Chicago, IL, March 10, 2021: The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) announced today that at its January 2021 meeting, the Board of Directors voted to update the eligibility requirements for the Special, Complementary, and Alternative Pathways to certification in Aerospace Medicine, Occupational Medicine and Public Health & General Preventive Medicine (each a “Specialty”).
The effective date for these changes is March 1, 2022 and therefore, do not impact applications made during the current 2021 Application Cycle.
The changes are as follows:
Special Pathway: A Diplomate currently certified by the ABPM in a Specialty may apply to sit for an initial certification exam in a second Specialty through the Special Pathway. Should a current Diplomate seek certification in a third Specialty, the Diplomate will be required to apply through the ABPM’s Residency Pathway.
Complementary Pathway: This pathway is designed to accommodate physicians who wish to make a mid-career shift into the practice of Preventive Medicine. To qualify through the Complementary Pathway, physicians must; (i) complete a Master of Public Health or equivalent degree, (ii) complete at least two years of an ACGME-accredited residency and; (iii) complete one-year in an ACGME-accredited residency in the Preventive Medicine specialty in which certification is being sought. The Preventive Medicine residency program director must attest to the applicant’s successful completion of at least one year of the Preventive Medicine program.
Additionally, the Preventive Medicine residency program must include a direct patient care component. Aerospace Medicine and Occupational Medicine residency programs must include at least eight months of direct patient care; Public Health and General Preventive Medicine residency programs must include at least four months of direct patient care.
Applicants through the Complementary Pathway must complete a Master of Public Health or equivalent degree.
Alternative Pathway: The Alternative Pathway will close after the 2021 Application Cycle. Beginning with the 2022 Application Cycle, all applicants must qualify for Specialty certification through the Residency, Complementary, or Special Pathways.
“This revision ensures that all physicians applying for Specialty certification meet our rigorous standards for education and training prior to ABPM Specialty certification. As we move towards Continuing Certification, your Board carefully revised these requirements to update policy and streamline guidance for each pathway,” said Board Chair Hernando “Joe” Ortega, Jr., MD, MPH.
The requirements for all pathways will remain unchanged for the 2021 Application Cycle, which will open on March 15, 2021. Interested physicians may apply online after creating an account on the Physician Portal at https://certification.abpm-us.org/login. For more information about the current eligibility requirements for all ABPM specialties and Subspecialties, please see https://www.abpm-us.org/become-certified/.
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 Medicine, and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine; and in the subspecialties of Addiction Medicine, Clinical Informatics, Medical Toxicology, and Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine.