certification and MOC

The Addiction Medicine Certification Hub

In 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).

To read the full history, visit CME Report 4-I-19.

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

Attention:  Physicians who have or will take the ABPM Addiction Exam

ABPM announced the requirements for its Diplomates to maintain ABPM Certification during the transitional period from the current Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program to a new and innovative Continuing Certification Program (CCP).  The transitional period will begin February 1, 2020 and continue through December 31, 2022 (Transitional Period).

What this Means to You:

  • APBM is moving away from an every 10-year examination to an innovative and longitudinal assessment model
  • During a transition period of time, ABPM will be retaining the core requirements of MOC while increasing flexibility and providing credit for future Continuing Certification Program
  • This is a positive step for Diplomates toward a less burdensome process
  • ASAM will have a session on transitioning from MOC and CCP presented by Chris Ondrula, Executive Director, ABPM and Michael Weaver, MD, Exam Chair 

For more information, visit ABPM's Transitional MOC to Continuing Certification Program (CCP)

Announcements

June 30, 2020 - In response to the possibility of a resurgence of the COVID-19 virus during administration of the 2020 Initial Certification Examinations, the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) announced today that it will offer a live, remotely proctored testing option for the 2020 Initial Certification Exam Cycle. Continue Reading

 

April 10, 2020 - Effective as of April 1, 2020 and continuing through December 31, 2022, Diplomates who meet the qualifications below will not be required to complete the Transitional MOC Part 2 (CME),  Part 4 (Improvement in Medical Practice) or the Patient Safety Course (PSC) requirements. ABPM will recognize these qualified Diplomates as fully participating in MOC through the remainder of the ABPM’s Transitional MOC Period. Continue Reading

 

April 7, 2020 - The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) announced today its newly-implemented policy regarding eligibility for residents and fellows whose training has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.Continue Reading

 

March 27, 2020 - As the worldwide health care community continues to navigate and respond to the ever-changing COVID-19 landscape, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and its 24 Member Boards are committed to supporting diplomates and trainees as they work on the front line to combat this virus by providing expert care to patients. Continue Reading

 

Exam Information  Board Review Course  Exam Resources  Join ASAM

Application Window

The online exam application period opens in March 16, 2020 and closes on June 30, 2020. 

In official collaboration with ASAM, Michigan Cares has created a course to help physicians determine if their experience meets ABPM’s requirements for the practice pathway. ASAM recommends physicians interested in obtaining ADM subspecialty certification to visit, https://micares.msu.edu/enroll/index.html


Physicians interested in taking the exam and becoming certified in addiction medicine need to complete the application on the ABPM 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 7, 2020 through November 1, 2020.

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

Certification Pathways

Physicians with a Primary ABMS Board

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. 

Physicians with ABAM Certification

Diplomates who passed ABAM’s 2015 certification/recertification exam may qualify for expedited ABPM certification without having to sit for the exam. These Diplomates must submit formal application for consideration and approval through the ABAM Diplomate Pathway.

Physicians with AOA Board Certification

Beginning with the ABPM 2020 Examination Cycle, AOA board certification will be recognized as an acceptable primary certificate for physicians seeking subspecialty certification in Addiction Medicine from ABPM. 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.

Physicians without a Primary ABMS Board

ASAM has identified the ABPM complementary, special, and alternative pathways 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 Transitional Maintenance of Certification 

In December 2019, ABPM announced the requirements for its Diplomates to maintain ABPM certification during the transitional period from the current Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program to a new and innovative Continuing Certification Program (CCP). 


However, due to COVID-19, effective as of April 1, 2020 and continuing through December 31, 2022, Diplomates who meet the qualifications below will not be required to complete the Transitional MOC Part 2 (CME),  Part 4 (Improvement in Medical Practice) or the Patient Safety Course (PSC) requirements. ABPM will recognize these qualified Diplomates as fully participating in MOC through the remainder of the ABPM’s Transitional MOC Period. For more information on diplomate qualifications, view ABPM’s article on tMOC requirements.

 

During the Transitional Period, the requirements to maintain ABPM Certification will be as follows:

 

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: Not Required For Qualifying Diplomates

(i) Earn a total of 75 AMA PRA Category 1 Continuing Medical Education (CME) CreditsTM  

  • 2020: 25 AMA PRA Category 1 CME CreditsTM
  • 2021: 25 AMA PRA Category 1 CME CreditsTM
  • 2022: 25 AMA PRA Category 1 CME CreditsTM

(ii) Complete 1 hour of a patient safety course (PSC) by February 1, 2023. This requirement can be fulfilled in one of two ways:

  • Successful completion of an ACGME-accredited residency or fellowship in 2012 or later, or;
  • Successful completion of an ABPM-approved PSC
 
Part 3:
  • No MOC Exam

 

Part 4: Not Required For Qualifying Diplomates

ABPM’s current requirements for MOC Part IV Improvement in Medical Practice (IMP) will remain unchanged. However:

  • In addition to receiving current credit for IMP activities completed during the Transitional Period, the Diplomate will also receive credit for the first IMP (or its equivalent) that will be required by ABPM’s CCP.
  • During the Transitional Period, ABPM will not require Diplomates to submit proof of completion by Diplomates of IMP activities during their current Certification Cycle. Instead, Diplomates who complete an IMP activity in their Specialty/Subspecialty during the Transitional Period will simply log on to ABPM’s Diplomate portal and submit an attestation of completion.
  • ABPM will neither track nor penalize Diplomates who do not complete IMP activities during the Transitional Period.

Beginning on or about February 1, 2023 and continuing thereafter, all ABPM Diplomates shall be subject to the requirements of the ABPM’s CCP which will include, among other things, IMP activities (or their equivalent)

 

For more information, visit Transitional MOC to Continuing Certification Program

 

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

Or visit ABPM's website 

To take an ASAM course approved by ABPM that can be applied towards ABPM Transitional MOC 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.

ACCME-commendation-full-color

The American Society of Addiction Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education 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.