The American Board of Addiction Medicine

and

The ABAM Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is addiction?

2. What is an addiction medicine physician?

3. What is the body of knowledge that makes up addiction medicine?

4. What is the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) and what is its mission?

5. What is the ABAM Foundation and what is its mission?

6. What is the vision of ABAM and The ABAM Foundation?

7. How are ABAM and the ABAM Foundation governed?

8. Why is it important for addiction medicine physicians to be board certified?

9. Why is it important that addiction medicine physicians be certified by one or more member

boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)?

10. Why does ABAM have as a goal the establishment by ABMS of a certification program in

addiction medicine, administered by an ABMS member board?

11. How long will it take to achieve ABMS recognition?

12. Who recognizes addiction medicine as a specialized area of medical practice?

13. When will completion of a residency in addiction medicine be required for a physician to

become certified by ABAM?

14. What career paths are open to a physician who wishes to become a board-certified

addiction specialist?

15. Who are the ABAM Diplomates?

16. How are addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry related?

17. Why was it important to establish ABAM, and why at this particular time?

18. How may a physician become certified in addiction medicine?

19. Does ABAM have Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program?

20. If I am already participating in an MOC program mandated by an ABMS board, do I still

need to participate in the ABAM MOC Program?

21. What is “grandfathering”?

22. Why is grandfathering important?

23. If a physician certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine does not currently

hold a certification from an existing certification program authorized by the ABMS, will

that physician be able to be grandfathered into ongoing certification status in addiction

medicine, after the training program requirement is enforced?

24. How may I find a doctor who is certified by ABAM in my area?

25. May a diplomate say s/he is board certified?

26. Are there accredited addiction medicine training programs?

27. How do I find out more about individual residency programs?

28. How do I find vacant residency or fellowship positions?

29. Will the Addiction Medicine Residencies be accredited by the Accreditation Council for

Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)?

30. What are the benefits of ABAM Foundation accreditation for a training program?

31. What is the duration of an ABAM Foundation-accredited residency?

32. How many residents may train in a program?

33. The ABAM Foundation Program Requirements say addiction medicine training programs

must be sponsored by an “educational institution” (Intro B.3). Does that mean the

sponsoring institution must be a medical school?

34. If a sponsoring institution is not a medical school, does it have to have an affiliation with a

medical school?

35. Is it required that sponsoring institutions be already approved by the ACGME to offer

graduate medical education?

36. If an institution is listed by the ACGME as a “Single Program Institution,” can it be the

sponsoring institution for a program seeking ABAM Foundation accreditation?

37. The Program Requirements say the Program Director and physician faculty must be

ABAM-certified or have acceptable specialty qualifications — what are some examples of

the latter?

38. The Program Requirements say Year 1 must include structured blocks of 12 clinical

rotations (IV.A.3.a) (1). Does that mean there must be 12 distinct rotations offered

consecutively, or are other formats permissible?

39. In the Program Accreditation Application Form (PAAF), the instructions describe the

Inpatient General Medical Facility rotation as a consultation service. Is it required that this

be consultation, or could other types of inpatient experiences be offered?

Appendix: A. American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Definitions

Appendix B. ABAM Policy on Potential Paths for ABMS Recognition

Appendix C. American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Requirements

For Recognition of a New Specialty

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The American Board of Addiction Medicine

and

The ABAM Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

Page

Frequently Asked Questions 1

Appendices:

A. American Board of Medical Specialties Definitions 18

B. ABAM Policy on Potential Paths for American Board of Medical Specialties

Recognition. 20

C. American Board of Medical Specialties Requirements for Recognition

of a New Specialty 21

The American Board of Addiction Medicine and the ABAM Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is addiction? According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, “Addiction is a

primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these

circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is

reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other

behaviors. [Return to top]

2. What is an addiction medicine physician? “The addiction medicine physician provides medical care

within the bio-psycho-social framework for persons with addiction, for the individual with substance-

related health conditions, for persons who manifest unhealthy substance use, and for family members

whose health and functioning are affected by another‟s substance use or addiction. Board-certified

addiction medicine physicians are also board-certified in another medical specialty, prior to meeting

requirements for board certification by the American Board of Addiction Medicine.

“The addiction medicine physician is specifically trained in a wide range of prevention, evaluation and

treatment modalities addressing substance use and addiction in ambulatory care settings, acute care and

long-term care facilities, psychiatric settings, and residential facilities. Addiction medicine specialists

often offer treatment for patients with addiction or unhealthy substance use who have co-occurring

general medical and psychiatric conditions.

“The addiction medicine physician is a key member of the health care team and is trained to coordinate

and provide consultation services for other physicians and to use community resources when appropriate.

Some addiction medicine physicians limit their practice to patients with addiction or other patterns of

unhealthy substance use. Others focus their practice on patients within their initial medical specialty who

have substance-related health conditions. Addiction medicine physicians work in clinical medicine,

public health, educational, and research settings to advance the prevention and treatment of addiction and

substance-related health conditions and to improve the health and functioning of persons with unhealthy

substance use or who are affected family members of unhealthy substance users.” Scope of Practice of

Addiction Medicine, March 11, 2010; Copyright 2010, The ABAM Foundation, Inc;

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3. What is the body of knowledge that makes up addiction medicine? The field of addiction medicine

and its body of knowledge are defined in the: a) Scope of Practice of Addiction Medicine: Version 3;

b) Addiction Medicine Core Content: Version 2; c) Compendium of Educational Objectives for Addiction

Medicine Residency Training (March 25, 2011), d) Core Competencies for Addiction Medicine, Version

2 (March 6, 2012, and e) the Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education in Addiction

Medicine (March 25, 2011).

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4. What is the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) and what is its mission? ABAM is

an independent specialty board, established in 2007. ABAM‟s mission is to promote the training and

certification of an expanding number of physicians in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of

substance related disorders, in order to help address the enormous public health burden presented by

tobacco, alcohol, and other substance use disorders and related conditions. Physicians from many medical

fields specialize in addiction, and a formal training and certification pathway for them is essential, as the

only current ABMS-approved specialty training pathway in addictions is offered through addiction

psychiatry, which is open only to psychiatrists. Since many more physicians need to be trained in

addictions to meet the pressing public health need, ABAM provides this pathway, and thus promotes the

public welfare and contributes to the improvement of the quality of care in the medical specialty of

addiction medicine; establishes and maintains standards and procedures for certification, re-certification

and maintenance of certification; assesses physicians‟ knowledge in the specialty, and, most

fundamentally, certifies physicians in addiction medicine. One of ABAM‟s goals is to gain American

Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) recognition for the discipline of addiction medicine, through

collaboration with the ABMS and its member Boards. This recognition will become realized when the

ABMS establishes a certification program for physicians in Addiction Medicine. (ABAM Mission,

March 6, 2012; Copyright 2012, The American Board of Addiction Medicine, Inc.) For the complete Mission Statement of ABAM.

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5. What is the ABAM Foundation and what is its mission? The ABAM Foundation is a not-for-profit

organization whose mission is to define the field of addiction medicine (its core content, core

competencies and scope of practice); establish and accredit residency training programs; and inform the

health professions, policy makers and the public about addiction medicine as a specialty. As a 501 (c) (3),

the Foundation is authorized to receive tax-deductible contributions. For the complete Mission Statement

of The ABAM Foundation.

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6. What is the vision of ABAM and The ABAM Foundation? The vision is that prevention, screening

and treatment for substance use disorders and their medical and psychiatric consequences will become a

routine part of medical care. The availability of ABAM certification to all primary care and many other

medical specialties means that patients will be able to receive this care at every venue where patients with

substance use disorders seek medical care, such as physicians‟ offices, community clinics, emergency

rooms, trauma centers, hospitals and other health care settings.

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7. How are ABAM and the ABAM Foundation governed? ABAM and The Foundation are governed

by two separate Boards, composed of the same fifteen (15) Directors, with distinct responsibilities for

each organization. The composition of the Boards of Directors reflects the breadth of the field of

addiction medicine. One (Specialty) Director is elected from each of the eight specialties that provide

significant prevention of or treatment for addictive disorders: emergency medicine, family medicine,

internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, preventive medicine and surgery. An

additional seven (At-Large) Directors are elected, without regard for their medical specialty, in order to

provide special skills to ABAM and The ABAM Foundation and their committees. Directors must be

board certified by a member board of the ABMS, unless the ABAM Directors vote to grant an exemption

for a prospective Director. Two of the seven At-Large Director seats are designated for representatives of

the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

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8. Why is it important for addiction medicine physicians to be board certified? Board certification,

which is voluntary and separate from state licensure (which is required to practice medicine),

demonstrates that a physician has knowledge and expertise to provide medical care in a given specialty.

Physicians certified by ABAM have demonstrated by education, experience and examination the requisite

knowledge and skills to provide prevention, screening, intervention and treatment for substance use and

related disorders. Addiction can involve alcohol, tobacco, or other addicting drugs, including some

prescription medications. In addition, addiction medicine physicians can recognize and treat the

psychiatric and physical complications of addiction.

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9. Why is it important that addiction medicine physicians be certified by one or more member

boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)? The ABMS, established in 1933, is

the largest and most influential organization involved with physician credentialing. It has 24 independent

member boards, and currently credentials over 80% of American physicians.

“Board certification by an ABMS member board . . . represents a physician‟s commitment to the national

movement for healthcare quality. It is a significant indicator of the knowledge, skills and experience a

physician offers, and it is a standard that is widely referenced and respected by hospitals and healthcare

organizations, insurers and quality organizations to help them find good physicians.” (Guide to Physician

Specialties, Introduction; American Board of Medical Specialties; February 2008).

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10. Why does ABAM have as a goal the establishment by ABMS of a certification program in

addiction medicine, administered by an ABMS member board? ABAM‟s ultimate goal is that there

be a sufficient number of physicians who are expert in addiction where care is needed. The goal of

establishing ABAM as an independent specialty board has been to provide a means by which: a. patients

and families can know that physician experts in addiction medicine are highly credentialed and reliable;

b. medical students can know that they have a means to choose a career as important and acceptable as

any other medical specialty, and c. the development of departments of addiction medicine in accredited

schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine can proceed and spur the growth of research and education

into addiction and substance-related health conditions.

A certification program in addiction medicine under the auspices of the ABMS, through the broadly

accepted standard provided by inclusion within the ABMS, will complete the achievement of these goals,

and the recognition that addiction medicine physicians and the discipline of addiction medicine are

members of the “the house of medicine.” [Return to top]

11. How long will it take to achieve ABMS recognition? This will depend on how soon the ABAM

Foundation can successfully establish ACGME-accredited training programs, and how soon ABAM can

meet the other ABMS requirements for the establishment of a certification program according to its

requirements (see Appendix C). Since its incorporation in 2007, the ABAM Board has met each of its

planned strategic objectives on the path to ABMS recognition. Yet, it would not be prudent to estimate

the time when ABMS will bestow formal recognition upon addiction medicine.

[Return to top]

Although one of ABAM‟s most important goals is ABMS recognition, ABAM‟s and the ABAM

Foundation‟s energies are fully directed at the primary missions of certifying and training physicians to

meet patients‟, families‟ and communities‟ needs for addiction prevention and treatment. As long as

ABAM and The ABAM Foundation are steadfast in their course, there is no doubt that, concerning

ABMS recognition, addiction medicine‟s time will come.

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12. Who recognizes addiction medicine as a specialized area of medical practice?

The American Medical Association (AMA), in 1988, granted the American Society of Addiction

Medicine a seat, with vote, in the AMA House of Delegates. In 1990, the AMA recognized addiction

medicine as a “self-designated specialty,” and has designated a specific code (“ADM”) that physicians can

select as their specialty, and that will be listed as such in the AMA Physician Masterfile.

The U.S. Drug Abuse Treatment Act (DATA) signed into law in 2000 (DATA 2000) recognizes

certification in addiction medicine as a credential that allows physicians to prescribe “narcotic drugs in

Schedule III, IV, or V or combinations of such drugs to patients for maintenance or detoxification

treatment.”

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recognize addiction medicine as eligible for

reimbursement. Coding of Specialty Codes

Divisions of addiction services in several state health departments require that medical directors of

public treatment programs be ASAM-Certified (the certification process that was the predecessor to

ABAM‟s processes of certifying physician specialists in addiction medicine via examination). These states

include Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Other states, such as Wisconsin, recognize

ABAM and ASAM certification as a measure of physician knowledge and skills to treat patients with

addiction and hold clinical leadership positions in state-certified treatment agencies and programs.

Many hospitals and insurance companies recognize addiction medicine and ABAM certification.

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13. When will completion of a residency in addiction medicine be required for a physician to become

certified by ABAM? The ABAM Foundation accredited the first nine residencies in addiction medicine in

2011, with the objective of accrediting an additional 5-10 residencies each year until a sufficient number of

training slots are available. While various post-primary-residency training programs in addiction medicine

have been in existence at academic medical centers and treatment institutions for decades, this is the first

time that there has been a uniform nationwide process of accreditation for graduate medical education

programs in addiction medicine. The goal is to establish 15 accredited residencies in 2011–2012, and have

45 accredited residencies by 2020. The objective is to reach a projected number of 7,000 addiction

physician specialists who will be needed in 2020 by: a) Training about 900 residents; b) Maintaining in

practice a pool of currently certified addiction physician specialists, and c) Certifying via the ABAM

written examination a sufficient number of physicians who may not be required to complete a residency to

qualify for certification.

It would be counter to the mission and goals of ABAM and The ABAM Foundation to limit the pathways

to addiction medicine certification when there is a shortage of addiction physician experts in the

workforce. Therefore, ABAM does not have a fixed timetable for imposition of the eligibility

requirement of the completion of an addiction medicine residency in order to secure board certification

from ABAM.

At some time after the ABMS grants recognition of addiction medicine, completion of an addiction

medicine residency will be required by the ABMS member board which administers the certification

process in addiction medicine. The time period before the completion of a residency becomes mandatory

has historically been 2-3 exam cycles. At the time of ABMS recognition of addiction medicine, ABAM

will seek to have all grandfathered Diplomates transferred to ABMS addiction medicine Diplomate status.

(See Question 21: What is grandfathering?)

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14. What career paths are open to a physician who wishes to become a board-certified addiction

specialist? There are two routes to becoming an addiction physician specialist: addiction psychiatry, and

addiction medicine.

Addiction psychiatry is a subspecialty of psychiatry. Addiction psychiatry certification is bestowed by the

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, a member board of the American Board of Medical

Specialties. Only psychiatrists can receive the addiction psychiatry subspecialty certificate, and

psychiatrists interested in this subspecialty must complete a 1-year addiction psychiatry residency that has

been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). About 2,000

psychiatrists have been certified in addiction psychiatry.

Addiction medicine is a specialized field of medical practice, and certification is bestowed by the

American Board of Addiction Medicine. ABAM is not a member board of the ABMS. ABAM is taking

the necessary steps to gain ABMS recognition. ABAM certification is open to physicians from all

specialties who are board certified by an ABMS member board or have completed an ACGME-accredited

residency, and who meet ABAM‟s additional criteria to sit for the ABAM certification examination.

Addiction medicine has a unique body of knowledge and practice. Training for addiction medicine

cannot be subsumed under another, existing medical specialty. As of the end of 2011, there are 2,555

physicians certified in addiction medicine.

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15. Who are the ABAM Diplomates? As of December, 2011, ABAM has certified 2,555 physicians in

addiction medicine, all of whom have completed an ACGME-accredited residency in an ABMS specialty,

or hold an ABMS certificate from one of the ABMS‟ 24 member boards.

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16. How are addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry related? The relationship between addiction

medicine and addiction psychiatry is evolving. The increasing number of addiction medicine physicians

will add their expertise to that of addiction psychiatry physicians to meet the growing demand of patients

afflicted with an addiction disorder. Addiction medicine physicians, like addiction psychiatrists, also are

involved in research and the education of other health care providers, and the education of the general

public as well. The public health need is great. By working together addiction medicine and addiction

psychiatry physicians can address this need far better than either can do independent of the other.

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17. Why was it important to establish ABAM, and why at this particular time? The need for board

certified addiction medicine physicians is great. Substance use disorders are a leading healthcare issue in

America. Mortality, morbidity and financial costs of substance use disorders are greater than any other

disease category (nearly 25 % of all U.S. deaths are attributable to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs,

including certain dependence producing prescription drugs). New drug problems, and new waves of

epidemic drug use and consequences are continual. For instance, just as the American methamphetamine

epidemic is being addressed, prescription pharmaceuticals have re-emerged as a long dormant killer. The

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2011 that over 27,000 people died from prescription

overdoses in 2007, a number that has risen five-fold since 1990 and has never been higher. Prescription

drugs are now involved in more overdose deaths than heroin and cocaine combined, and are the second

leading cause of unintentional death in the United States.

Hospital, emergency department, and primary care admission and discharge data show that currently 6

million patients with severe drug dependence obtain health care in one of these three settings, and that the

population and patient need will increase 12% by 2020. To meet this need, over 5,000 additional addiction

physician specialists must be certified between 2010 and 2020. This does not take into account the

additional primary care physicians who will need to be educated about proper prescribing, prevention,

screening, and brief intervention, in order to move prevention and care of substance use disorders into

mainstream healthcare. Moreover, this projection does not take into account the increase in patient need for

care that is expected to occur as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

Scientific knowledge has advanced regarding addiction, substance-related health conditions, the

pharmacology of addictive substances, and the pharmacotherapies to treat addiction. Therapies with

evidenced-based success are increasingly available to patients (examples include pharmacotherapies –

including detoxification protocols - and cognitive behavioral therapies which can be provided individually

or in a group setting). Physicians see the benefit of prevention and treatment for their patients and families.

The public health mandate is overwhelming. Prisons and hospitals are overcrowded with persons with

addictive disorders. Financially, the nation cannot afford to ignore the health care costs of addiction and

related illnesses, and the contribution addiction prevention and care will make to reducing these costs.

Finally, physicians – particularly younger physicians – are questioning and seeking resolution to the current

situation where extraordinary attention, time, care and money are spent on treating the consequences of

addiction, rather than treating the primary disease of addiction itself. Physician education, training and

certification in addiction medicine will help remedy these problems.

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18. How may a physician become certified in addiction medicine? ABAM offers a Certification

Examination that is developed by the National Board of Medical Examiners and the ABAM Examination

Committee. The Examination is similar in scope and rigor to examinations employed by ABMS-member

specialty Boards. The ABAM examination is given biannually in November or December. The

Application for Certification in Addiction Medicine and how to prepare for the ASAM Examination can

be found at the ABAM Web site

Scope of the ABAM addiction medicine examination: ABAM‟s examination mirrors the scope of the

Addiction Medicine Core Content, and the Compendium of Educational Objectives and is open to

physicians from all medical specialties, including psychiatry. The examination tests for knowledge of

substance use disorders across the full life-span: pregnancy (obstetrics), neonates and adolescents

(pediatrics), adult and family issues (family medicine, internal medicine, gynecology, and surgery),

geriatrics, etc. The Examination also tests for knowledge of medical and psychiatric co-morbidities,

emergency medicine, prevention, early recognition and intervention, and pharmacological and non-

pharmacological treatments.

The criteria to sit for the examination are:

LICENSE: ABAM diplomates and candidates for certification and Maintenance of Certification (MOC)

must possess a valid and unrestricted medical license to practice medicine in the state, territory,

commonwealth, or possession of the United States, or in a Province of Canada in which the applicant

practices (valid at the time of application and at the time of the examination). A valid medical license is a

certificate to practice medicine which is issued by the appropriate agency and which certifies that a

physician is allowed to practice medicine within that country, province or state.

MEDICAL EDUCATION: Graduation from a medical school in the United States or Canada approved by

the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), or the Committee of Accreditation of Canadian

Medical Schools (CACMS), or from a school of osteopathic medicine approved by the American

Osteopathic Association (AOA). If the applicant is a graduate of a medical school outside the United States

or Canada, the applicant must have a currently valid standard certificate from the Educational Commission

for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG); or have passed the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating

Examination (MCCEE).

Verification of education and training sources & processes: The following documentation must be

submitted to ABAM as part of an applicant‟s application: copies of diplomas from medical education

institutions, copies of the certificate of completion of residency training, and copies of other board

certificates. Applications are reviewed and verified by staff and by the ABAM Credentialing Committee.

The ABAM Board of Directors set examination eligibility requirements.

LIFE LONG LEARNING: 50 hours of addiction medicine educational course work (CME) Category I

Credit towards the AMA Physician Recognition Award are required. Credits must relate to addiction and

substance use disorders, and must have been accrued in the two years leading up to the examination.

PROFESSIONAL STANDING: Good standing in the applicant‟s medical community as evidenced by at

least one letter of recommendation by an ABAM or ASAM-Certified Physician, by the Chief of Staff, or by

the Chief of Service.

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS: This requirement may be fulfilled by either of the following pathways:

Pathway A: Experience: One year full-time equivalent (1 FTE) of activity in the field of Addiction

Medicine: 1 FTE is equal to at least 1,920 hours over the previous 5 years (2007-2012) in teaching,

research, administration, and clinical care or the prevention of, as well as treatment of individuals who are

at risk for or have a substance use disorder. At least 400 of these hours must have been spent in direct

clinical care of patients. Hours used to meet the requirement must have been accrued between July 1, 2007

and June 15, 2012. This practice experience in the field addiction medicine must be in addition to, and not

concurrent with, residency training in any other field. For example, “elective rotations” during a Primary

Care residency program may not be used to fill this requirement. Examples include: ASAM-sponsored

educational programs or educational programs specifically on addiction medicine that are eligible for

Category I credit towards the AMA Physician Recognition Award.

Pathway B: Completion of an ABAM-Foundation accredited training program. Candidates who have

successfully completed a one-year ABAM-Foundation accredited addiction medicine residency training

program will be able to sit for the 2012 ABAM certification, if all other requirements have been fulfilled.

Formal training in addiction medicine may occur over 1 or 2 years. A letter of program completion from the

program director that documents successful completion of the addiction medicine residency training

program must accompany the application. One year training programs are equivalent to approximately

2,000 hours.

(NOTE: The Experience Pathway is modeled to comply with the ABMS guideline which requires that a plan

must be presented whereby preparatory programs in graduate medical education will be developed for

accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). New boards may be

permitted under conditions stated by the petitioning board and approved by the Liaison Committee for

Specialty Boards (LCSB) to approve training or experience or a combination of both as equivalent to that

acquired in accredited training programs until accreditation by the ACGME is in place.)

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Education & Training outside the US (including verification): If the applicant is a graduate of a medical

school outside the United States or Canada, the applicant must have a currently valid standard certificate

from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG); or have passed the Medical

Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE). Applicants must submit copies of relevant

certificates.

Validity of Certification: For those certified from 1998 on, the ABAM Certification is valid for 10 years.

Prior to that date, diplomates were awarded life-time certification. Diplomates recertify in Year 8 or Year

10 of their certification. Maintenance of Certification (as described below) is expected of ABAM

Diplomates.

Certification examination dates: The ABAM examinations for certification and recertification are

offered every other year in December. The next examinations are scheduled for December 15, 2012.

Filing deadlines and other pertinent certification examination dates:

January 31, 2012: Standard Deadline for Application; application fee: $2,200

June 15, 2012: Final Deadline for Application; application fee: $2,500

September 1: Examination Permits Mailed

September 30: Deadline to Register for Examination Test Center

December 15: ABAM Examination

March 1: Results Mailed

Filing deadlines for the recertification examination:

January 31, 2012: Standard deadline; application fee: $1,200

June 15, 2012: Final deadline: application fee: $1,500

Review materials available for preparation for the examination: The ABAM certification and

recertification examinations cover the broad body of knowledge of addiction medicine. Examinees can

expect questions on any or all topics that an addiction physician in any specialty can reasonably be

expected to know. Two review courses are available, as well as the textbook cited below.

Review Courses:

CSAM Addiction Medicine Review Course, September 5-8, 2012, San Francisco, CA

Continuing Medical Education: 30 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) ™ (estimate).

Information: For more information call CSAM at 415-764-4855 or email:

csam@compuserve.com; or visit the CSAM website.

ASAM Addiction Medicine Review Course, September 20-22, 2012, Nashville, TN

Continuing Medical Education: 21 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) ™ (estimate).

Information: For more information call the ABAM Conference Department at 301-656-3920 or

email: meetings@asam.org; or you may visit the ASAM website.

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Textbook

The 4th Edition of ASAM‟s landmark textbook, [Principles of Addiction Medicine], provides a

comprehensive overview of the diagnosis and treatment of addictive disorders, as well as the management

of co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions. Leaders in the field bring you scientific, evidence-

based facts and perspectives on such issues as: abuse programs, pain and addiction, co-occurring

addiction and psychiatric disorders, psychiatry, neuroscience and neurobiology, pharmacologic advances,

screening, the brief intervention, laboratory testing, alcohol treatment, and more. To order Principles of

Addiction Medicine, 4th Edition, call: 1-800/638-3030 [Monday through Friday between 8:30 am and

5:00 pm EST] or go to [Lippincott Williams & Wilkins]

Opportunities for additional CME: Visit http://www.asam.org/education/e-live-learning-center-(cme-

non-cme) or http://www.asam.org/education/online-training-(cme) or attend one of the ASAM or CSAM

Review Courses. The ABAM website provides information on opportunities for CME.

Sample questions available: Both the ASAM and CSAM Review Courses in Addiction Medicine

distribute the Review Course CD-Rom with over 200 sample questions.

Duration of certification: ABAM Certification is valid for 10 years, unless you were originally certified

by ASAM in 1996 or in any year prior to 1996, then your certification does not expire. Time-limited

Diplomates are required to participate in MOC.

To verify that a physician is ABAM certified: You can search for a physician by last name in our

Diplomate Directory located under „Find a Doctor „on the top right of the ABAM website

Length of the ABAM Examination: The examination is roughly 5.5 hours long. There are about two

hundred and fifty questions in total, with 5 sections each of 50 questions. You are given 60 minutes for

each section, plus 15 minutes of optional break time.

Electronic-permits to the Examination are provided: ABAM distributes examination permits

electronically during the September prior to the examination. Please insure that your email address is

current.

To order a Replacement Certificate: Write to email@abam.net. There is no charge for an additional

certificate or for replacement of your certificate. It will take approximately 3-4 weeks for the calligraphy

to be done and for you to receive your certificate.

Designations that may be used to indicate ABAM certification:

1. ABAM Certified

2. Certified in Addiction Medicine by the American Board of Addiction Medicine

3. Diplomate, American Board of Addiction Medicine

4. Diplomate, ABAM

5. Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine

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19. Does ABAM have Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program? ABAM‟s MOC program is

modeled on the ABMS Maintenance of Certification Program. ABAM‟s program assures that by

engaging in continuous professional development all ABAM Diplomates maintain the practice-related

knowledge to provide quality care, and to give the public confidence that ABAM certified physicians

maintain high standards of clinical care. The four parts of the ABAM MOC program will be phased in

over the next two years, as follows:

Licensure and Professional Standing (enacted in April 2011) requires annual verification that

Diplomates hold valid, unrestricted medical licenses.

Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment (to be launched in 2012): This will include CME self-

assessment activities and reading selected articles in the field of addiction medicine.

Cognitive Expertise Recertification (currently in place): Every 10 years Diplomates must pass a

proctored 250-item examination developed by the ABAM Examination Committee with the assistance

and guidance of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NMBE).

Practice Performance Assessment (launch date to be determined): Diplomates will demonstrate the use

of best evidence and practices compared to peers and national benchmarks.

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20. If I am already participating in an MOC program mandated by an ABMS board, do I still need

to participate in the ABAM MOC Program? Yes, however ABAM and The ABAM Foundation are

studying ways by which physicians will not have to duplicate learning experiences.

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21. What is “grandfathering”? Grandfathering is the inclusion and certification of physicians into a

new specialty, or subspecialty, for those who already have experience and expertise in the field. In the

field of addiction medicine, these physicians have contributed and will continue to contribute to the care

of addiction medicine patients, and to all aspects of the field. Yet, it is impractical, and likely not

necessary, for them to leave practice and return to a new training program to qualify for and complete

their credentialing. Thus, for some period of time, a grandfathering pathway is available to them. When

addiction medicine is recognized by the ABMS, a residency is eventually required and the grandfathering

pathway is closed after a designated span of time. For example, after ABMS recognizes a new certificate,

it may be three examination cycles before a residency will be required. ABAM and most independent and

ABMS Boards set certain criteria (experience, training, testing, etc.) for “grandfathering” physicians.

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22. Why is grandfathering important? Patients, communities, and our country need more credentialed

addiction medicine physicians. Without a grandfathering provision, a disservice and hardship (privileges,

reimbursements, etc.) would be placed not only on capable, practicing addiction medicine physicians, but

on patients and families seeking care. ABAM seeks the expansion of addiction services, not their

contraction; this includes expansion of the workforce of physicians expert in addiction treatment and

prevention and in the evaluation and management of substance use disorders and substance-related health

conditions. Thus grandfathering of practicing physicians is a critical task which must be thoroughly

studied, so that methods are devised to maximize for inclusion in the future workforce the largest possible

number of current ABAM Diplomates.

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23. If a physician certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine does not currently hold a

certification from an existing certification program authorized by the ABMS, will that physician be

able to be grandfathered into ongoing certification status in addiction medicine, after the training

program requirement is enforced? ABAM must give very deliberate and extensive study to this matter,

so that currently practicing physicians in addiction medicine will not be discounted, disenfranchised, or

deprived of the credentials to continue to serve the many patients, families and communities in need.

Certainly, as this process of advancing our field goes forward, it would be inadvisable to take any action

which reduces the current workforce of physicians in our field.

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24. How may I find a doctor who is certified by ABAM in my area? Physicians certified by ABAM

may be found by visiting the ABAM Certification Verification Directory.

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25. May a diplomate say s/he is board certified? Yes. An ABAM diplomate may refer to himself or

herself as board certified. ABAM is not a recognized ABMS member board at this time.

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26. Are there accredited addiction medicine training programs? The ABAM Foundation accredits

training programs in accordance with ACGME guidelines; some of these programs have been training

physicians for years; others are newly established in response to the ABAM Foundation accreditation

process. In March 2011, the ABAM Foundation Directors bestowed accreditation upon the first nine (9)

residencies, to begin training residents on July 1, 2011. In the fall of 2011, the ABAM Foundation invited

applications for ABAM Foundation accreditation of additional residencies for training residents starting

July 2, 2012. Each year, The ABAM Foundation will receive applications for accreditation from

additional training programs.

As a result of this training, the addiction medicine specialist will be equipped to treat and manage all

forms of addiction and its medical or psychiatric consequences (consulting, of course, with specialists in

other areas of medicine when the “medical or psychiatric consequences” require it). The addiction

medicine specialists will also become faculty to teach primary care providers, conduct research, and serve

as consultants to physicians in all areas of medicine. The training in addiction medicine is broad, and yet

the resident may focus in greater depth in his or her primary specialty, so as to better serve patients, with a

new paradigm of preventing and treating addiction and alleviating some of its huge costs to our patients,

communities and nation.

To secure a sustainable source of funding for addiction medicine residencies, the ABAM Foundation

established the Addiction Medicine Residency Funding Work Group.

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27. How do I find out more about individual residency programs? Visit the ABAM Foundation

Directory of Accredited Addiction Medicine Residency Training Programs at: [ coming soon ]

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28. How do I find vacant residency or fellowship positions? Visit The ABAM Foundation‟s “Find a

Residency” at: [ coming soon ]

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29. Will the Addiction Medicine Residencies be accredited by the Accreditation Council for

Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)? The nine residencies opening on July 1, 2011 have training

modeled after the ACGME criteria. ACGME is the educational standard of post-graduate medical

training in the U.S., and addiction medicine intends to meet the ACGME standards of excellence. At

some point, the ABAM Foundation will approach ACGME to seek accreditation for the addiction

medicine residencies.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) awarded a two-year grant to the State

University of New York at Buffalo to:

Establish a "National Addiction Medicine Residency Assistance Council" (NAMRAC) that will

develop "Standards of Excellence" for physician training;

Identify up to ten (10) addiction medicine "Model Residency Programs," and provide their faculty

and staff with technical and financial assistance needed to create a successful application to the

ACGME; and

Disseminate curricula and related products and recruit new members to NAMRAC, so that it can

serve as an ongoing resource for development of additional addiction medicine residency

programs.

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30. What are the benefits of ABAM Foundation accreditation for a training program? One

immediate benefit is that graduates of accredited programs will automatically be eligible to sit for the

ABAM certification examination. Coupled with the increased visibility accorded by a program‟s listing

on the ABAM Foundation website and in other forums, this will help assure a larger pool of highly

qualified program applicants. But perhaps most importantly, the ABAM Foundation will soon seek

recognition for addiction medicine from the American Board of Medical Specialties and the Accreditation

Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Programs with ABAM Foundation accreditation will

not only enjoy enhanced standing within their host institutions but they will also be at the vanguard of

addiction medicine‟s emergence as a fully recognized specialty.

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31. What is the duration of an ABAM Foundation-accredited residency? Programs may be one year

or two years. They also may offer both options, allowing trainees to choose. Year 1 includes clinical

rotations as well as didactic and scholarly activities, while the optional Year 2 is for a practicum-style

experience that may involve research, clinical, administrative and/or academic activities. Programs may

be part-time, allowing up to 2 years for completion of Year 1 and up to 5 years for Year 2.

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32. How many residents may train in a program? No more than 1 for each .25 FTE faculty member

who is an addiction medicine physician, including the program director (physician faculty must have

ABAM certification or other qualifications acceptable to the ABAM Foundation Training and

Accreditation Committee. For example, a program with 3 ADM physician faculty who are .25 FTE each,

plus the program director, could have a maximum of 4 residents (all years combined). A full-time

commitment is at least 1,400 hours per year (27 hours per week). [Return to top]

33. The ABAM Foundation Program Requirements say addiction medicine training programs must

be sponsored by an “educational institution” (Intro B.3). Does that mean the sponsoring institution

must be a medical school? It must be an entity capable of assuming the academic and financial

responsibility for graduate medical education, but it does not have to be a medical school. For more

information on sponsoring institution responsibilities, see the ABAM Foundation Program Requirements,

Section I.A and the ACGME Institutional Requirements. For some examples of organizations that serve

as sponsoring institutions, see the “sponsoring institution” entry in the ACGME Glossary

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34. If a sponsoring institution is not a medical school, does it have to have an affiliation with a

medical school? Affiliation with a medical school is not required, but it is desirable. A formal affiliation

with a medical school should exist if the sponsoring institution or program represents an important part of

the medical school‟s teaching program (e.g., more than occasional rotations).1 Programs with such

relationships should have their medical school affiliation agreements available if requested as part of the

accreditation review process.

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35. Is it required that sponsoring institutions be already approved by the ACGME to offer graduate

medical education? Yes, this is mandatory under ABAM Foundation Program Requirement I.A.1. For a

list of ACGME sponsoring institutions,

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36. If an institution is listed by the ACGME as a “Single Program Institution,” can it be the

sponsoring institution for a program seeking ABAM Foundation accreditation? ACGME-listed

Single Program Institutions (i.e., those sponsoring only one current ACGME-accredited specialty training

program or one program and its subspecialty program) are eligible to be considered as the sponsoring

institution for an addiction medicine program. Such institutions are considered ACGME approved

because they have been evaluated by the residency review committee for the single program they offer.

Institutions wishing to sponsor more than one specialty program, however, must undergo a separate

ACGME institutional review to be approved as a multiple-program institution. Programs applying for

ABAM Foundation accreditation with a single-program sponsoring institution, therefore, may be asked

for additional information as part of the ABAM Foundation accreditation review process. Also, such

programs should be aware that before they can be considered for ACGME accreditation in the future,

their sponsoring institution will have to first successfully complete an ACGME institutional review. For

more information on Single Program Institutions, see ACGME Policies and Procedures

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37. The Program Requirements say the Program Director and physician faculty must be ABAM-

certified or have acceptable specialty qualifications — what are some examples of the latter?

Examples include having met the eligibility requirements to sit for the ABAM certification exam, or

holding certification from the American Society of Addiction Medicine or the American Board of

Psychiatry and Neurology (for Addiction Psychiatry). In all cases, those without current ABAM

certification are encouraged to obtain it.

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38. The Program Requirements say Year 1 must include structured blocks of 12 clinical rotations

(IV.A.3.a) (1). Does that mean there must be 12 distinct rotations offered consecutively, or are other

formats permissible? For planning purposes, the Program Requirements were written with a four-week

block system in mind (yielding 12 rotation blocks plus 1 vacation/CME block), but that format is not

mandatory. What is required is that programs offer a total of 2,080 hours, composed of:

960 hours of core rotations (480 hours of that must be in outpatient chemical dependency, 320

hours in inpatient chemical dependency, and 160 hours in a general inpatient medical facility),

480 hours of program-specific rotations,

480 hours of electives, and

160 hours of vacation/CME.

Programs are given flexibility in how they structure their rotations to meet these requirements. In

Scenario 1 (below), 12 block rotations are offered, while in Scenario 2, the hourly requirements are met

by a mix of 10 block and longitudinal rotations. Programs may also use a calendar-month system, if they

wish, so long as they meet the hourly requirements. Strictly speaking, the minimum number of rotations is

five: a) Outpatient chemical dependency, b) Inpatient chemical dependency, c) Inpatient general medical

facility, d) Program-specific, and e) Elective rotations.

A program with a limited number of rotations, of course, would have to be carefully designed to provide

the trainee with the competencies described in the ABAM Foundation‟s Compendium of Educational

Objectives and Core Content of Addiction Medicine.

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39. In the Program Accreditation Application Form (PAAF), the instructions describe the Inpatient

General Medical Facility rotation as a consultation service. Is it required that this be consultation,

or could other types of inpatient experiences be offered? There is some flexibility, but the requirement

is that the resident must obtain 160 hours of experience involving the evaluation of inpatients (who are

under the care of another physician for a primary medical, surgical, obstetrical or psychiatric condition)

regarding a secondary problem related to substance abuse. For example, this experience could be through

participating with a medical/psychiatric liaison service or a general medical consult service. Another way

to accomplish this would be to have the addiction medicine resident “embedded” with a general medical

or trauma surgery service in a general hospital, or in an inpatient service of a specialty hospital (such as a

children‟s, women‟s, or psychiatric hospital).

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Appendix: A. American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Definitions

The following definitions are taken from the Amended and Restated Corporate Bylaws of the American

Board of Medical Specialties (Adopted March 15, 2006; Revised March 19, 2007), or from the “Twelfth

Revision of the Essentials for Approval of Examining Boards in Medical Specialties.” (Approved by the

ABMS® September 2005. Approved by the AMA/CME August 2005. Approved by the House of

Delegates of the AMA November 2005. Effective Date: November 8, 2005).

Purpose of Certification: The intent of both the initial certification of physicians and the maintenance of

certification is to provide assurance to the public that a physician specialist certified by a Member Board

of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has successfully completed an approved

educational program and evaluation process which includes components designed to assess the medical

knowledge, judgment, professionalism and clinical and communications skills required to provide quality

patient care in that specialty. (From the “ABMS Mission”)

General Certification: The first certification awarded by a Member Board to approved candidates who

meet requirements for certification in a specialized field of medical practice.

Subspecialty Certification: Subspecialty Certification is conferred by one or more Member Boards in a

component of a specialty or subspecialty. Subspecialty Certification is authorized to be conferred only to

certified medical specialists who have been certified by one or more Member Board(s) in an area of

General Certification.

Recertification: The recognition by a Primary or Conjoint Board of the continuing qualification of a

diplomate.

Maintenance of Certification: The recognition by a Primary or Conjoint Board of a diplomate‟s

satisfaction of the requirements of its Maintenance of Certification program.

Medical Specialty: A defined area of medical practice which connotes special knowledge and ability

resulting from specialized effort and training in the specialty field.

Medical Subspecialty: An identifiable component of a specialty to which a practicing physician may

devote a significant proportion of time. Practice in the subspecialty follows special educational experience

in addition to that required for general certification. Two different subspecialty fields may include two or

more similar subspecialty areas. In these cases the indentified subspecialty area might use the same title

and even equivalent standards.

CAQ, CSQ: These terms are designations of ABMS Member Boards. The ABMS Bylaws read:

“Member Boards, at their option, may continue to designate existing subspecialty certificates as „Added

Qualifications‟ and „Special Qualifications‟ as authorized by the ABMS prior to 1996. At its discretion,

Member Boards, for purposes internal to the board, may continue to use the terms Certificates of Added

Qualifications (CAQ) and Certificates of Special Qualifications (CSQ).”

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Primary Board: A separately incorporated, financially independent body which determines its own

requirements and policies for certification, elects its members in accordance with the procedures

stipulated in its own bylaws, accepts its candidates for certification from persons who fulfill its stated

requirements, administers examinations, and issues certificates to those who voluntarily take and pass its

examination.

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Conjoint Board: A body established under the joint sponsorship of not less than two Primary Boards,

although national specialty organizations may be included as sponsors. Its purpose is to set training

standards and evaluate competence of individual candidates in an area of specialty practice common to

the sponsoring groups. It resembles a Primary Board in that it is separately incorporated and has similar

responsibility for determination of requirements for certification, accepting candidates for certification,

administering examinations, and issuing certificates. It differs from a Primary Board in that it is

established and functions under the joint sponsorship of not less than two Primary Boards. Its members

are appointed by some or all of the respective sponsors and approved by the sponsoring Primary Boards,

its policies are determined in conformity with the policies jointly established by the sponsoring boards,

and it may or may not be financially independent. Applicants for certification must complete satisfactorily

a preliminary training program acceptable to at least one of the sponsoring boards and to the Conjoint

Board in order to be considered for examination by the Conjoint Board.

(The American Board of Allergy and Immunology is the only current Conjoint Board of The American

Board of Internal Medicine, The American Board of Pediatrics.)

Primary Medical Specialty Board Eligible for LCSB Review: A medical specialty board must be a

separately incorporated, financially independent body which determines its requirements and policies for

certification, selects the members of its governing body in accordance with the procedures stipulated in its

bylaws, accepts its candidates for certification from persons who fulfill its stated requirements,

administers examinations, and issues certificates to those who submit to and pass its evaluations.

Liaison Committee for Specialty Boards (LCSB): The LCSB operates under the authority of the

ABMS and the AMA. The LCSB consists of the Chair, the Vice Chair, the Secretary-Treasurer and one

member appointed by the Chair from the Board to serve for a term or one (1) year and eligible to be

reappointed for one (1) additional term. The chair of the AMA Council on Medical Education shall be the

permanent chair of the LCSB.

A function (among others) of the LCSB is to receive and evaluate applications for approval of new

medical specialty boards according to the current version of Essentials for Approval of Examining Boards

in Medical Specialties which was originally based on recommendations of the ABMS Committee on

Standards and Examinations and was approved by the AMA House of Delegates in June, 1934. The

present version of the Essentials is a joint document approved by both organizations. It embodies the

policies of both the ABMS and the AMA pertaining to specialty boards, while retaining each

organization‟s privilege of independent consideration and action. The Essentials describe the standards

and procedures by which applications for approval of new medical specialty boards are evaluated.

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Appendix B. ABAM Policy on Potential Paths for ABMS Recognition

American Board of Addiction Medicine

4601 North Park Avenue • Upper Arcade, Suite 101 • Chevy Chase, MD 20815-4520

Potential Paths for ABMS Recognition of the Specialty of Addiction Medicine

The American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) is an independent medical specialty board,

established in 2007. ABAM‟s mission is to promote the public welfare and contribute to the improvement

of the quality of care in the medical specialty of Addiction Medicine by certifying physicians in Addiction

Medicine. Fifteen physicians serve as ABAM Directors. Eight are Specialty Directors from the

specialties of Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, OB-GYN, Pediatrics,

Preventive Medicine, Psychiatry, and Surgery. Seven are At-Large Directors. ABAM‟s goal is to gain

American Board of Medical Specialties‟ (ABMS) recognition for the specialty of Addiction Medicine,

through collaboration with the ABMS and its member Boards.

The ABAM Directors have determined that the core knowledge, skills and scope of practice of Addiction

Medicine represent a specialty that is best served by one of three pathways to ABMS board certification:

1. The creation of a new ABMS Conjoint Board (a body established under the joint sponsorship of not

less than two ABMS Primary Boards); or, 2. A General Certificate in Addiction Medicine, from an

ABMS member board; or, 3. An alternate pathway through an independent specialty board, the American

Board of Addiction Medicine. For the alternate pathway, physicians would first complete the

requirements for certification by one of the ABMS member Boards, and become certified by an ABMS

member Board. Applicants for ABAM certification would then complete an ACGME-accredited

Addiction Medicine residency and take the ABAM certification examination. ABAM Diplomates would

thus be “double-Boarded”: in their initial specialty, and in Addiction Medicine.

The preferred path within the ABMS to recognize new areas of medical practice has been to establish

subspecialty certification programs, some which have participation from several ABMS member boards.

There has not been a new specialty board to become a member board of the ABMS since 1991 (the

American Board of Medical Genetics). The ABMS approved the subspecialty of Addiction Psychiatry in

1991; this is a single-specialty subspecialty. It would be possible to apply to the ABMS to approve a

multi-specialty subspecialty certification program in Addiction Medicine. At this time, ABAM is not

planning to apply to the ABMS to approve a multi-specialty subspecialty, and is not requesting that any

member Board of the ABMS do so. ABAM is engaged in on-going discussions with multiple interest

groups so that we can evaluate, in an on-going manner, the best approach to achieve our goals. Much

work is required before ABAM will apply to the Liaison Committee on Specialty Boards (the designated

entity to receive such applications) to establish a new specialty board in Addiction Medicine or to apply

to the ABMS to approve a multi-specialty subspecialty certification program in Addiction Medicine.

(October 20, 2009, revised April 20, 2010, October 5, 2011) (Path: ABAM – External Relations)

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Appendix C. American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Requirements

For Recognition of a New Specialty

The Following are Sections IV and V of the ABMS’s “Twelfth Revision of the Essentials for

Approval of Examining Boards in Medical Specialties.” (Approved by the ABMS® September 2005.

Approved by the AMA/CME August 2005. Approved by the House of Delegates of the AMA

November 2005. Effective Date: November 8, 2005).

Section IV. Criteria for Recommending Approval of New ABMS Certifying Boards.

(Note: The titles that appear and are underlined at the beginning of requirements A through F have been

added. They do not appear in the ABMS‟s “Twelfth Revision.”)

In order to be recommended for approval by the LCSB, a new medical specialty board must demonstrate

that all of the following requirements have been satisfied.

A. Science and Practice: The emergence of a new medical specialty must be based on a substantial

advancement in medical science and represent a distinct and well-defined field of medical practice. It may

entail special attention to the problems of patients according to age, gender, organ system, or interaction

of patients with their environment.

B. One Board: To promote public and professional understanding that there is a single standard of

preparation for and evaluation of expertise in each specialty, only one medical specialty board will be

recognized in each specialty.

C. Distinct Training: The training needed to meet requirements for certification by the applicant must be

sufficiently distinct from the training required for certification by approved ABMS Boards and

sufficiently complex or extended so that it is not feasible for it to be included in established training

programs leading to certification by approved ABMS Boards.

D. Candidate Capability: A medical specialty board must demonstrate that candidates for certification will

acquire, and its diplomates will maintain, capability in a defined area of medicine and demonstrate special

knowledge and competencies in that field.

E. ACGME-Accredited Training; Grandfathering: Evidence must be presented that the new board will

establish defined standards for training and that there is a system for evaluation of educational program

quality. The required graduate medical education programs must be accredited by the Accreditation

Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or a plan must be presented for the interim approval

of training programs, under conditions defined by the applicant and in accordance with ABMS

requirements for training programs, until ACGME approved training programs are established and

functioning. Grandfathering: In addition, a plan must be presented to accommodate the certification of

individuals who complete their graduate medical education prior to the establishment of ACGME

accredited programs in the specialty defined by the applicant board.

F. Field Support: The applicant medical specialty board must demonstrate support from the relevant field

of medical practice and broad professional support.

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G. Operational Plan: The operational plan submitted to the LCSB must include sufficient detail to allow a

judgment to be made in the following areas.

(1) Governance Structure. Demonstrate that the composition of the board provides for representation of

appropriate organizations and that board members have sufficient expertise and stature for the effective

operation of the board.

(2) Business Plan. The financial support for a valid, objective program of candidate and diplomate

evaluation, as well as other necessary activities in graduate education, must be presented. The data should

include projected numbers of examinees for initial and continuing certification and projected certification

fees.

(3) Content of the Field. Data should be presented on the core content/competencies and scope of

practice, based on a detailed analysis of the professional area, including present and future public needs.

(4) Requirements for Certification. A specific plan for development and validation of the requirements for

certification, recertification and maintenance of certification should be presented, along with an outline of

and rationale for the qualifications to be required of applicants for certification.

(5) Evaluation Plan. A detailed plan for evaluation of individual candidates for initial certification and

diplomates for MOC should be presented.

“We can pursue one option or another, but in the end,

we should do whatever will save the most lives.”

James W. Smith, M.D., FASAM

MSAG Hazelden Meeting

December 1, 2006

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