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).

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 at the ASAM Annual Conference presented by Chris Ondrula, Executive Director, ABPM and Michael Weaver, MD, Exam Chair on Thursday, April 2 at 7:30 pm in Denver -- this will be your time to ask questions directly to ABPM

 

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

Announcements from ABPM

December 10, 2019 - The American Board of Preventive Medicine (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). Continue Reading 

 

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. Continue Reading 

 

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. Continue Reading

 

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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

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 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 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). 

The transitional period will begin February 1, 2020 and continue through December 31, 2022 (Transitional Period).

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:

(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:

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.