On November 30, the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) and ASAM jointly announced the extension of eligibility for completion of Addiction Medicine board certification through the 2025 examination cycle, using the “Practice Pathway”.

This action culminated a lengthy, warm, and very necessary discussion, surrounding the balance between:

1. Responding to the acute call for clinicians.
2. The necessity for the highest possible quality of training. While these were not the only elements of the controversy, they represent almost identical experiences in the development of other medical specialties.  Standards ought not be a cap on the skills and capabilities of the practitioner, but rather should be stepping-stones to the specialty’s evolution.

ASAM is grateful for the contributions of those many in the field who have participated in all stages of the certification process, not limited to but inclusive of colleagues representing the ABPM, ABMS, ACAAM, AMERSA, AMA, APA, AAAP, and many treatment facilities.