital.The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education recognizes only allopathic physicians - MDs - to sit for the exam given by the American Board of Surgery. The AOA certification for surgical critical care via AOBS was only available to surgeons. Until recently, osteopathic emergency physicians did not have a certification pathway for surgical critical care.Thanks to Dr. Axelband's persistence, the AOA and AOBS now recognizes qualified osteopathic emergency medicine trained physicians who complete a surgical critical care fellowship as eligible to take the SCC boards.