Certificate of Added Qualifications

The Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in Geriatric Medicine is offered in conjunction with the American Board of Internal Medicine. This CAQ, which became available to qualifying ABFM physicians in 1988, is designed to recognize excellence among those Diplomates whose practice emphasizes care to the elderly.

How Do I Obtain my Initial Geriatric Medicine CAQ?

The Geriatric Medicine Certification Examination is offered annually. If you are interested in seeking initial Geriatric Medicine Certification, you will need to meet the following requirements to become eligible to take the examination and gain certification:

  • Continuously maintain your ABFM Family Medicine Certification.
  • Complete of a minimum 12 months of full-time training in an ACGME-accredited Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program and submit verification of completion documentation.
  • Submit an online application with the appropriate fee.
  • Achieve a passing score on the Geriatric Medicine Certification Examination.

Your board eligibility period for subspecialty certification begins the day after the verified completion of your fellowship training and expires after seven date-to-date years (Example: 07/01/2017–06/30/2024). In order to remain Board Eligible for the Geriatric Medicine CAQ during this time, you will need to maintain your ABFM Family Medicine Certification. For details, please visit our CAQ Board Eligibility page.

How Do I Maintain my Geriatric Medicine CAQ?

The continuing certification examination is offered annually. The Geriatric Medicine CAQ Certification is 10 years in duration. If you are interested in maintaining your Geriatric Medicine Certificate of Added Qualifications, you will need to meet the following requirements to take the Geriatric Medicine CAQ Continuing Certification Examination or enroll in Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) to maintain certification status.

  • Continuously maintain your ABFM Family Medicine Certification.
  • Submit an online application with the appropriate fee.
  • Achieve a passing score on the Geriatric Medicine continuing certification one-day examination of LKA*.

*ABFM, in conjunction with the American Board of Internal Medicine, now offers a Longitudinal Assessment option for Geriatric Medicine-certified Diplomates in their tenth year of CAQ certification. LKA is an alternative to the one-day examination requirement that longitudinally assesses knowledge through completion of quarterly questions over a five-year period. To learn more about LKA, please click here.

You may choose to take the Geriatric Medicine one-day examination prior to the year in which your CAQ is scheduled to expire. Each time you successfully complete the Geriatric Medicine Examination you will reset your 10-year Geriatric Medicine CAQ Certification. Any time remaining on your previous certificate will be foregone. If you are unsuccessful on the examination, you may re-attempt provided that application requirements are met.

My Geriatric Medicine CAQ has Lapsed

If you have previously held the Geriatric Medicine CAQ Certification and it has lapsed, you can still regain certification. If you meet the requirements below, you may regain certification no matter how long it has been lapsed.

  • Continuously maintain your ABFM Family Medicine Certification
  • Submit an online application with the appropriate fee
  • Achieve a passing score on the Geriatric Medicine Certification Examination

How Do I Get Started?

If you are interested in obtaining, maintaining, or regaining a Geriatric Medicine Certificate of Added Qualifications, you may access the online application for the Geriatric Medicine CAQ Examination under “Added Qualifications” in your MyABFM Portfolio.

For additional information, please contact Destiny Davis at [email protected] or 859-554-2081.