ABPM Clarifies Addiction Medicine and Clinical Informatics Practice Pathway Requirements for Physicians with Primary Specialty Certification by the American Osteopathic Association, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the College of Family Physicians of Canada

Initial Certification –

August 22, 2023

ABPM Clarifies Addiction Medicine and Clinical Informatics Practice Pathway Requirements for Physicians with Primary Specialty Certification by the American Osteopathic Association, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the College of Family Physicians of Canada

Chicago, IL, August 22, 2023: Based on feedback received through attendance at its various Specialty and Subspecialty Society meetings, the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) today is clarifying certain practice pathway requirements for eligibility to sit for the ABPM’s Initial Certification Examinations in Addiction Medicine and Clinical Informatics.

The ABPM practice pathway in Addiction Medicine and Clinical Informatics is open to physicians who, in addition to meeting all other requirements, possess current primary specialty certification through the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the Royal College of Physicians Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). These approved underlying certifications are consistent with the ABPM’s fellowship pathway requirements, which include offering eligibility to fellowship-trained AOA-certified physicians and to fellowship-trained RCPSC- and CFPC-certified physicians.

Furthermore, beginning in 2024, ABPM will accept reference letters from physicians certified by the AOA, RCPSC, or CFPC in support of Addiction Medicine or Clinical Informatics practice pathway applications. Previously, ABPM only accepted reference letters from physicians certified by an ABMS Member Board.

“ABPM recognizes that physicians certified by the AOA, the RCPSC, and the CFPC have completed education and training equivalent in rigor to that required of ABMS-certified physicians,” said ABPM’s Chair, Wendy E. Braund, MD, MPH, MSEd, FACPM. “Many of these experienced physicians would not otherwise seek certification in their chosen fields. We are pleased to provide them with the opportunity to qualify for the Initial Certification Examinations in Addiction Medicine and Clinical Informatics through the practice pathway.”

For information regarding ABPM’s eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and exam dates, please refer to the ABPM website at www.theabpm.org.

The ABPM is a Member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Founded in 1948, ABPM works with the ABMS in the development of standards for the ongoing assessment and certification of over 12,000 physicians certified by the ABPM in the Specialties of Aerospace Medicine, Occupational Medicine, and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine, and in the Subspecialties of Addiction Medicine, Clinical Informatics, Medical Toxicology and Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine.