February 2026

February 2026

President’s Message: A Year of Opportunities

“We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.” [Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.]

As our nation looks ahead to its 250th anniversary, we are reminded that moments of reflection often reveal new possibilities. With the start of a new year, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words from his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech invite us to consider what is possible – and our shared responsibility to recognize opportunity and act with purpose. Viewed through that lens, and despite troubling divides in our society and around the world, 2026 brings meaningful opportunities for the specialty of family medicine. Read the full President’s Message here

Bringing More Flexibility to Your Board Certification

ABFM’s 5-Year Continuous Certification Cycle is gaining strong momentum and delivering greater flexibility, choice, and support. We have already received both positive feedback and opportunities to improve thanks to the first cohort of ABFM Diplomates who started their 5-Year Cycle in 2025.

Key Clarifications About the 5-Year Cycle

1. Currently certified Diplomates do not take the traditional one-day exam to start the 5-Year Cycle.
2. 10 certification activity points and 30 CME credits are awarded at the completion of the 300-question assessment.
3. The longitudinal assessment consists of 25 quarterly exam questions over three to four years, for a total of 300 questions, the same as the one-day exam.

For more on completing your exam requirement in the 5-Year Cycle, check out our recent ABFM Insights blog post, Rethinking Your Exam in the 5-Year Cycle.

To the 2026 cohort – welcome! Be sure to complete registration before February 26, 2026, to avoid a late fee. Registration for the 2027 group opens June 30, 2026. For your specific start date, visit your MyABFM Portfolio or contact the ABFM Support Center for more information.

Advancing CKSA: Integrating Spaced Repetition to Strengthen Knowledge Retention

As part of ABFM’s commitment to providing high-quality, relevant assessment tools, we’re excited to introduce spaced repetition into the Continuous Knowledge Self-Assessment (CKSA) activity. Beginning January 1, 2026, each quarterly CKSA activity will feature 30 questions, including five personalized spaced repetition questions and 25 new questions.

What is Spaced Repetition?

Spaced repetition is an evidence-based learning technique proven to strengthen the retention of critical clinical information over time. By strategically revisiting key concepts at set intervals, the CKSA activity now helps ensure that the knowledge you gain is retained for long-term application in your practice. Read more

Your Feedback Is Making a Difference

Your perspective matters, and the Engagement Network is where it can make a real difference. In 2025, nearly 1,800 physicians shared feedback that is helping us improve how we communicate, support, and evolve board certification. A survey from 449 board-certified DOs highlighted the value of certification, strong impressions of the longitudinal assessment, and shared ways we can provide better support. Feedback from 1,297 Diplomates in the 5-Year Cycle survey helped clarify exam timing, cycle differences, and assessment resources needed to improve understanding. We are already acting on these insights by refining our messaging, but there’s more to do, and we need your input. Read more

Introducing the New KSA Mobile Experience

Download the MyABFM Mobile App today to start completing your KSAs on the go!

• Begin or Resume: Choose a new KSA topic or resume an in-progress activity.

• Complete the Activity: Read each question, submit your answers, and instantly review critiques and references.

• Track Effortlessly: See your current progress, review completed activities, and access your CME certificate – all in one place.

• No additional cost: Access to KSAs in the MyABFM Mobile App is included in your ABFM Board Certification.

Apple App Store    Google Play Store

Note: KSA Activity Score Reports must be accessed on a desktop or laptop within your MyABFM Portfolio. Read more

Coming in 2027: Sports Medicine Longitudinal Assessment (SPMED‑LA)

Beginning in 2027, ABFM Diplomates holding a Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) in Sports Medicine will have a new option for meeting their exam requirement: the Sports Medicine Longitudinal Assessment (SPMED‑LA).

This flexible alternative to the one-day exam allows Diplomates to meet their exam requirement over time, similar to the Family Medicine Certification Longitudinal Assessment. SPMED‑LA aligns with adult learning principles and is coupled with modern technology to promote enduring learning, retention, and transfer of knowledge. Diplomates will receive 17 questions each quarter, which can be completed at their own pace, on their own device, and in the location of their choice. Read more

PRIME Registry: Improve Quality, Reduce Burden, and Advance Primary Care

The PRIME Registry helps clinicians improve MIPS performance, reduce administrative workload, and earn certification credit while contributing to nationwide primary care advancement. Upon approval, primary care clinicians can now join the PRIME Registry at no cost through a new ABFM–Stanford partnership funded by Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), with support anticipated through Fall 2030. Read more

Factbook 2.0 Coming in 2026

We’re excited to announce that the second edition of the Family Medicine Factbook will be published in the spring of 2026! Building on the success of the first edition, released in 2023 by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), this updated resource will continue to provide valuable insights into the state of family medicine.

The Factbook draws on data from ABFM’s regular surveys of family physicians at key points in their careers, including shortly after residency training and after completing continuous certification cycles. Read more

Recentering Purpose: How One Family Physician Is Turning Burnout into a Path Forward

Family physician, residency program director and ABFM Diplomate are just a few of the hats Dr. Santina Wheat wears. She is used to guiding both patients and residents through some of the most important moments in their lives, and she loves it. But there was a time when she found herself wrestling with a question many physicians quietly face: Can I keep doing this?

Dr. Wheat experienced burnout on a personal level that went beyond simply feeling tired at the end of a long day. It was the kind of exhaustion that makes you question your place in a profession you once felt called to serve. She considered leaving both medicine and education.

Read more about Dr. Wheat’s journey in our ABFM Insights Blog Post.

Read the Latest ABFM Research

We extend our congratulations to Dr. Andrew Bazemore, ABFM Senior Vice President of Research and Policy, for receiving Honorable Mention as part of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) 2026 Research Paper of the Year Award, for his paper, “US Primary Care Workforce Growth: A Decade of Limited Progress, and Projected Needs Through 2040.”

The new ABFM‑supported research studies listed below offer insights into health system performance, education and training trends, certification, and the evolving role of family physicians across practice and policy. Check out more of ABFM’s latest research in our research library, or follow us on LinkedIn where we regularly highlight research relevant to family medicine. Read more

Celebrating 15 Years of Puffer Fellows

For fifteen years, the Puffer/ABFM Fellowship at the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has amplified the voice of family medicine in national health policy. Established in 2010 via an endowment from the ABFM Foundation, the Fellowship reflects ABFM’s commitment to ensuring that the perspectives of practicing family physicians and primary care scientists, grounded in community and evidence based, whole-person care, help shape the nation’s most influential health policy conversations. Read more