certification and MOC

The Addiction Medicine Certification Hub

In March 2016, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) announced the recognition of addiction medicine as a new subspecialty under the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM). ABPM administers the board exam for Addiction Medicine (ADM).

Physicians who have a primary ABMS board (including current addiction medicine specialists with a primary ABMS board certification) may apply to take the exam to become or continue to be an addiction medicine specialist; however, this pathway will expire in 2021.

Upon expiration of the practice-based pathway, a one-year fellowship will be required to become an addiction medicine specialist for those who hold a primary ABMS board certification.

For more information about the transition to board certification, please visit ABPM FAQs. 

Updates from the ABPM

October 16, 2019 - The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) has announced the formal recognition of American Osteopathic Association (AOA) board certification as an acceptable primary certification required for eligibility for certification in three ABPM subspecialties. This time-limited change aligns with the establishment of a single accreditation system in graduate medical education. The change will allow AOA board certification to serve as the primary credential to obtain certification in select subspecialties.

This expanded eligibility will become effective as of January 1, 2020 and will continue in effect until the transition to a single accreditation system is complete. 

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August 30, 2019 - The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) announced today that, as a first-step toward a comprehensive overhaul of its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, the ABPM Board of Directors has approved a revision to its current MOC Part II requirement by combining MOC Part IIA, Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment (LLSA) and MOC Part IIB, Continuing Medical Education (CME) into a single, comprehensive MOC Part II requirement.

Specifically, diplomates will no longer be required to complete a minimum number of ABPM-approved LLSA credits in order to complete MOC Part II. Instead, beginning on February 1, 2020 and during each ten-year Certification Cycle, a Diplomate’s total of 250 MOC Part II credits can include any combination of LLSA and AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits (or their equivalent). 

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Application Window

American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) is administering the application process and the exam. Physicians interested in taking the exam and becoming certified in addiction medicine need to complete the application on the ABPM website. 

The online exam application period opens in March 15, 2019 and closes on July 1, 2019. 

For more information about eligibility requirements, please visit ABPM's website

Exam Administration

The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) is providing a variety of exam dates and locations. 

A variety of exam dates and locations will be offered from October 14, 2019 through November 3, 2019.

The exam is approximately 3-3.5 hours long. Applicants will be notified of approval electronically by ABPM.  Approved applicants will have the opportunity to select their exam location and date upon approval notification.

For more information about the exam, please visit ABPM's Exam Information

Other Certification Pathways

Physicians without a Primary ABMS Board

ASAM has identified the ABPM complementary pathway available through preventive medicine residency training programs as a viable pathway for addiction medicine physicians seeking a primary board certification. Once certified in preventive medicine through the ABPM, addiction medicine physicians would be eligible to sit for the subspecialty board exam in addiction medicine through 2021 and beyond.

For more information about other certification pathways for eligibility, please visit ABPM.

 

ABPM Maintenance of Certification

In August 2018, the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) announced that it has established the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) requirements for those diplomates certified by the ABPM in Addiction Medicine. The MOC requirements for Addiction Medicine mirror those currently in place for other ABPM Specialty and Subspecialty Certificates. 

Specifically, to be considered to be participating in MOC for each ten-year certification cycle (each a “Certification Cycle”), a diplomate certified by the ABPM in Addiction Medicine must: 

Part 1:

  • Hold an active, valid, and unrestricted medical license in all states, US territories, or Canadian provinces in which the diplomate is licensed to practice medicine;

Part 2:

(i) Earn a total of 250 AMA PRA Category 1 Continuing Medical Education (CME) CreditsTM over each Certification
Cycle, including a minimum of 100 ABPM-approved Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment (LLSA) credits

  • Years 1 - 3: 75 AMA PRA Category 1 CME CreditsTM , at least 30 of which must be ABPM-approved LLSA activities
  • Years 4 - 6: 75 AMA PRA Category 1 CME CreditsTM , at least 30 of which must be ABPM-approved LLSA activities
  • Years 7 - 10: 100 AMA PRA Category 1 CME CreditsTM , at least 40 of which must be ABPM-approved LLSA activities

(ii) Complete a patient safety course in the first two-years of each Certification Cycle

Part 3:
  • Take the cognitive exam in the last three years of your certification cycle. You may re-take the test if
    necessary to pass it prior to the expiration of your certificate
  • The exam will contain similar content to the initial certification exam
  • Note: ABPM announced in August 2018, that it is not necessary to maintain certification in your
    primary board in order to be eligible to apply for the re-certification exam. This announcement can be
    viewed in full by visiting ABPM's MOC News and Announcements 

Part 4:

  • Complete two Improvement in Medical Practice (IMP) activities. One of the activities must be completed through an activity offered through Preventive Medicine specialty or subspecialty society
  • One assessment is to be completed in the first five years of the cycle and a second in the last five years
  • ABPM is a participant in the ABMS Multispecialty Portfolio Program. Activities completed through the
    program will be accepted. Learn more about the ABMS Multispecialty Portfolio Program at abms.org

    For more information on ABPM Maintenance of Certification, see our comprehensive Information Guide on Addiction Medicine Certification and MOC

    Or visit the ABPM's website

To take an ASAM course approved by ABPM for LLSA credits that can be applied towards ABPM MOC Part II requirements, visit ASAM's eLearning Center. 

ABAM Transitional Maintenance of Certification

For more information or questions about the ABAM tMOC program, visit ABAM's website.

To take ASAM Courses approved by the American Board of Addiction Medicine for tMOC, visit ASAM's eLearning Center.

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ASAM has been awarded the highest level of Accreditation with Commendation by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) as a provider of continuing medical education (CME) for physicians.

Accreditation in the ACCME System seeks to assure the medical community and the public that ASAM delivers education that is relevant to clinicians’ needs, evidence-based, evaluated for its effectiveness, and independent of commercial influence.