Chicago, IL, December 20, 2022: The ABPM announced today that the first phase of its new and innovative Continuing Certification Program (CCP) will commence with an effective date of January 1, 2023.
The ABPM’s CCP was developed in compliance with the new Standards for Continuing Certification mandated by the American Board of Medical Specialties and in response to feedback from ABPM Diplomates, who wanted a simpler but more meaningful program, and who overwhelmingly preferred an innovative alternative to the traditional high-stakes, point-in-time Maintenance of Certification (MOC) exam.
To ensure a smooth transition to the CCP, ABPM is introducing the new program in three separate and distinct phases. In Phase One of the transition, in effect for calendar years 2023 and 2024, Diplomates have only three annual requirements:
- Maintain a current, valid, and unrestricted medical license in every US state, US territory, or Canadian province in which the Diplomate holds a license to practices medicine;
- Pay the annual fee using the ABPM’s Physician Portal;
- Attest to earning 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (using the ABPM’s Physician Portal), six of which are relevant to Diplomates’ ABPM Certification(s). Diplomates will choose for themselves which CME courses are relevant to the ABPM Specialties or Subspecialties in which they are Certified.
ABPM will share instructions with Diplomates to log into the online Physician Portal to pay the annual fee and attest to completing CME credits in the first quarter of 2023.
During Phase One of the transition, Clinical Informatics Diplomates will continue to participate in the Longitudinal Assessment Program (LAP) pilot through the pilot’s currently scheduled conclusion of March 31, 2023.
Phase Two of the transition will begin in January 2025 and continue through December 2029, and will include an expansion of its LAP pilot for each ABPM Specialty and Subspecialty. The LAP will be an open-resource assessment that includes 30 questions annually, designed to be an innovative replacement for the traditional, high-stakes, point-in-time MOC exam.
Finally, in January 2030, ABPM will launch Phase Three that will include both the annual CME and LAP requirements as well as an Improvement in Health and Healthcare component, the details of which are in development and will be shared once they have been finalized.
“ABPM leadership is grateful for the thoughtful responses Diplomates and other stakeholders provided in the several surveys we’ve conducted over the past few years,” said Wendy E. Braund, MD, MPH, MSEd, FACPM, ABPM’s Board Chair. “The Diplomate feedback was instrumental in the development of a CCP that meets the needs of Diplomates and fulfills the obligations ABPM has to comply with ABMS’ Standards for Continuing Certification.”
ABPM will share updates regarding the CCP via email; ABPM encourages Diplomates to ensure their contact information is accurate and up-to-date in their Physician Portal accounts. Diplomates who have questions or concerns may reach ABPM staff for assistance by email at [email protected].
The ABPM is an ABMS Member Board. 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 & Environmental Medicine, and Public Health & General Preventive Medicine; and in the subspecialties of Addiction Medicine, Clinical Informatics, Medical Toxicology, and Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine.