ABPM Policies

General Requirements

The initial Certification examinations are intended to confirm the determination by the Board that the Candidate is qualified by training and experience to claim competence in the respective Specialty or Subspecialty area to which the Candidate has applied. No Candidate shall be admitted to the initial Certification examinations or have a Certificate granted or issued unless and until the Candidate establishes to the satisfaction of the Board that the Candidate has fulfilled each of the requirements as set forth in this Section 2 or as otherwise required by this Policies and Procedures Manual.

Duration of Each Year of Training

A training or experience year (“Training Year”) must consist of a minimum of forty-eight (48) weeks of Active Service. In addition to the four (4) weeks of non-Active Service, an additional two (2) weeks of non-Active Service is allowed in any given Training Year but only if such additional two (2) weeks of non-Active Service is in accordance with the training institution’s policies on medical, family, or parental leave. Regardless of the amount of non-Active Service approved by an institution for a resident or fellow, the program director shall have the final authority to determine if a resident or fellow has successfully completed the requirements of a training program and to attest to same if the resident or fellow applies to ABPM for Certification.

Longer authorized interruptions in a Training Year with documentation of conformance with approved policies on medical, family, or parental leave may be accepted as determined on an individual case basis provided the combined time to be credited includes at least forty-eight (48) weeks of Active Service within an overall period of two (2) calendar years. These special circumstances will be reviewed, and exceptions approved by the Board in its sole and absolute discretion on a case-by-case basis. A decision by the Board pursuant to this subsection 2.1.3 shall be binding upon the Board and the Applicant/Candidate and shall not be subject to appeal or further consideration.

Acceptable Practice Time

The proration of time (e.g., 33% over three years) is not appropriate, and no credit will be given for less than twenty (20) hours/week of practice. No more than Full-Time Practice credit will be granted for any period of practice regardless of the number of hours accumulated during that period. No more than one (1) year of credit can be given for practice time in a given twelve (12)-month period. The completed application form submitted by the Applicant should provide explicit documentation of time spent in the Specialty/Subspecialty area for which Certification is being sought.

Double Counting of Time

The applicability/application of one or more years or portions of years of postgraduate clinical training, academically focused training, practicum or practice as credit for certification by one or more other clinical ABMS member boards will satisfy the ABPM Full-Time Practice requirement (i.e., it can count for both) but only so long as the ABMS member board’s content satisfies all of the requirements of ABPM (e.g., RRC for PM accreditation). In this regard the sequencing of such experience (e.g., before, interspersed, or at the end of another specialty training program) is not a barrier to acceptance presuming that all requirements for ABPM have been met.

Multiple ABPM Certifications

Subject to the limitations provided in Section 2.7 below, an Applicant may apply for admissibility to the initial Certification examination in more than one Specialty or Subspecialty. The Applicant must fulfill the separate requirements of each Specialty or Subspecialty in which application is made and cannot double count the same year for practicum or practice periods. An application may be submitted by an Applicant for more than one Specialty or Subspecialty in a given calendar year.

Diplomates who have; (i) taken and passed both the Core examination and a Specialty examination prior to 2022, or (ii) who have taken and passed the Specialty initial Certification examination in 2022 or later, and who also meet the eligibility requirements for an additional Specialty, may apply to take the initial Certification examination in an additional Specialty.

The provisions of this Section 2.1.6 do not apply to Diplomates who are; (i) Certified in a Specialty and wish to become Certified in a Subspecialty; (ii) Certified in a Subspecialty and wish to become Certified in a Specialty; or (iii) who are Certified in a Subspecialty and wish to become Certified in an additional Subspecialty.

Additional Requirements for Subspecialty Certificates

In addition to the requirements of this Section 2, no Applicant/Candidate will be admitted to an initial Certification examination in a Subspecialty or have a Subspecialty Certificate granted unless the Applicant/Candidate establishes to the satisfaction of the Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, that the Applicant/Candidate has received special training or experience as specified in this Policies and Procedures Manual and, specifically in the Subspecialty for which Certification is being sought.

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine

The special training required of an Applicant/Candidate for a Certificate in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine shall include successful completion of a minimum of twelve (12) months of ACGME-accredited fellowship training in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine or in a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)-accredited or College of Family Physicians Canada (CFPC)-accredited residency program located in Canada. In addition, an Applicant/Candidate for a Certificate in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine must hold a valid certificate from an ABMS member board.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this subsection 2.4.1, those Applicants holding a primary certification through the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) and seeking Certification in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine must apply for Certification in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine exclusively through the ABEM.

Clinical Informatics

An Applicant who holds a valid certificate from an ABMS member board is eligible to apply to ABPM for a Certificate in Clinical Informatics.

Beginning with the 2026 Examination Cycle, the special training required of an Applicant/Candidate for a Certificate in Clinical Informatics shall exclusively include the Applicant’s successful completion of: (i) a minimum of twenty-four (24) months of ACGME-accredited fellowship training in Clinical Informatics; (ii) an RCPSC-accredited residency program in Clinical Informatics; or (iii) a CFPC-accredited residency program in Clinical Informatics.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this subsection 2.4.3, those Applicants holding a primary certification through the American Board of Pathology (ABPath) and seeking certification in Clinical Informatics must apply for certification in Clinical Informatics exclusively through ABPath.

Mid-Residency Training Program

Residents of the American Board of Surgery (ABS) who have not yet completed surgical training and thereby, do not yet possess the required underlying primary certification may, nevertheless, apply to ABPM for Certification in Clinical Informatics via the Mid-Residency Training Program (MRTP). In order to participate in the MRTP, an ABS resident must, at the time of applying to ABPM: (i) have a guaranteed training slot to complete the requirements for ABS certification; and (ii) meet all other then-current ABPM eligibility requirements for Certification by ABPM in Clinical Informatics. Upon graduation from the ACGME-accredited fellowship in Clinical Informatics, the ABS resident, assuming all other then-current ABPM eligibility requirements are met, shall become eligible to sit for the initial Certification examination in Clinical Informatics. ABPM will not issue an ABS resident a Certification in Clinical Informatics under the MRTP until such time as the ABS resident would take and pass both the ABS Qualifying and Certifying Examinations in Surgery. Upon taking and passing the ABS Qualifying and Certifying Examinations in Surgery, the ABS resident who had previously passed the initial Certification examination and who continues to meet all then-current ABPM eligibility requirements would then be awarded an ABPM Certificate in Clinical Informatics. The MRTP shall include safeguards determined by ABPM in its sole and absolute discretion to ensure that the ABS resident prove ABS certification before issuance by ABPM of a Certificate in Clinical Informatics pursuant to this MRTP.

Addiction Medicine

Beginning with the 2026 Examination Cycle, the special training required of an Applicant/Candidate for a Certificate in Addiction Medicine shall exclusively include the Applicant’s successful completion of (i) a minimum of twelve (12) months of an ACGME-accredited fellowship training in Addiction Medicine; (ii) a minimum of twelve months of an RCPSC-accredited residency program in Addiction Medicine or; (iii) a minimum of twelve months of an CFPC-accredited residency program in Addiction Medicine is required.

Health Care Administration, Leadership, and Management (HALM)

An Applicant who holds a valid certificate in an ABPM Specialty or Subspecialty is eligible to apply to ABPM for a Certificate in HALM. Beginning with the 2024 Examination Cycle and continuing through the 2030 Examination Cycle, an Applicant may become eligible to sit for the HALM initial Certification examination via one of the Pathways identified in this Subsection 2.4.5. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this subsection 2.4.5, those Applicants holding a primary certification through the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) or the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), and seeking certification in HALM must apply for certification in HALM exclusively through the ABA or ABFM, respectively. Physicians who are current certified through any ABMS Member Board other than ABPM, ABA, or ABFM, must apply exclusively through the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM).

The pathways for HALM beginning with the 2024 Examination Cycle and continuing through the 2030 Examination Cycle are as follows:

Practice Pathway
Practice only: An Applicant for a Certificate in HALM may seek admission to the HALM examination via the practice-only track of the Practice Pathway by submitting to ABPM documentation of a minimum of 36 months in a work position in which at least fifty percent of the physician’s time is or was devoted to managing administrative functions with high-level organizational impact. The 36 months of practice time do not need to be contiguous but must take place within seven years (84 months) immediately preceding the date on which they submit their application. Acceptable leadership experience and responsibilities for the HALM Practice Pathway are listed in Appendix T.

Non-ACGME-accredited fellowship plus practice: Completion of training in a non-ACGME-accredited fellowship program may be substituted for 12 months of the work experience requirements of the practice-only track. To be eligible through the non-ACGME-accredited fellowship plus practice track of the Practice Pathway, an Applicant must submit documentation to ABPM of a minimum of 24 months in a work position in which at least fifty percent of the physician’s time is or was devoted to managing administrative functions with high-level organizational impact. The 24 months of practice time do not need to be contiguous but must take place within seven years (84 months) immediately preceding the date on which they submit their application. Acceptable leadership experience and responsibilities for the HALM Practice Pathway are listed in Appendix T.

Additionally, an Applicant must successfully complete a non-ACGME-accredited fellowship, at least 12 months in duration, that adequately addresses HALM core content. The fellowship must be sponsored by an ACGME-accredited residency program or ACGME-accredited institution.

ACGME Fellowship Pathway

To be eligible through the ACGME-accredited Fellowship Pathway, an Applicant must successfully complete an ACGME-accredited HALM fellowship. The ACGME accredits HALM fellowships of 12 and 24 months in duration. Applicants must successfully complete all months of training for which the HALM fellowship is accredited to fulfill the Board’s eligibility criteria. Applicants must complete the fellowship program by a date sufficiently in advance of the Certification examination, which date shall be set annually by ABPM at its sole and absolute discretion.

Certification in HALM beginning in 2031

Beginning with the 2031 Examination Cycle, and subject to the provisions in paragraph two of Section 2.4.5 above, the special training required of an Applicant/Candidate for a Certificate in HALM shall exclusively include the Applicant’s successful completion of an ACGME-accredited fellowship in HALM.

AOA Certification & Eligibility for Subspecialty Certification

Beginning with the 2020 Examination Cycle, those physicians who have successfully completed a residency accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), are at the time of application with ABPM certified by at least one (1) AOA member board and who at the time of application to ABPM have also successfully completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in any of ABPM’s Subspecialties, shall, assuming all other eligibility criteria are met, be eligible to sit for the initial Certification examination in the Subspecialty in which the physician completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship.

Subspecialty Certification for Canadian-Trained Physicians

Beginning with the 2021 Examination Cycle, Physicians trained in Canada, who possess appropriate primary certification by the RCPSC or CFPC and who have successfully completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship training in any ABPM Subspecialty (and meeting all other eligibility criteria) will be considered eligible to sit for ABPM’s initial Certification examination in the Subspecialty in which the Applicant completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship.

Procedure for Application

Each application for initial Certification in a Specialty or Subspecialty shall (1) be complete and filed in such form as prescribed or approved from time to time by the Board; and (2) specify the Specialty or Subspecialty in which the Applicant wishes to become Certified. The completed application shall be accompanied by payment of such fees as shall be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

Temporary Licensure

A Candidate for initial Certification in a Specialty whose medical license has not been awarded at the time of the initial Certification examination but whose application for such medical license has been completed may, upon the review and approval by the chair of the Examination Committee, Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, of the circumstances of each case, be allowed to sit for the initial Certification examination in the Specialty for which Certification is being sought. However, the results of such Candidate’s initial Certification examination will not be released to the Candidate until the Board receives documentation of the award of a full and unrestricted medical license to the Candidate. In the event the Candidate has not been awarded the required medical license, the Board, at its next meeting, and in its sole and absolute discretion may discard the results of the Candidate’s initial Certification examination and require that the Candidate retake the initial Certification examination in the Specialty for which Certification is being sought by the Candidate. A determination pursuant to this subsection 2.6.2 is final and binding on the Candidate and the Board and is not subject to appeal.

Period of Admissibility

Approval for admission to sit for an initial Certification examination upon satisfactory credential review is time-limited, for a period not to exceed three (3) years from the date of approval of the application (the “Period of Admissibility”).

Candidates not passing the initial Certification examination and who continue to meet all eligibility requirements for initial Certification may, upon timely application and payment of appropriate fees, be admitted to reexamination for initial Certification within the Period of Admissibility.

Candidates not passing the initial Certification examination within the Period of Admissibility must submit a new application and fee in order to reestablish their admissibility to take the initial Certification examination. Review by the Board of any application submitted pursuant to this provision shall be de novo and subject to all of the then-current eligibility requirements.

Examination Fees

A listing of fees for the initial Certification examination shall be made available to Applicants and Candidates in a manner as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

Letters of Reference

If an Applicant is applying through the Complementary Pathway, Special Pathway, or the Residency Pathway (and has completed the residency more than twenty-four (24) months prior to submission of the application), the application for Certification in a Specialty shall include three (3) letters of reference from physicians.

For applicants applying through the Complementary Pathway or Residency Pathway (and who have completed the residency more than twenty-four (24) months prior to submission of the application), at least one (1) of the three (3) required letters of reference must be from a Diplomate in the Specialty for which the Applicant is applying for Certification. For applicants applying through the Special Pathway, at least two (2) of the three (3) required letters of reference must be from Diplomates Certified in the Specialty in which Certification is sought.

One letter of reference, which may or may not be the same as the letter of reference from an ABPM Diplomate, must be from a physician who is familiar with the Applicant’s professional work activities within the three (3) years immediately preceding the date of the Applicant’s application for initial Certification.

Applicants applying through the Residency Pathway and who have successfully completed a residency in the Specialty for which Certification is being sought not more than twenty-four (24) months prior to submission of the application, shall not be required to submit any letters of reference in support of the application.

Applicants who are applying for Certification in Addiction Medicine and who have successfully completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Addiction Medicine not more than twenty-four (24) months prior to submission of the application, shall not be required to submit any letters of reference in support of the application. Thereafter, such Applicants shall include one (1) letter of reference from a physician who is, at a minimum, certified by at least one (1) ABMS member board, or by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).

Applicants applying for Certification in Clinical Informatics and who have successfully completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Clinical Informatics not more than twenty-four (24) months prior to submission of the application, shall not be required to submit any letters of reference in support of the application. Thereafter, such Applicants shall include one (1) letter of reference from a physician who is, at a minimum, certified by at least one (1) ABMS member board, or by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).

Applicants who are applying for Certification in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine and who have successfully completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine not more than twenty-four (24) months prior to submission of the application, shall not be required to submit any letters of reference in support of the application. Thereafter, such Applicants shall include one (1) letter of reference from a physician who is, at a minimum, certified by at least one (1) ABMS member board, or by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).

The required format of the reference letters must, at a minimum, include the following specific information:
a. Nature of relationship of the physician to the Applicant, including dates of contact;
b. Comments attesting to the Applicant’s meeting of all requirements for residency/fellowship training.

A letter of reference that contradicts an Applicant’s claims within the application may be grounds for the Board to withhold or deny approval of the application.

Verification of Residency

Applicants applying for Certification in a Specialty through either the Residency or Complementary Pathways must submit verification of the Applicant’s successful completion of a residency in the Specialty for which Certification is being sought.

Verification of Fellowship

Applicants applying for Certification in a Subspecialty through the Fellowship Pathway must submit verification of the Applicant’s successful completion of a fellowship in the Subspecialty for which Certification is being sought.

Verification of Practice

Applicants applying for Certification in a Subspecialty through the Practice Pathway must submit verification of the Applicant’s medical practice in the Subspecialty for which Certification is being sought.

Miscellaneous Verifications

The Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, may require an Applicant to submit, along with the application, miscellaneous verifications not otherwise provided for herein and which may include, but not be limited to, academic transcripts, letters of completion, and curriculum descriptions.

Requests for Prior Assurances

Prospective Applicants occasionally request by telephone or in writing, prior assurance from the Board that the individual planned course of academic training, practicum or practice preparation, will qualify the Applicant for admission to take the initial Certification examination. Such plans by prospective Applicants are often inaccurately or incompletely described, or programs change, and therefore, all such requests from prospective Applicants for prior assurances will be respectfully declined, and the prospective Applicant referred to the official admission requirements of the Board. Replies by the Chief Executive Officer may reference the ultimate authority of the Board to render final decisions and may suggest, based on available information, a likely course of action for the prospective Applicant.

Discrepant Credentials

The Applicant is required by signature to attest to the completeness and accuracy of the Applicant’s credentials. Any evidence of discrepancy from the application statements may be grounds to nullify the approval of the Board or may be grounds to revoke the Certificate if awarded. The Applicant or, after approval of the application, the Candidate is required to notify the Board within ten (10) days of the Applicant/Candidate becoming aware of any change in the Applicant/Candidate’s status or information included on or in support of the application that may impact the application, the Board’s approval of the application or the Applicant/Candidate’s qualifications or eligibility for, or admissibility to, the initial Certification examination.

Waiver of Criteria for International Medical Graduates

An International Medical Graduate (IMG) Applicant’s qualifications and eligibility to sit for the initial Certification examination are assessed on an individual basis. Only those IMGs who were admitted to ACGME-accredited residency or fellowship programs according to the ACGME’s program requirements for “Exceptionally Qualified International Medical Graduates” may apply to ABPM for a waiver of criteria. In reviewing waiver requests pursuant to this subsection 2.6.9, the Board shall apply ABPM’s “Guidelines for Exceptionally Qualified International Medical Graduates,” which guidelines are attached hereto as Appendix S. Waiver requests pursuant to this subsection 2.6.9 should be presented in writing by the appropriate Vice Chair or Subspecialty Area Member during the Certification Committee report at a meeting of the Board and requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board present and voting. A decision by the Board pursuant to this subsection 2.6.9 shall be binding upon the Board and the IMG Applicant and shall not be subject to appeal or further consideration.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection 2.6.9, Aerospace Medicine IMGs who meet eligibility requirements provided in Appendix L may apply directly through the Aerospace Medicine IMG pathway.

Notification

ABPM staff will notify Applicants within thirty (30) days of the Board’s decision of whether the Applicant is eligible to sit for the initial Certification examination. In the event of a determination that the Applicant does not meet stated requirements for admission to the initial Certification examination, Applicants will be advised in writing (which may include, but not be limited to correspondence, email or the ABPM website) of the criteria and specific deficiencies of the application as determined by the Board. An Applicant may appeal such decision by the Board pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.6.11 below of this Policies and Procedures Manual.

Appeal

An Applicant shall have thirty (30) days to appeal after the earliest date the Board communicates its decision to the Applicant pursuant to subsection 2.6.10, above. The appeal should be accompanied by detailed information addressing all cited deficiencies in the application. Additionally, the appeal must be in writing, addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Board at its office in Chicago, Illinois and must be sent by Certified Mail, Overnight Mail or by email (with a delivery receipt). Materials will be assembled with the Applicant’s application file and reviewed by the ABPM staff and responsible Vice Chair or Subspecialty Area Member for the Specialty or Subspecialty for which the Applicant has applied for Certification. The Applicant will be notified of the results of the appeal in writing as soon as practicable after a decision has been made by the Vice Chair or Subspecialty Area Member for the Specialty or Subspecialty for which the Applicant has applied for Certification. The decision on appeal will be final and binding on the Candidate and the Board and not subject to further review.

Board Eligibility Period

The Board Eligibility Period is the first seven (7) years after the completion of: (i) an ACGME-accredited residency or fellowship in a Specialty or Subspecialty, (ii) a RCPSC-accredited residency program, or (iii) a CFPC-accredited residency program as allowed pursuant to this Policies and Procedures Manual. After the Board Eligibility Period, residency- or fellowship-trained physicians will lose the ability to refer to themselves as Board Eligible and will need to fulfill additional requirements before they will be allowed to sit for the initial Certification examination.

Re-Entry Criteria for Board Eligibility


Applicants who are beyond their Board Eligibility Period must fulfill the following requirements before the Applicant may submit an application or become a Candidate admitted by the Board to sit for an initial Certification examination:

1. All medical licenses the Applicant holds in the United States, US territories, or Canada must be active, valid and unrestricted. Seventy-five (75) hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ in the Specialty/Subspecialty must be completed by the Applicant in the three (3) years immediately preceding submission of the application.
2. Within a three (3)-year period immediately preceding submission of the application, the Applicant must complete a quality improvement project through one of the Specialty or Subspecialty societies recognized by ABPM for such purpose. The quality improvement activity must be in the Specialty or Subspecialty area in which Certification is being sought.
3. The Applicant must have been engaged in essentially Full-Time Practice in, or training for, the Specialty or Subspecialty area in which Certification is being sought and such engagement must be within at least twenty-four (24) of the sixty (60) months immediately preceding submission of the application.

Medical License Requirement

In addition to all other terms, conditions and requirements in ABPM’s Policies and Procedures Manual (as may be amended from time to time), in order to be considered a Diplomate of ABPM, a physician must be licensed to practice medicine and the medical licenses must be active, valid, and unrestricted in all States, US territories, or Canadian provinces in which the Diplomate is licensed to practice medicine.

General Considerations

Each initial Certification examination shall be designed in such a manner so as to permit an evaluation of the Candidate’s knowledge of the basic medical sciences and of the elements of medicine deemed by the Board to be relevant to the Specialty or Subspecialty in which the Candidate shall have applied for Certification. The initial Certification examination shall be computer-based and shall be held at those times and places, and subject to the rules or regulations, prescribed by the Board from time to time and shall be conducted by persons designated by the Board for that purpose.

Rescore Requests

A Candidate who receives a failing grade on an Initial Certification examination has the right to request to have their initial Certification examination responses rechecked. A score recheck is limited to verifying that responses were correctly recorded and that the scoring process accurately transformed the Candidate’s responses into a score. A review is not an evaluation of the content of the initial Certification examination items or the corresponding answers. A review does not involve a re-evaluation of the passing standard of the initial Certification examination. The request for a rescore must be made by the Candidate within ten (10) days of receipt of notification of a failing score and accompanied by a nonrefundable rescore fee in an amount as determined from time to time by the Board. In order to initiate the rescore, the Candidate must contact the Board and use a unique link provided by the Board to pay the required fee and initiate the rescore. Rescore results will be released to the Candidate via ABPM’s physician portal or such other methodology as may be determined by the Board from time to time.

Loss of Examination Data

The Board will exercise reasonable efforts in recovering a Candidate’s lost examination data, including but not limited to examination score, for any examination that a Candidate has completed and for which the Candidate has provided answers. In the event that after exercise of those efforts, a portion of the examination data is deemed by the Board to be irretrievably lost, the Candidate will be given the option of retaking the examination or having the examination scored. The Candidate shall have thirty (30) days after being notified by the Board of the lost examination data to notify the Chief Executive Officer in writing that the Candidate has chosen to have the examination scored. In the event the Candidate timely notifies the Chief Executive Officer of the Candidate’s choice to have the examination scored, the minimum passing score for the affected Candidate will be the same as is used for Candidates taking and completing the same examination without incident.

If the Candidate does not timely notify the Chief Executive Officer of the Candidate’s choice to have the examination scored or, if due to the loss of examination data, the Candidate chooses to reschedule the examination, the Candidate will be allowed to reschedule during the same Examination Cycle, if time and space permits. Otherwise, an examination will be rescheduled for the Candidate during the Examination Cycle immediately following the examination that resulted in the lost examination data.

Candidates rescheduling an examination due to lost examination data will not be compensated for travel costs to/from the examination locations, loss of time, loss of Certification benefits, or any other direct or indirect costs or expenses resulting from the loss of the examination data. The Candidate’s examination fee for the rescheduled examination may, however, be waived at the sole and absolute discretion of the Board.

Candidate Illness

A Candidate who voluntarily terminates an examination due to illness must be excused by the designated proctor before leaving the examination. The proctor shall also have the right to remove a Candidate from an examination because of illness that renders the Candidate physically incapable of completing the examination or such illness is, in the opinion of the proctor, is dangerous to others taking the examination or otherwise impairs the ability of ABPM to administer a full and fair examination.

A Candidate who is excused or removed by the designated proctor because of illness will be given the option of retaking the examination or having the examination scored. The Candidate shall have thirty (30) days after the date of the examination to notify the Chief Executive Officer in writing that the Candidate has chosen to have the examination scored. In the event the Candidate timely notifies the Chief Executive Officer of the Candidate’s choice to have the examination scored, the minimum passing score for the affected Candidate will be the same as is used for Candidates taking and completing the same examination without incident.

If the Candidate does not timely notify the Chief Executive Officer of the Candidate’s choice to have the examination scored or, due to excused illness, the Candidate chooses to reschedule the examination, the Candidate will be allowed to reschedule during the same Examination Cycle, if time and space permits. Otherwise, an examination will be rescheduled for the Candidate during the Examination Cycle immediately following the examination wherein the Candidate was excused or removed by the designated proctor due to illness.

Candidates rescheduling an examination due to illness will not be compensated for travel costs to/from the examination locations, loss of time, loss of Certification benefits, or any other direct or indirect costs or expenses resulting from the excused illness. In the event the Candidate was excused from the examination by the designated proctor, the Candidate’s examination fee for the rescheduled examination may be waived at the sole and absolute discretion of the Board.

Unprofessional Examination Behavior

The following describes ABPM policies and procedures related to cheating in computer-based and non-computer-based examination settings. As part of the application process, Applicants, Diplomates, and others who are eligible to take ABPM’s initial Certification examination shall attest that they have reviewed and will comply with these policies and procedures.

General Considerations

ABPM expects that all Candidates/Diplomates will refrain from cheating, the appearance of cheating, or enabling another examinee to cheat. All initial Certification examinations will be openly and visibly proctored. The testing center facilities will be arranged in a manner that minimizes the opportunity for examinees to cheat.

Responsibility

Any Candidate/Diplomate observing cheating behavior must report such misconduct to the attention of the testing center proctor. Failure to comply with this subsection 3.5 may subject a Candidate/Diplomate to disciplinary action which may include, but not be limited to the Candidate not being Certified or the suspension or revocation of a Diplomate’s Certification by ABPM.

Monitoring

The testing centers will proctor the examinations through video and/or direct surveillance and may capture testing events via audio and video recording. Video and audio tapes of examination sessions will be retained at the testing centers for at least thirty (30) days. At least one proctor shall maintain direct line-of-sight monitoring at all times during the administration of the initial Certification examinations.

Counseling and Conditions of Termination

If the testing center proctor observes or becomes aware of Candidate/Diplomate behavior that in any way suggests inappropriate activity or cheating, the proctor shall counsel the Candidate/Diplomate and may separate the Candidate/Diplomate into a separate testing area. The proctor may allow the Candidate/Diplomate to complete the examination but will generate a detailed irregularity report immediately upon awareness of the irregularity. As soon as practicable after the conclusion of the examination administration, the testing center will make available to the Board the irregularity report as well as any video and/or audio tapes of the activity in question for the Board’s review and possible disciplinary action against one or more Candidates/Diplomates.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection 3.5, the Board, testing center proctor and ABPM reserve the right to dismiss one or more Candidates/Diplomates from the testing center on suspicion of inappropriate activity or cheating prior to the conclusion of the examination administration. The Board also reserves the right subsequently to invalidate the examination results of any Candidate/Diplomate judged by the Board to have engaged in, assisted, or otherwise been involved in inappropriate activity or cheating.

Actions

Upon judgment by the Board of irregular activity or cheating behavior, a Candidate/Diplomate may be disqualified. Any Candidate/Diplomate disqualified pursuant to this subsection 3.5 will be so notified in writing by the Chief Executive Officer (which may include notification via email) and that disqualified Candidate/Diplomate’s score shall be dropped from aggregate scoring for that examination administration. Readmission for examination of a disqualified Candidate/Diplomate will be considered after a period of three (3) Examination Cycles, contingent upon Board’s review and approval of the disqualified Candidate/Diplomate’s credentials using the then-current criteria for admission to the examination in the Specialty or Subspecialty for which Certification is being sought by the disqualified Candidate/Diplomate.

Appeal

A Candidate/Diplomate shall have thirty (30) days to appeal after being advised in writing by the Chief Executive Officer that they have been disqualified pursuant to this subsection 3.5. The appeal should be accompanied by detailed information addressing all matters the Candidate/Diplomate believes refutes the determination of the Board. Additionally, the appeal must be in writing, addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Board at its office in Chicago, Illinois, and must be sent by Certified Mail, Overnight Mail or email (with delivery receipt). Appeals materials timely received by the Chief Executive Officer will be reviewed by the Chief Executive Officer, the Secretary and the responsible Vice Chair or Subspecialty Area Member for the Specialty or Subspecialty examination from which the Candidate/Diplomate has been disqualified. The Candidate/Diplomate will be notified of the results of the appeal in writing (which may include email) as soon as practicable after a decision has been made by a majority vote of the Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and Vice Chair or Subspecialty Area Member for the Specialty/Subspecialty examination from which the Candidate/Diplomate has been disqualified. The decision on appeal will be final and binding on the Candidate/Diplomate and the Board and not subject to further review.

Reporting of Examination Disruptions

If, during the course of sitting for any examination, a Candidate/Diplomate experiences disruptions or other issues that interfered with the Candidate/Diplomate’s taking the examination, such concerns must be reported in writing by the Candidate/Diplomate to the Chief Executive Officer no later than fourteen (14) calendar days after sitting for the examination. Examination disruptions or other issues interfering with a Candidate/Diplomate taking the examination at computer testing sites require the Candidate/Diplomate to request an incident report be filed at the site and to submit in writing to the Chief Executive Officer the details of the incident. Reporting requirements for computer testing sites may be different than non-computer-based testing facilities and it is the Candidate/Diplomate’s responsibility to file a report in a timely manner.

Special Accommodations

ABPM recognizes that Candidates and Diplomates who are eligible to take the initial Certification examination or LAP may need reasonable accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Board supports the intent of the ADA and will attempt to make reasonable accommodations for Candidates/Diplomates with verified physical or mental impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities. Candidates/Diplomates will be reminded by the Board, however, that, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the ADA, “auxiliary aids (and services) can only be offered if they do not fundamentally alter the measurement of skills or knowledge the examination is intended to test.” (Americans with Disabilities Act, Public Law 101-336 §309 [b][3]). To this extent, the Board will provide reasonable accommodations during testing to provide equal opportunity for Candidates/Diplomates with such verified impairments.

Applicants/Candidates who request accommodations because of a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities must advise the Board in writing no later than ten (10) days after the deadline for submitting applications for the initial Certification examination which the Applicant/Candidate wishes to take. All documentation and other evidence substantiating the impairment must be submitted by the Applicant/Candidate to the Board no later than ten (10) days after the deadline for filing an application for the initial Certification examination which the Applicant/Candidate wishes to take.

Diplomates who are eligible and register for the LAP and who request accommodations because of a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities must advise the Board in writing no later than thirty (30) days prior to the start date of the next twelve-month LAP session. All documentation and other evidence substantiating the impairment must be submitted by the Diplomate to the Board no later than thirty (30) days prior to the start date of the next twelve-month LAP session. Requests for accommodations for the LAP may be accepted on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of the Board. Required documentation includes, but may not be limited to, completion of the Application for Testing Accommodations and appropriate checklists as specified in the application/registration materials, this Policies and Procedures Manual or as may otherwise be required by the Board. If the Board deems it necessary, an independent assessment of the Candidate/Diplomate may be required by the Board and which assessment will be at the expense of the Board. Should such an assessment be requested by the Board, the Candidate/Diplomate must meaningfully participate in all aspects of the assessment to enable the Board to respond to the Candidate/Diplomate’s request for accommodations.

Continuing Certification Process

As an ABMS member board, ABPM designed its Continuing Certification program to align with the ABMS’s Standards for Continuing Certification. These standards are designed to “support an individual physician’s or medical specialist’s (i.e., diplomate’s) continuing professional development” and to “maintain the social contract between the medical profession and the public to improve the quality, safety, and value of health care.”

The objective of ABPM’s CCP is to provide an avenue for Diplomates to demonstrate their commitment to lifelong learning and to fulfill ABPM’s obligation to the public to ensure its Diplomates maintain their knowledge and skills and improve the practice of their Specialty or Subspecialty.

To participate in the Continuing Certification program, Diplomates are required to pay the fees set by the Board and to maintain current personal contact information in their account on ABPM’s official website at www.theabpm.org.

Continuing Certification Fees

All Diplomates with Time-Limited Certificates will be required to pay an annual fee to ABPM as may be determined from time to time by ABPM. The annual fee must be paid by December 31st of each calendar year for which a Diplomate is subject to the annual fee. Diplomates who fail to submit timely payment of the annual fee shall be assessed an additional late fee as may be determined from time to time by ABPM and may be subject to additional penalties per this subsection 4.13.

Non-Payment of Required Annual Fees

Diplomates who are required, but fail, to timely pay the annual fee shall be subject to the following progressive disciplinary process:

1. After failing to submit payment for the annual fee (plus any late fees) for two (2) consecutive calendar years, the Diplomate’s Certificate shall be suspended, the Diplomate shall be notified in writing of the suspension, ABPM’s website shall be updated accordingly and all suspensions under this provision shall be reported to ABMS.
2. During the period of suspension, a Diplomate will not be able to access or participate in ABPM’s LAP or such other Continuing Certification activities as may be in effect from time to time and, in the case of the LAP, those questions not answered during the period of suspension shall, to the extent applicable, be counted against the Diplomate in the same manner as if the Diplomate answered the questions incorrectly.
3. Upon payment by the Diplomate of all required and outstanding fees, including but not limited to annual fees and late fees, and assuming all other Continuing Certification requirements have been met, the Diplomate’s Certificate shall be immediately reinstated by ABPM, ABPM’s website shall be updated accordingly and such reinstatement shall be reported to the ABMS.

Proceedings

There are certain circumstances in which the Board will initiate proceedings against an individual holding Board Certification and Diplomate Status. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Board reserves the right to initiate proceedings against a Diplomate for any reason, regardless of whether that reason is specifically articulated in this Policies and Procedures Manual.

The Board may initiate proceedings against a Diplomate pursuant to this subsection 5.1 if: (i) the Board is advised by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) or otherwise becomes aware through any source that one or more licenses of the Diplomate have been revoked, suspended, conditioned, limited, Restricted or otherwise subject to conditions, (ii) the Board discovers, either as a result of a complaint, report, or internal investigation, that the Certification issued to a Candidate for Certification may have been the result of a misrepresentation or misunderstanding, concerning the Candidate’s eligibility, qualifications, identity, or other relevant Certification requirement, whether or not such misrepresentation or misunderstanding could reasonably have been discovered by the Board before the Certification was granted; or (iii) any other reason as determined by the Board in its sole and absolute discretion.

Initial Review

ABPM staff, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, shall initially review all proceedings to determine whether the allegations are sufficient to warrant a further investigation by the Board the result of which may be disciplinary action taken by the Board against the Diplomate.

In the case of information received from FSMB, the Chief Executive Officer shall take such action as is required:

1. To confirm that the Diplomate who is identified as the subject of action by a State Medical Board is, in fact, a Diplomate Certified by the Board and holding Diplomate status; and
2. To determine, precisely, the nature, duration and extent of the disciplinary action taken together with such background information as might be relevant to the determination of appropriate sanctions against the Diplomate.

In the case of a proceeding initiated by the Board or other source alleging that a Diplomate was granted Certification and Diplomate status because of a misrepresentation or misunderstanding, the Chief Executive Officer shall undertake such investigation as the Chief Executive Officer deems to be necessary and appropriate to establish, in the first instance, whether the allegations are sufficient to establish that the Diplomate’s Certification was granted in error.

In all other proceedings pursuant to this section 5, the Chief Executive Officer shall undertake such investigation as the Chief Executive Officer deems to be necessary and appropriate given the circumstances of the immediate allegations.

Notice to Diplomate

If it is determined by the Chief Executive Officer, after consultation with the Secretary, that the Diplomate who is identified as the subject of action by a State Medical Board is a Diplomate of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer shall:

1. Notify the Diplomate in writing by Certified Mail or Overnight Mail that the Board has initiated proceedings to revoke the Diplomate’s Certification and Diplomate status;
2. Enclose with such notice a copy of the order or other relevant documentation of the State Medical Board which identifies the action taken to revoke, Restrict, condition or otherwise limit the Diplomate’s license(s);
3. Invite the Diplomate to provide the Board in writing with any further information concerning the status of proceedings before the State Medical Board or any information in explanation or clarification of the action taken by the State Medical Board which the Diplomate desires to provide;
4. Provide the Diplomate with a copy of the procedures for processing complaints involving potential revocation or suspension of Certification and Diplomate status and which procedures are attached hereto as Appendix Q.

If the Chief Executive Officer determines that it is possible a Diplomate was granted Certification and Diplomate status because of a misrepresentation or misunderstanding as to the Diplomate’s eligibility, qualifications, identity, or other relevant Certification requirement, the Chief Executive Officer shall report such determination to the Board. If the Board concurs in the Chief Executive Officer’s finding, the Chief Executive Officer shall:

1. Notify the Diplomate in writing by Certified Mail or Overnight Mail of the finding and the factual basis therefore;
2. Invite the Diplomate to provide such written response as the Diplomate may care to make to deny, refute, clarify, or otherwise dispute the finding;
3. Provide the Diplomate with a copy of the procedures for processing complaints involving potential revocation or suspension of Certification and Diplomate status (see Appendix Q).

Response by Diplomate

The Diplomate shall have thirty (30) days to respond after either (i) the date the return receipt on the Certified Mail indicates that the letter of notification was received by the Diplomate or, (ii) the date the Overnight Mail indicates that the letter of notification was delivered to the Diplomate. The response should include copies of all relevant documentation and the names and addresses of any witnesses or other persons who might have information relevant to the allegations, facts, conduct, misunderstandings, or misrepresentations which are the subject of the proceeding.

The Diplomate’s response should be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Board at its office in Chicago, Illinois, and must be sent by Certified Mail or Overnight Mail. If the Diplomate requires any further information from the Board to enable the preparation of the response or, because of extenuating circumstances or hardship, requires an extension of time within which to respond, the Diplomate shall address such requests and the justification therefore to the Chief Executive Officer at the Chicago office who shall provide such information and time extension as the Chief Executive Officer deems necessary and appropriate in the Chief Executive Officer’s sole and absolute discretion.

Default Decision

If the Diplomate fails to respond to the Board’s letter of notification within the time provided for in subsection 5.4 above, including any extensions thereof authorized by the Chief Executive Officer in writing, and assuming that the subject of the proceeding has not otherwise been resolved, the Board shall conclude that all of the factual allegations of the complaint concerning the Diplomate’s conduct or status are true and shall impose such sanction as the Board, in its sole and absolute discretion deems warranted. The sanction shall be determined by the Board at the meeting immediately following the expiration of the time for the Diplomate to respond to the Board’s letter of notification.

Board Decision

If the Diplomate responds in a timely manner to the Board’s letter of notification and provides information which could refute, correct, clarify, or explain the facts alleged in the complaint together with appropriate documentation, the Chief Executive Officer shall submit such information and documentation to the Board. The Board shall review the record so created and request the Chief Executive Officer to obtain any additional information from the Diplomate, the State Medical Board, or any other person or organization which could assist the Board in considering the merits of the complaint or the appropriate sanction against the Diplomate.

Upon receipt of all information which the Board requests and is reasonably obtainable, the Board will render a decision and determine an appropriate sanction, if any against the Diplomate.

The decision of the Board shall be final and binding on the Board and the Diplomate. The Diplomate shall be notified of the decision within thirty (30) days after it is rendered by the Board.

In the event of revocation of Certification, the Diplomate shall immediately return the Certificate and all copies thereof to the Board Offices in Chicago and shall remove all references to ABPM Certification from directories, business cards, advertising, and other displays in which the Diplomate is identified as Certified by, or a Diplomate of, ABPM.

Requests for Reinstatement of Certification after Revocation/Suspension/Sanction

No request for reinstatement of Certification or Diplomate status or other relief from a revocation, suspension, sanction or other disciplinary action taken or otherwise imposed on a Diplomate pursuant to this Policies and Procedures Manual shall be accepted by the Board for a period of two (2) years after the decision is rendered by the Board, unless the terms and conditions of the sanction imposed by the Board allows for a shorter period within which the former Diplomate may seek reinstatement.

Requests for reinstatement of Certification or Diplomate status shall be reviewed by the full Board and the Board shall have the sole power and authority to determine whether the information and documentation is sufficient to grant the requested reinstatement. Such review will require payment by the former Diplomate seeking reinstatement of the then-current initial Certification application fee. The request for reinstatement should be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Board at its office in Chicago, Illinois and must be sent by Certified Mail or Overnight Mail. The written request should provide all relevant information, supporting documentation, and must be accompanied by the then-current reinstatement fee.

Reinstatement will be on a case-by-case basis but, in each instance, the following general criteria will be included as part of the process.

1. The reason for the revocation, suspension or other sanction of the former Diplomate’s Certificate has been removed, resolved or otherwise satisfied.
2. The former Diplomate must hold an active, valid and unrestricted medical license in all states, US territories, or Canadian provinces in which the former Diplomate is licensed to practice medicine at the time of reinstatement.
3. The former Diplomate has completed 100 CME credits within the previous five years, 30 credits of which must be specific to the former Diplomate’s ABPM Certification(s).
4. The former Diplomate must have completed a quality improvement activity offered through any of the Preventive Medicine Specialty Societies within the previous five years.
5. The former Diplomate must have completed one Patient Safety Course within the previous five years.
6. The Diplomate has paid ABPM the then-current reinstatement fee.

Any former Diplomate who has not achieved the above requirements shall have 24 months from the time of submitting a request for Reinstatement within which to complete these requirements. Thereafter, and if the former Diplomate has not achieved these requirements within this 24-month window, that former Diplomate’s request for reinstatement of Certification shall be denied by ABPM and such denial shall be made part of the former Diplomate’s electronic file.

Determinations made by the Board pursuant to this subsection 5.7 shall be binding on the Board and the former Diplomate and not subject to further review.

A reinstated Certificate will be dated from the effective date of the Board’s reinstatement and, subject to the Diplomate’s continued compliance with all licensure requirements, ABPM’s Policies and Procedures Manual, and all other ABPM Certification requirements and policies as they may exist from time to time, will remain valid through December 31 on the tenth year from the date the Diplomate’s Certificate was most recently issued/renewed prior to it being revoked, suspended or sanctioned by the Board.

All reinstated Certificates shall be subject to the Bylaws, all licensure requirements, ABPM’s Policies and Procedures Manual, and all other ABPM Certification requirements and policies as they may exist from time to time.

Reinstatement of Certification after Revocation/Suspension/Sanction of a Non-Time-Limited Certificate.

Requests for reinstatement of a Non-Time-Limited Certificate shall be governed by subsection 5.7 of this Policies and Procedures Manual.

In the event a Diplomate holding a Non-Time-Limited Certificate has such Certificate revoked or suspended pursuant to this Policies and Procedures Manual, such Certificate, if reinstated by the Board, shall become a Time-Limited Certificate. The Diplomate’s Time-Limited Certificate will have an effective date beginning on the first day of the month after the date of reinstatement and, subject to the Diplomate’s continued compliance with all licensure requirements, ABPM’s Policies and Procedures Manual, and all other ABPM Certification requirements and policies as they may exist from time to time (including but not limited to CCP requirements), will remain valid through a date certain as determined by the Board in its sole and absolute discretion.

Documentation Process

The Applicant will be expected to complete or request documentation to support the application. It is the responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that all required documentation is received by ABPM. The system may send email reminders to the Applicant to indicate when items are missing. The Applicant may also log into their portal to determine the status of their application. The documents required are based on the application and Pathway submitted. All documentation must be received by July 30th. Applicants completing programs in August must submit proof of degree and residency or fellowship completion prior to September 30th. Applicants with an “Approved Pending” decision will also have until September 30th to submit requested documentation. Listed below are the documents that may be required to be provided by the Applicant or third-party documentation.

CV: Contingent upon the type of application and date of completion of qualifying activity, a CV must be uploaded to the file by the Applicant.

Transcript: MPH or Equivalent Degree/Graduate coursework. Documentation of a completed MPH or equivalent degree program is required for Residency Pathway and Complementary Pathway applications for all Specialties. The transcript will be reviewed for appropriate coursework and date of degree (if required). Applicants that have submitted their transcript prior to the conferring of the degree will be asked to provide a letter from their program confirming completion of the MPH and/or required coursework.

Clinical Training: The Applicant applying for a Specialty Certification through the Residency or Complementary Pathway will be required to submit Clinical Training confirmation documentation (training certificate or program director letter) by uploading to the file.

Third-Party Documentation

Most Applicants will be required to request third-party documentation based on the Application type (Specialty/Sub-Specialty) and Pathway. Applicants are encouraged to submit requests through the electronic process to expedite and verify the sender (verifier). Alternatively, Applicants may send the verification document to the verifier via email and/or fax. The verifier may return the documents via fax or email. To ensure compliance with primary source verification, the preferred method of documentation request is the electronic process. Emails are verified and documented through the “Right Signature” function.

Verification Forms

Specific to the type of application completed, Applicants will submit requests through the application process for Verification of Residency, Verification of Fellowship, and Verification of Practice documents to the appropriate contacts either electronically or via a download that is manually sent to the verifier. The forms are completed by the verifier and returned to ABPM electronically or via email/fax. The documents are attached to the application for review.

Coursework Transcripts

Applicants applying for a Specialty Certification through the Residency or Complementary Pathways must request a transcript. Clinical Informatics Applicants requiring credit for Master-level coursework through the Practice Pathway are required to submit a transcript. All transcripts must be official and sent from the institution. ABPM staff will scan or attach the documents received to the application.

Letter(s) of Reference

Letter(s) of reference may be required for Specialties/Subspecialties contingent upon the type of application and date of completion of the qualifying activity. The letters of reference requests are sent via the application process to the Applicant’s designated choice via electronic process or through a download that is sent to the reference by the Applicant. The letter of reference should be returned directly to ABPM via the electronic process or through the designated fax or email. The letters of reference are attached to the application upon receipt for review.

Verification Process

Applicant information is collected in a batch file and transmitted by the application system to ABMS to obtain the medical school graduation year, license verification, license action if any, and board verification if applicable. ABMS maintains a database of physician records that is updated monthly. The license data is initially obtained from the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and includes the verification of medical school graduation and license action if applicable. All licenses (prior and current licenses are available from the FSMB. Any license action matched is collected by ABMS to report to member boards through a Disciplinary Action Notification System (DANS) report. ABMS will match the records submitted in the batch report to their database and return files to ABPM. Files are matched using the ABMS identifiers or through a minimum of four (4) key data points. New Applicants without a current file at ABMS will be sent by ABMS to FSMB to collect the medical school graduation year, license verification and license action. The ABMS report will list all current license and through the DANS report will provide data on current and former licenses with action. All files are transmitted to ABPM electronically to populate the matching fields in the Applicant file. Any files unable to be matched by ABMS or FSMB are researched manually by ABPM staff. Following are the notifications and actions required.

DANS alerts

All applications with a DANS alert will require an FSMB report to be obtained by staff and attached to the file. Additional documentation in the form of state board public records may also be required. Board reviewers may also request ABPM staff to request from the additional documentation from the Applicant that may include records that are not available through a public records search.

Verification Discrepancy

ABPM staff reviews will provide an explanation and seek additional verification for record discrepancies for the verified fields of graduation year, licenses, and board certification. Following is the chart of required documentation and verification for each Specialty and Subspecialty.

FAQs

In addition to the requirements listed on the website, FAQs are available for the Specialty and Subspecialty Certification.

General Requirements

All Applicants for Certification in a Specialty or Subspecialty must meet the general requirements. Following are the list of requirements for each Specialty and Subspecialty.