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What specialty are you applying for?
Specialties
Subspecialties
Question:
How many years of ACGME-accredited, postgraduate clinical training have you completed?
Your clinical training must include at least ten months of direct patient care.
You might be asking...
Will you accept other clinical training programs?
Yes, clinical training accredited by the American Osteopathic Association, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, or the College of Family Physicians of Canada is also acceptable.
What do you consider direct patient care?
Direct patient care comprises ambulatory and inpatient experience with hands-on patient care involving diagnostic workup and treatment of individual patients.
Question:
Based on the responses provided, you have not met the ABPM requirements to apply for board certification.
Question:
Have you completed a 24-month, ACGME-accredited residency in the ABPM specialty (Aerospace Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Public Health and General Preventive Medicine) in which you are seeking certification?
Question:
Have you completed a Master’s of Public Health (MPH) or an equivalent degree?
The MPH degree or equivalent must include significant content in the following areas: epidemiology, biostatistics, health services administration, environmental health sciences, and social and behavioral sciences. These content areas are informed by the traditional public health core knowledge areas. It is recommended that at least 15 total equivalent hours of graduate level courses be completed in the core coursework areas of epidemiology, biostatistics, health services administration, environmental health sciences, and social and behavioral sciences.
The minimum 15 credit hours of coursework should appropriately reflect the 5 content areas listed above to ensure applicants are well-grounded in foundational public health knowledge and should be graduate-level courses. Undergraduate courses and coursework in medical school will not meet these requirements. Courses that may include multiple content areas must meet the equivalent academic requirements and content of the traditional individual courses.
You might be asking...
I have not graduated but I completed all coursework, and am scheduled to graduate. Can I still apply?
Applicants are required to submit an official transcript confirming completion of required coursework. If the MPH is not conferred on the degree, applicants are required to obtain a letter from the registrar’s office stating that all requirements have been met and indicate confirmation date.
Question:
Did you complete an ACGME-accredited residency within the last 24 months in the specialty in which you are seeking certification (Aerospace Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Public Health and General Preventive Medicine)?
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Residency pathway.
This pathway is open to all applicants who have completed an ACGME-accredited residency of not less than two years, in the specialty area in which certification is being sought.
Question:
Have you been practicing full-time in this specialty for at least 1 of the past 3 years?
Full-time, or equivalent, is considered an average of 40 hours per week of practice in the specialty area. Practice time may include research, training, or administration, but may not include time spent in your residency.
You might be asking...
Upon application, what kind of information do I need provide about my practice?
We request that applicants provide a detailed description about their practice activity. Depending on when you completed your residency, you may be required to provide letters of reference from physicians who can attest to your experience in the specialty area in which you are seeking certification. At least one reference must be from an individual certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, preferably in the respective specialty area.
What do you consider a year of full-time experience?
Preventive Medicine practice must be at least 50% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 20 hours per week) over two years or at least 80% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 32 hours per week) for one year. Further prorating of time (e.g., 33% over three years) is not appropriate , and no credit will be given for less than 20 hours per week of practice. No more than full-time credit will be granted for any period of practice regardless of the number of hours accumulated during that period. No more than one year of credit can be given for practice time in a given twelve-month period. Your application should provide explicit documentation of the time spent in Preventive Medicine.
Question:
Do you currently possess a primary specialty certification through the ABPM?
The ABPM certifies in three primary specialties: Aerospace Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine. For more information about qualifying primary specialty certificates, please visit our Specialties page.
Question:
Have you been practicing full-time in this specialty for at least 2 of the past 5 years?
Full-time, or equivalent, is considered an average of 40 hours per week of practice in the specialty area. Practice time may include research, training, or administration, but may not include time spent in your residency.
You might be asking...
Upon application, what kind of information do I need provide about my practice?
We request that applicants provide a detailed description about their practice activity. Depending on when you completed your residency, you may be required to provide letters of reference from physicians who can attest to your experience in the specialty area in which you are seeking certification. At least one reference must be from an individual certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, preferably in the respective specialty area.
What do you consider a year of full-time experience?
Preventive Medicine practice must be at least 50% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 20 hours per week) over two years or at least 80% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 32 hours per week) for one year. Further prorating of time (e.g., 33% over three years) is not appropriate , and no credit will be given for less than 20 hours per week of practice. No more than full-time credit will be granted for any period of practice regardless of the number of hours accumulated during that period. No more than one year of credit can be given for practice time in a given twelve-month period. Your application should provide explicit documentation of the time spent in Preventive Medicine.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Special pathway.
The Special Pathway may only be used by a physician to qualify for one additional ABPM Specialty Certificate. Subject to all eligibility requirements, a third (or more) ABPM Certificate may be obtained by a single physician exclusively through the Residency Pathway.
Diplomates with subspecialty certification (Addiction Medicine, Clinical Informatics, Medical Toxicology, and Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine) do not qualify for the Special Pathway.
Current diplomates of the American Board of Preventive Medicine who possess certification in a primary specialty (Aerospace Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine) may apply for another ABPM primary specialty through the Special Pathway. Diplomates with subspecialty certification (Addiction Medicine, Clinical Informatics, Medical Toxicology, and Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine) do not qualify for the Special Pathway.
Question:
Did you graduate medical school before January 1, 1984?
An Alternative Pathway is open to physicians who graduated medical school before January 1, 1984. Depending on your circumstances, the minimum years of practice required may vary.
Question:
How many years did you complete in an ACGME-accredited Preventive Medicine residency Program?
A resident must also develop progressive teaching responsibilities related to direct patient care, which can be done by teaching management of clinical patients and population-based problems solving to more junior preventive medicine residents and other learners, as appropriate.
You might be asking...
Upon application, what kind of information do I need provide about my practice?
We request that applicants provide a detailed description about their practice activity. Depending on when you completed your residency, you may be required to provide letters of reference from physicians who can attest to your experience in the specialty area in which you are seeking certification. At least one reference must be from an individual certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, preferably in the respective specialty area.
What do you consider a year of full-time experience?
Preventive Medicine practice must be at least 50% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 20 hours per week) over two years or at least 80% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 32 hours per week) for one year. Further prorating of time (e.g., 33% over three years) is not appropriate , and no credit will be given for less than 20 hours per week of practice. No more than full-time credit will be granted for any period of practice regardless of the number of hours accumulated during that period. No more than one year of credit can be given for practice time in a given twelve-month period. Your application should provide explicit documentation of the time spent in Preventive Medicine.
Question:
Have you completed a Master’s of Public Health (MPH) or an equivalent degree?
The MPH degree or equivalent must include significant content in the following areas: epidemiology, biostatistics, health services administration, environmental health sciences, and social and behavioral sciences. These content areas are informed by the traditional public health core knowledge areas. It is recommended that at least 15 total equivalent hours of graduate level courses be completed in the core coursework areas of epidemiology, biostatistics, health services administration, environmental health sciences, and social and behavioral sciences.
The minimum 15 credit hours of coursework should appropriately reflect the 5 content areas listed above to ensure applicants are well-grounded in foundational public health knowledge and should be graduate-level courses. Undergraduate courses and coursework in medical school will not be considered to meet these requirements. Courses that may include multiple content areas must meet the equivalent academic requirements and content of the traditional individual courses.
You might be asking...
I have not graduated but I completed all coursework, and am scheduled to graduate. Can I still apply?
Applicants are required to submit an official transcript confirming completion of required coursework. If the MPH is not conferred on the degree, applicants are required to obtain a letter from the registrar’s office stating that all requirements have been met and indicate confirmation date.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Residency pathway.
This pathway applies to all applicants who have completed an ACGME-accredited residency of not less than two years, in the specialty area in which certification is being sought.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Residency pathway.
This pathway applies to all applicants who have completed an ACGME-accredited residency of not less than two years, in the specialty area in which certification is being sought.
Question:
Have you been practicing full-time in this specialty for at least 1 of the past 3 years?
Full-time, or equivalent, is considered an average of 40 hours per week of practice in the specialty area. Practice time may include research, training, or administration, but may not include time spent in your residency.
You might be asking...
Upon application, what kind of information do I need provide about my practice?
We request that applicants provide a detailed description about their practice activity. Depending on when you completed your residency, you may be required to provide letters of reference from physicians who can attest to your experience in the specialty area in which you are seeking certification. At least one reference must be from an individual certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, preferably in the respective specialty area.
What do you consider a year of full-time experience
Preventive Medicine practice must be at least 50% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 20 hours per week) over two years or at least 80% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 32 hours per week) for one year. Further prorating of time (e.g., 33% over three years) is not appropriate , and no credit will be given for less than 20 hours per week of practice. No more than full-time credit will be granted for any period of practice regardless of the number of hours accumulated during that period. No more than one year of credit can be given for practice time in a given twelve-month period. Your application should provide explicit documentation of the time spent in Preventive Medicine.
Question:
Do you currently possess a primary specialty certification through the ABPM?
The ABPM certifies in three primary specialties: Aerospace Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine. For more information about qualifying primary specialty certificates, please visit our Specialties page.
Question:
Have you been practicing full-time in this specialty for at least 2 of the past five years?
Full-time, or equivalent, is considered an average of 40 hours per week of practice in the specialty area. Practice time may include research, training, or administration, but may not include time spent in your residency.
You might be asking...
Upon application, what kind of information do I need provide about my practice?
We request that applicants provide a detailed description about their practice activity. Depending on when you completed your residency, you may be required to provide letters of reference from physicians who can attest to your experience in the specialty area in which you are seeking certification. At least one reference must be from an individual certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, preferably in the respective specialty area.
What do you consider a year of full-time experience?
Preventive Medicine practice must be at least 50% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 20 hours per week) over two years or at least 80% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 32 hours per week) for one year. Further prorating of time (e.g., 33% over three years) is not appropriate , and no credit will be given for less than 20 hours per week of practice. No more than full-time credit will be granted for any period of practice regardless of the number of hours accumulated during that period. No more than one year of credit can be given for practice time in a given twelve-month period. Your application should provide explicit documentation of the time spent in Preventive Medicine.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Special pathway.
Current diplomates of the American Board of Preventive Medicine who possess certification in a primary specialty (Aerospace Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine) may apply for another ABPM primary specialty through the Special Pathway.
The Special Pathway may only be used by a physician to qualify for one additional ABPM Specialty Certificate. Subject to all eligibility requirements, a third (or more) ABPM Certificate may be obtained by a single physician exclusively through the Residency Pathway.
Diplomates with subspecialty certification (Addiction Medicine, Clinical Informatics, Medical Toxicology, and Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine) do not qualify for the Special Pathway.
Question:
Have you completed a Master’s of Public Health (MPH) or an equivalent degree?
The MPH degree or equivalent must include significant content in the following areas: epidemiology, biostatistics, health services administration, environmental health sciences, and social and behavioral sciences. These content areas are informed by the traditional public health core knowledge areas. It is recommended that at least 15 total equivalent hours of graduate level courses be completed in the core coursework areas of epidemiology, biostatistics, health services administration, environmental health sciences, and social and behavioral sciences.
The minimum 15 credit hours of coursework should appropriately reflect the 5 content areas listed above to ensure applicants are well-grounded in foundational public health knowledge and should be graduate-level courses. Undergraduate courses and coursework in medical school will not be considered to meet these requirements. Courses that may include multiple content areas must meet the equivalent academic requirements and content of the traditional individual courses.
You might be asking...
Upon application, what kind of information do I need provide about my coursework?
We request that applicants provide a transcript and course syllabus detailing the required coursework. This documentation must prove that you participated in graduate coursework in the required areas and that you attained sufficient competencies from each course.
Question:
Have you been practicing full-time in this specialty for at least 2 of the past 5 years?
Full-time, or equivalent, is considered an average of 40 hours per week of practice in the specialty area. Practice time may include research, training, or administration, but may not include time spent in your residency.
You might be asking...
Upon application, what kind of information do I need provide about my practice?
We request that applicants provide a detailed description about their practice activity. Depending on when you completed your residency, you may be required to provide letters of reference from physicians who can attest to your experience in the specialty area in which you are seeking certification. At least one reference must be from an individual certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, preferably in the respective specialty area.
What do you consider a year of full-time experience?
Preventive Medicine practice must be at least 50% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 20 hours per week) over two years or at least 80% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 32 hours per week) for one year. Further prorating of time (e.g., 33% over three years) is not appropriate , and no credit will be given for less than 20 hours per week of practice. No more than full-time credit will be granted for any period of practice regardless of the number of hours accumulated during that period. No more than one year of credit can be given for practice time in a given twelve-month period. Your application should provide explicit documentation of the time spent in Preventive Medicine.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Complementary pathway.
The Complementary pathway is designed to accommodate physicians who wish to make a mid-career shift into the practice of Preventive Medicine. In order to qualify through this pathway, physicians must complete two or more years of training in a clinical residency program. They must also complete one year in an ACGME-accredited residency program in the Preventive Medicine specialty area (Aerospace Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine or Public Health and General Preventive Medicine) in which certification is being sought.
The Preventive Medicine residency program must include a direct patient care component. The minimum length of this component varies by Specialty as follows:
- Aerospace Medicine: at least 8 months of direct patient care;
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine: at least 8 months of direct patient care;
- Public Health and General Preventive Medicine: at least 4 months of direct patient care.
Question:
Do you currently possess a primary specialty certification through the ABPM?
The ABPM certifies in three primary specialties: Aerospace Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine. For more information about qualifying primary specialty certificates, please visit our Specialties page.
Question:
Have you been practicing full-time in this specialty for at least 2 of the past 5 years?
Full-time, or equivalent, is considered an average of 40 hours per week of practice in the specialty area. Practice time may include research, training, or administration, but may not include time spent concurrent with a residency.
You might be asking...
Upon application, what kind of information do I need provide about my practice?
We request that applicants provide a detailed description about their practice activity. Depending on when you completed your residency, you may be required to provide letters of reference from physicians who can attest to your experience in the specialty area in which you are seeking certification. At least one reference must be from an individual certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, preferably in the respective specialty area.
What do you consider a year of full-time experience?
Preventive Medicine practice must be at least 50% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 20 hours per week) over two years or at least 80% of a 40-hour week (i.e., 32 hours per week) for one year. Further prorating of time (e.g., 33% over three years) is not appropriate , and no credit will be given for less than 20 hours per week of practice. No more than full-time credit will be granted for any period of practice regardless of the number of hours accumulated during that period. No more than one year of credit can be given for practice time in a given twelve-month period. Your application should provide explicit documentation of the time spent in Preventive Medicine.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Special pathway.
Current diplomates of the American Board of Preventive Medicine who possess certification in a primary specialty (Aerospace Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine) may apply for another ABPM primary specialty through the Special Pathway.
The Special Pathway may only be used by a physician to qualify for one additional ABPM Specialty Certificate. Subject to all eligibility requirements, a third (or more) ABPM Certificate may be obtained by a single physician exclusively through the Residency Pathway.
Diplomates with subspecialty certification only (Addiction Medicine, Clinical Informatics, Medical Toxicology, and Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine) do not qualify for the Special Pathway.
Question:
Based on the responses provided, you may be eligible to apply through the alternative pathway.
The Alternative pathway is only open to physicians who graduated medical school before January 1, 1984. To determine the amount of practice years required for your circumstance, please refer to the table below.
Do you have…
| A Residency? |  |
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| An MPH Degree?* | |
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| An Board Certification | |
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| Practice Years Required | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
Credentials: MPH Degree, An ABMS Board Certification
Practice Years Required: 3
Credentials: Residency, An ABMS Board Certification
Practice Years Required: 3
Credentials: MPH Degree
Practice Years Required: 4
Credentials: Residency
Practice Years Required: 5
Credentials: An ABMS Board Certification
Practice Years Required: 6
Credentials: No MPH Degree, No ABMS Board Certification, No Residency
Practice Years Required: 8
*Without an MPH degree, you are still required to complete coursework (worth 3 credits each) in biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences, health services administration, and environmental health sciences. Total practice years refers to the amount of practice time in the specialty area for which certification is being sought.
Question:
Do you currently have a specialty certification by the American Board of Addiction Medicine?
Beginning in 2022, physicians seeking certification in Addiction Medicine may apply through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship pathway or the Practice pathway. The Practice pathway will remain open through the 2025 application cycle.
You might be asking...
I have not maintained my primary ABMS board certification. I am still certified in my subspecialty. Am I still eligible to apply for board certification?
Primary board certification is a core requirement. Some ABMS boards accept subspecialty certification as meeting the primary certification requirements. In those cases, the individual would be listed as certified in the primary specialty. The status of primary certification is determined by each individual board.
Current ABMS board certification is a core requirement for applicants applying through the Practice Pathway for Addiction Medicine Certification.
I am ABAM certified, but will not apply for ABPM certification this year. Is there a deadline?
Beginning in 2022, physicians seeking certification in Addiction Medicine may apply through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship pathway or the Practice pathway. The Practice pathway will remain open through the 2025 application cycle.
Question:
Do you currently hold primary specialty certification from an ABMS member board?
To qualify for the Practice Pathway, physicians must possess current ABMS board certification from at least one ABMS Member Board, in addition to all other eligibility requirements for this pathway. This pathway, however, is not open to physicians who never obtained primary ABMS Member Board certification, who lost primary ABMS Member Board certification as the result of disciplinary action, or who may have surrendered a medical license in lieu of, or otherwise to avoid the possibility of, disciplinary action being taken against their license.
You might be asking...
I am currently certified by ABAM and/or ASAM. Can I become certified or recertify through ABPM?
Beginning in 2022, physicians seeking certification in Addiction Medicine may apply through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship pathway or the Practice pathway. The Practice pathway will remain open through the 2025 application cycle.
For a full list of the requirements for ABPM certification, please review our website at https://www.theabpm.org/become-certified/subspecialties/addiction-medicine/table/.
If I do not apply for ABPM Certification in Addiction Medicine this year, will I be able to apply later?
Beginning in 2022, applicants seeking certification in Addiction Medicine must apply through the ACGME-accredited Fellowship Pathway or the Practice Pathway. To qualify through the ACGME-accredited Fellowship pathway, applicants must successfully complete an ACGME-accredited Addiction Medicine Fellowship. Applicants seeking to apply practice experience or who have completed an ACAAM (formerly TAMF) Addiction Medicine Fellowship may apply through the Practice Pathway. The Practice Pathway will be open through the 2025 application cycle.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Practice Pathway
Beginning in 2022, all applicants for certification in Addiction Medicine must successfully complete an ACGME-accredited Addiction Medicine fellowship program or apply through the Practice Pathway. ABPM has extended the Practice Pathway through the 2025 application cycle.
Question:
Have you completed an ACGME Fellowship in Addiction Medicine?
Applicants who have not completed an ACGME-Accredited Fellowship may be eligible to apply through the Addiction Medicine Practice Pathway. A list of ACGME-Accredited and non-ACGME-Accredited Fellowships may be found at https://www.acaam.org/accreditedfellowships/. This includes Fellowships accredited by the Addiction Medicine Foundations (TAMF), now known as the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine (ACAAM).
You might be asking...
Does an Addiction Psychiatry fellowship meet the ADM fellowship requirement?
An Addiction Psychiatry fellowship does not meet the Addiction Medicine Fellowship requirements.
What if I have less than 12 months of fellowship training through TAMF?
Applicants must have successfully completed an Addiction Medicine fellowship of at least 12 months that is acceptable to the American Board of Preventive Medicine. An Addiction Medicine Fellowship training of less than 12 months may be applied towards the Time in Practice hour requirements of the Practice Pathway. The fellowship training curriculum as well as a description of the actual training experience must also be submitted for final approval by the Board.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the ACGME Fellowship Pathway.
You might be asking...
When will ACGME fellowships be available?
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has approved the accreditation of fellowships in the subspecialty of Addiction Medicine. The specific requirements for the ACGME-accredited fellowships in Addiction Medicine are currently under development. Institutions seeking ACGME accreditation for Addiction Medicine fellowships should contact the ACGME and follow their requirements.
Question:
Do you currently hold primary specialty certification from an ABMS member board?
Primary board certification is a core requirement.
You might be asking...
I have not maintained my ABMS board certification. Am I still eligible to apply for board certification in Addiction Medicine?
Current ABMS member board certification is a core requirement for applicants seeking certification through the Practice Pathway.
ABPM recently expanded board certification requirements to include current AOA certification for applicants applying through the ACGME-accredited Fellowship pathway. You may review the requirements for Addiction Medicine Certification through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship Pathway at https://www.theabpm.org/become-certified/subspecialties/addiction-medicine/
I have not maintained my primary ABMS board certification. I am still certified in my subspecialty. Am I still eligible to apply for board certification?
Primary board certification is a core requirement. Some ABMS boards accept subspecialty certification as meeting the primary certification requirements. In those cases, the individual would be listed as certified in the primary specialty. The status of primary certification is determined by each individual board.
Question:
Do you currently hold primary specialty certification from an AOA member board or certification from the Canadian certifying boards of RCPSC or the CFPC?
Beginning with the 2020 ABPM Examination Cycle, AOA board certification will be recognized as an acceptable primary certificate for physicians seeking subspecialty certification in Addiction Medicine from ABPM. To be eligible to participate in this program and to take the ABPM subspecialty certification examinations, AOA-board certified physicians must successfully complete an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited fellowship in the relevant subspecialty, as well as meet all other current ABPM requirements for that subspecialty.
Beginning with ABPM 2021 Examination Cycle, expanded eligibility for the subspecialty certification examinations will be offered to physicians trained in Canada and who possess primary board certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). To be eligible under the expanded rules, physicians must also complete an Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited fellowship in the ABPM subspecialty for which they are applying as well as meet all other eligibility criteria. The updated eligibility requirements will go into effect beginning with the 2021 application cycle.
You might be asking...
Does my certification from the AOA count towards board certification?
Yes. Those physicians who have successfully completed an AOA-accredited residency, are currently certified by at least one AOA board and who have completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Addiction Medicine are eligible to apply to the ABPM for Certification in Addiction Medicine through the ACGME-accredited Fellowship Pathway.
Unfortunately, physicians who possess AOA board certification but have not successfully completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Addiction Medicine are not eligible to apply to the ABPM for Certification in Addiction Medicine.
You may review the requirements for Addiction Medicine Certification through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship Pathway at https://www.theabpm.org/become-certified/subspecialties/addiction-medicine/.
Is certification from Canada recognized for primary board certification?
Yes. Those physicians who have successfully completed an accredited residency in Canada, are currently certified by either the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), and who have completed an ACGME-Accredited fellowship in Addiction Medicine are eligible to apply to the ABPM for Board Certification through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship pathway.
Physicians who possess RCPSC or CFPC certification, but have not successfully completed an ACGME-Accredited fellowship in Addiction Medicine are not eligible to apply for ABPM Board Certification in Addiction Medicine. The requirements for Addiction Medicine certification through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship Pathway may be reviewed at https://www.theabpm.org/become-certified/subspecialties/addiction-medicine.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Practice Pathway’s Practice option.
Beginning in 2026, all applicants for certification in Addiction Medicine must successfully complete an ACGME-accredited Addiction Medicine fellowship program.
Question:
Based on the responses provided, you have not met the requirements to apply for ABPM Subspecialty certification.
Question:
Do you currently hold primary specialty certification from an ABMS member board?
Primary ABMS Board Certification is a core requirement.
You might be asking...
I have not maintained my primary ABMS board certification. I am still certified in my subspecialty. Am I still eligible to apply for board certification?
Primary board certification is a core requirement. Some ABMS boards accept subspecialty certification as meeting the primary certification requirements. In those cases, the individual would be listed as certified in the primary specialty. The status of primary certification is determined by each individual board.
Question:
Have you completed a 12 month Addiction Medicine Fellowship accredited through ACAAM (formerly known as TAMF)?
Acceptable Non-ACGME accredited Addiction Medicine fellowships that may be considered are currently accredited through ACAAM.org. For a list of ACAAM and ACGME-accredited Addiction Medicine Fellowship programs, please visit https://www.acaam.org/accreditedfellowships/.
You might be asking...
Does an Addiction Psychiatry fellowship meet the ADM fellowship requirement?
An Addiction Psychiatry fellowship does not meet the Addiction Medicine Fellowship requirements.
What if I have less than 12 months of fellowship training through TAMF?
Applicants must have successfully completed an Addiction Medicine fellowship of at least 12 months that is acceptable to the American Board of Preventive Medicine. An Addiction Medicine Fellowship training of less than 12 months may be applied towards the Time in Practice hour requirements of the Practice Pathway. The fellowship training curriculum as well as a description of the actual training experience must also be submitted for final approval by the Board.
Is it possible to fulfill a portion of the Practice Pathway requirements during my residency? Would the ABPM be willing to allow me to satisfy the requirements through electives, research, or other means?
ABPM does not provide credit for hours concurrent with a Residency or a Non-Addiction Medicine Fellowship. Electives may not count towards the requirements for the Practice Pathway.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Practice Pathway’s ACAAM option (formerly known as TAMF).
Beginning in 2026, all applicants for certification in Addiction Medicine must successfully complete an ACGME-accredited Addiction Medicine fellowship program.
Question:
Have you completed two years and 1920 hours of Addiction Medicine practice within the last five years?
Practice hours must include a minimum of 25% (or 480 hours) of direct patient care in Addiction Medicine. Practice must consist of broad-based professional activity with significant responsibility in the subspecialty. Practice time need not be continuous, however, all practice time must have occurred in the five-year period preceding June 30 of the application year.
Question:
Have you completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Clinical Informatics?
If you have fellowship activity that is not ACGME-accredited, or less than 24 months in duration (not a completed fellowship), choose No. Your fellowship activity may be applied toward the practice time requirement.
Question:
Do you currently hold primary specialty certification from an ABMS member board?
Primary board certification is a core requirement.
You might be asking...
I have not maintained my ABMS board certification. Am I still eligible to apply for board certification in Clinical Informatics?
Current ABMS member board certification is a core requirement for applicants seeking certification through the Practice Pathway.
ABPM recently expanded board certification requirements to include current AOA and Canadian Board certification for applicants applying through the ACGME-accredited Fellowship pathway. You may review the requirements for Clinical Informatics Certification through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship Pathway at https://www.theabpm.org/become-certified/subspecialties/clinical-informatics/
Does my certification from the AOA count towards board certification?
Yes. Those physicians who have successfully completed an AOA-accredited residency, are currently certified by at least one AOA board and who have completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Addiction Medicine are eligible to apply to the ABPM for Certification in Addiction Medicine through the ACGME-accredited Fellowship Pathway.
Unfortunately, physicians who possess AOA board certification but have not successfully completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Addiction Medicine are not eligible to apply to the ABPM for Certification in Addiction Medicine. You may review the requirements for Addiction Medicine Certification through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship Pathway at https://www.theabpm.org/become-certified/subspecialties/addiction-medicine/
Is certification from Canada recognized for primary board certification?
Yes. Those physicians who have successfully completed an accredited residency in Canada, are currently certified by either the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), and who have completed an ACGME-Accredited fellowship in Addiction Medicine are eligible to apply to the ABPM for Board Certification through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship pathway.
Physicians who possess RCPSC or CFPC certification, but have not successfully completed an ACGME-Accredited fellowship in Addiction Medicine are not eligible to apply for ABPM Board Certification in Addiction Medicine. The requirements for Clinical Informatics Certification through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship Pathway at https://www.theabpm.org/become-certified/subspecialties/clinical-informatics/
I have not maintained my primary ABMS board certification. I am still certified in my subspecialty. Am I still eligible to apply for board certification?
Primary board certification is a core requirement. Some ABMS boards accept subspecialty certification as meeting the primary certification requirements. In those cases, the individual would be listed as certified in the primary specialty. The status of primary certification is determined by each individual board.
Question:
Do you currently hold primary specialty certification from an ABMS member board?
Primary ABMS Board Certification is a core requirement.
You might be asking...
I have not maintained my ABMS board certification. Am I still eligible to apply for board certification in Clinical Informatics?
Current ABMS member board certification is a core requirement for applicants seeking certification through the Practice Pathway.
ABPM recently expanded board certification requirements to include current AOA certification for applicants applying through the ACGME-accredited Fellowship pathway. You may review the requirements for Clinical Informatics Certification through the ACGME-Accredited Fellowship Pathway at https://www.theabpm.org/become-certified/subspecialties/clinical-informatics/
I have not maintained my primary ABMS board certification. I am still certified in my subspecialty. Am I still eligible to apply for board certification?
Primary board certification is a core requirement. Some ABMS boards accept subspecialty certification as meeting the primary certification requirements. In those cases, the individual would be listed as certified in the primary specialty. The status of primary certification is determined by each individual board.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Fellowship pathway.
Completion of an ACGME-accredited fellowship program of at least 24 months in duration that is acceptable to the ABPM is required.
Question:
Based on the responses provided, you have not met the requirements to apply for ABPM Subspecialty certification.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Practice pathway practice option.
This pathway is open to all applicants who have not completed ACGME-accredited fellowship training in Clinical Informatics. The Practice pathway expires in 2025. Beginning in 2026, the exam will be available only to those physicians who have completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Clinical Informatics. This subspecialty certifying exam will be given annually throughout this period.
Question:
Have you complete a 24-month Masters or PhD program in Biomedical Informatics, Health Sciences Informatics, Clinical Informatics, or a related subject (e.g. NLM university-based Biomedical Informatics Training)?
You might be asking...
I am currently enrolled in a Master’s program in Healthcare Informatics with a concentration in Healthcare Analytics. I was wondering if this program would satisfy the requirements of the Practice Pathway.
All Clinical Informatics applicants applying through the Practice Pathway with a Master’s program are required to submit a transcript and a copy of the curriculum with the application. Applications and supporting documentation are reviewed by ABPM Clinical Informatics board-certified physicians to determine credit to be allocated for those activities
I have worked two years in Informatics, on average 40 hours per month. In addition, I have completed an expedited 16 month Master’s program in Informatics. Will my combined practice time and Master’s be sufficient to meet the Practice Pathway requirements?
A detailed description of your practice activities must be completed from the dropdown menu choices in the online application to be reviewed for practice credit. ABPM may grant partial credit for an Informatics Master’s program that is less than 24 months. Please provide a transcript and curriculum with your submitted application. The applicant should submit evidence of additional practice to satisfy any additional requirements of the Practice Pathway.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Practice Pathway’s Biomedical Informatics option.
This pathway is open to all applicants who have not completed ACGME-accredited fellowship training in Clinical Informatics. The Practice pathway expires in 2025. Beginning in 2026, the exam will be available only to those physicians who have completed an ACGME-acccredited fellowship in Clinical Informatics. This subspecialty certifying exam will be given annually throughout this period.
Question:
Have you completed 3 years of practice in Clinical Informatics?
Practice time must be at least 25% of a full-time equivalent, and must have occurred in the past 5 years.
Fellowship activity that is not ACGME-accredited or less than 24 months in duration may be applied toward the practice time requirement.
You might be asking...
Is it possible to fulfill a portion of the practice pathway requirements during my residency or non-clinical informatics fellowship? Would the board be willing to allow me to satisfy the requirements through electives, research, or other means?
ABPM does not provide credit towards practice time requirements for any time spent in a residency. Electives in Clinical Informatics during residency do not count towards practice pathway requirements. ABPM may consider research months in a non-Clinical informatics fellowship with the following limitations: The fellowship may not be used to satisfy a requirement for another board certification and the applicant can must demonstrate substantial Clinical Informatics research during that time period (e.g. through publications or presentations) .
I worked one month in decision support with 15% effort and another month in informatics research with 10% effort. Will this combined effort count as one month with 25% effort?
No, neither activity averages 25% or more effort. However, if both activities had occurred during the same month, they could be added and considered in support of a Practice Pathway application.
I worked for 12 months as a CMIO. Some months my effort was only 15% effort and in others 50%. On average I worked more than 25% effort. Will this count for 12 months effort?
Yes, if you worked on average 25% or more during the reported activity, the effort could be added and considered in support of a Practice Pathway application.
I worked as a content expert for our EHR implementation. My role was to supply the medical expertise so order sets could be built. I also created documentation templates. Will this effort count towards the Practice Pathway?
The ABPM does not consider content expertise efforts to be significant Clinical Informatics effort and therefore, such effort will not be considered in support of an application to the ABPM for Certification in Clinical Informatics.
I work on average 40 hours per month in Informatics. Does this fulfill the 25% threshold?
Applicants applying through the Practice Pathway are required to document average hours per week. Practice time must be at least 25% (on average, 10 hours per week) of a Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) to be considered for inclusion of practice time in support of an application submitted via the Practice Pathway.
I have worked two years in Informatics, on average 40 hours per month. In addition, I have completed an expedited 16 month Master’s program in Informatics. Will my combined practice time and Master’s be sufficient to meet the Practice Pathway requirements?
A detailed description of your practice activities must be completed from the dropdown menu choices in the online application to be reviewed for practice credit. ABPM may grant partial credit for an Informatics Master’s program that is less than 24 months. Please provide a transcript and curriculum with your submitted application. The applicant should submit evidence of additional practice to satisfy any additional requirements of the Practice Pathway.
Question:
Do you currently hold primary specialty certification from an AOA member board or certification from the Canadian certifying boards RCPSC or the CFPC?
Do you currently hold primary specialty certification from an AOA member board or certification from the Canadian certifying boards RCPSC or the CFPC?
Beginning with the 2020 ABPM Examination Cycle, AOA board certification will be recognized as an acceptable primary certificate for physicians seeking subspecialty certification in Addiction Medicine from ABPM. To be eligible to participate in this program and to take the ABPM subspecialty certification examinations, AOA-board certified physicians must successfully complete an ACGME-accredited fellowship in the relevant subspecialty, as well as meet all other current ABPM requirements for that subspecialty.
Beginning with ABPM 2021 Examination Cycle, eligibility for the subspecialty certification examinations will be offered to physicians trained in Canada and who possess primary board certification through the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). To be eligible under the expanded rules, physicians must also complete an ACGME-accredited fellowship in the ABPM subspecialty in which which they are applying as well as meet all other eligibility criteria. The updated eligibility requirements will go into effect beginning with the 2021 application cycle.
Question:
Do you currently have a specialty certification by the ABPM?
The ABPM certifies in three primary specialties: Aerospace Medicine, Occupational Medicine, and Public Health and General Preventative Medicine. For more information about qualifying primary specialty certificates, please visit our Specialties.
If you do not have a primary certification with the American Board of Preventive Medicine, please apply for certification in Medical Toxicology through the American Board of Emergency Medicine. More information can be found on the ABEM’s website.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Fellowship pathway.
Completion of a fellowship program of at least 24 months in duration that is acceptable to the ABPM is required. Application and examination for initial certification is available every even-numbered year. Please apply in 2018.
Question:
Based on the responses provided, you have not met the requirements to apply for ABPM subspecialty certification.
Question:
Have you completed a 12-month, ACGME-accredited fellowship in Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine?
Approximately 25% of your time must have been spent in actual management of Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine cases.
For more information about qualifying primary specialty certificates, please visit ABMS.
If you are already a diplomate of the American Board of Emergency Medicine, please apply for certification in Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine through them. More information can be found on the American Board of Emergency Medicine’s website.
Question:
Do you currently hold primary specialty certification from an ABMS member board?
Primary board certification is a core requirement.
Question:
You may be eligible to apply through the Fellowship pathway.
Completion of an ACGME accredited fellowship program of at least 12 months in duration that is acceptable to the ABPM is required.
Question:
Based on the responses provided, you have not met the requirements to apply for ABPM Subspecialty certification.
Question:
Do you currently hold primary specialty certification from an AOA member board?
Beginning with the 2020 ABPM Examination Cycle, AOA board certification will be recognized as an acceptable primary certificate for physicians seeking subspecialty certification in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine from ABPM. To be eligible to participate in this program and to take the ABPM subspecialty certification examinations, AOA-board certified physicians must successfully complete an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited fellowship in the relevant subspecialty, as well as meet all other current ABPM requirements for that subspecialty.