Special Accommodations

Alternative Examinations/Special Accommodations (ADA Policy)

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.

Documentation and other evidence that may be submitted by a Candidate/Diplomate in support of substantiating a Candidate/Diplomate’s impairment include, but are not limited to, each of the following:

1. A report diagnosing the Candidate/Diplomate’s impairment and which report is written by a professional who has examined the Candidate/Diplomate and who is reasonably qualified to evaluate said impairment. The report must be printed on the qualified professional’s letterhead, with the professional’s credentials, address, and telephone number included in the letterhead or title. The report must include the Candidate/Diplomate’s name, date of birth, and date the qualified professional examined the Candidate/Diplomate and must be signed by the qualified professional attesting to the diagnosis of the Candidate/Diplomate’s impairment.
2. A history of the impairment, including previous settings in which the accommodations have been granted to the Candidate/Diplomate. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, the Candidate/Diplomate having had prior accommodations granted does not automatically result in the Board granting the accommodation as requested by the Candidate/Diplomate and such request may be approved, amended, revised or denied at the sole and absolute discretion of the Board.
3. If there is no history of prior accommodations for the Candidate/Diplomate, the qualified professional must explain in the report why the current circumstances necessitate the requested accommodation being granted for the Candidate/Diplomate.
4. Diagnostic information about the specified impairment using standard nomenclature from sources such as the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV or more current version).
5. Specific recommended accommodations for the Candidate/Diplomate, with specific rationale for why each accommodation is needed. A description of any functional limitations associated with the impairment is important to the Board’s evaluation of the request and should therefore, be included in the qualified professional’s report.