Time Limited Eligibility for Initial Certification Examinations
New Policy from the ABP
In June 2009, the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) established a new policy that places a time limit on acceptance for a certifying examination in general pediatrics and its subspecialties. Candidates will no longer have an unlimited time to become certified. The ABP established the policy to ensure the public that individuals accepted for examination still posses the competencies verified at the completion of training.General Pediatrics:
Beginning in 2014, the American Board of Pediatrics will require that applicants have completed the training required for initial certification in general pediatrics within the previous 7 years (eg, 2007 or later for examinations administered in 2014). If the required training was not successfully completed within the previous 7 years, the applicant must complete an additional period of accredited training in order to apply for certification.
New applicants and re-registrants for the general pediatrics certifying examination who have completed residency training prior to the 7-year limit must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 1 year of additional residency training that offers a breadth of general pediatrics experience that assures the ability to practice unsupervised. This training must be completed in a program accredited by ACGME in the US, or by the RCPSC in Canada. The program director who supervises this training must provide the ABP with the specifics of the planned training, but has the latitude to start the trainee at a more junior level, thus requiring more than 1 year of residency. At the conclusion of training, the program director must verify satisfactory completion of the required training. Following the satisfactory completion of the required general pediatrics training, the candidate will have 7 years to become certified. When applying or re-applying for certification, the applicant must meet the requirements for acceptance in effect at that time.
Pediatric Subspecialties:
Beginning in 2014, the American Board of Pediatrics will require that applicants have completed the training required for initial certification in the pediatric subspecialties within the previous 7 years (eg, 2007 or later for examinations administered in 2014). If the required training was not successfully completed within the previous 7 years, the applicant must complete an additional period of accredited training in order to apply for certification.
New applicants and re-registrants for subspecialty certification who have completed fellowship (or were approved on the basis of practice) prior to the 7-year time limit must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 1 year of broad-based clinical subspecialty training in a program accredited by ACGME in the US or by the RCPSC in Canada. This training must be in the discipline in which certification is sought. The required clinical training must be as specified in the ACGME requirements for the subspecialty fellowship. The program director who supervises this training must verify satisfactory completion of the required clinical subspecialty training. Following the satisfactory completion of the required clinical subspecialty training, the candidate will have 7 years to become certified. When applying or re-applying for certification, the applicant must meet the requirements for acceptance in effect at that time.