ABFM HISTORY

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1968 First ABFP Meeting
1968
  • The first American Board of Family Practice (ABFP) Planning Committee meeting is held
  • The first residents enter one of fifteen family medicine training programs approved by the Residency Review Committee (RRC)
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1969 First Board of Directors
1969
  • The Liaison Committee for Specialty Boards and ABMS approve the creation of the ABFP
  • The first meeting of the Board of Directors is held at the offices of NBME in Philadelphia. John G. Walsh, MD is named as the first President and Nicholas J Pisacano, MD is named as the first Executive Director
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First Examination
1970
  • The first ABFP Certification Examination is delivered to 2,000 applicants across 36 examination sites
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First Recert Exam
1976
  • The first ABFP Recertification Examination is given. Requirements to sit for the Recertification Examination included CME, demonstration of professional character and office record review. The exam was one day in length with 87% of physicians who initially certified in 1970 electing to take the Recertification Examination
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First ITE
1980–81
  • The first In-Training Examination (ITE) is given
  • The first Computerized Office Record Review (CORR) and first Performance Improvement Activity are offered
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Janet P. Realini
1986
  • Janet P. Realini, MD becomes the first woman elected to the ABFP Board of Directors
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First JABFP
1988
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Paul Young, MD
1990
  • Paul Young, MD becomes the second ABFP Executive Director
  • After the death of Nicholas J Pisacano, MD, the ABFP establishes the Nicholas J Pisacano MD Memorial Foundation (now the Pisacano Leadership Foundation)
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First Scholars
1993
  • The first Nicholas J Pisacano MD Memorial Foundation Scholars are named
  • The first Sports Medicine Examination is given
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First Website
1997
  • ABFP launches its first website
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Avant MD
1998–99
  • Robert F Avant, MD becomes the third Executive Director
  • Cynda Johnson, MD becomes the first woman elected President of the ABFP Board of Directors
  • The ABFM Foundation is established
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Early CAQs
2001
  • The first Adolescent Medicine Examination is given
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2004 Web Portal - Final
2003–04
  • ABFP launches its first web portal, connecting the ABFP website, Online Examination, and the Clinical Simulation
  • James C. Puffer, MD becomes the fourth Executive Director (title later changed to President and CEO) Official launch of Maintenance of Certification for Family Practice
  • The first issue of the Annals of Family Medicine goes to press. The Annals of Family Medicine is a collaborative effort of seven family medicine organizations: AAFP, ABFM, STFM, ADFM, AFMRD, NAPCRG, and CFPC
  • The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice goes all-digital with an open access subscription format
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ABFP Name Change - Prod
2005
  • ABFP changes its name to American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM)
  • ABFM transitions from pen & pencil to computerized examinations
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Robert Graham Center
2006
  • ABFM establishes its Research Department, with help from the Robert Graham Center, to assist in the developing and undertaking of a research agenda to study the effectiveness of Maintenance of Certification for Family Practice
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Early CAQs
2007–08
  • The first Sleep Medicine Examination is given
  • The first Hospice and Palliative Medicine Examination is given
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Early CAQs
2010
  • The first Recognition of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine Examination is given (title later changed to Designation of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine)
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Nielsen, first public member
2011–12
  • Marci Nielsen, PhD becomes the first public member elected to the ABFM Board of Directors
  • Launch of Continuous Certification: 10-year cycle with three 3-year Stages between the 10-year examination period, 3-year stages
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Prime Registry
2015–16
  • ABFM launches the Prime Registry
  • The first Pain Medicine Examination is given
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FMCLA
2018
  • Family Medicine Certification Longitudinal Assessment (FMCLA) pilot is approved
  • ABFM and the ABFM Foundation establishes the Center for Professionalism and Value in Health Care in Washington, DC, led by Executive Director Robert Phillips, MD, MSPH
  • Warren Newton, MD, MPH becomes the fifth President and CEO of the ABFM
  • Elizabeth G. Baxley, MD becomes the first woman executive of ABFM when she is hired as Executive Vice President