The ABFM recognizes that family physicians sometimes experience delays in pursuing their initial certification goals. You have three calendar years following the year in which you finish residency training to pass the Family Medicine Certification Examination. After that, so long as you are still within your Board Eligibility Period, you will need to complete the Certification Entry Process to take the exam and gain initial certification status. This process includes meeting six requirements:
- The completion of self-assessment and quality improvement activities totaling a minimum of 50 points achieved through:
- At least one of the following Knowledge Self-Assessment (KSA) activities
- At least one Performance Improvement (PI) activity, utilizing data from your patient population
- Additional activities to reach a minimum of 50 points. These can be accomplished in various ways, including, but not limited to:
- Additional ABFM-developed Knowledge Self-Assessment activities (KSA)
- Additional participation with Continuous Knowledge Self -Assessments (CKSA)
- Approved Alternative Self-Assessment activities
- Performance Improvement activities (PI)
- Completion of (150) credits of acceptable Continuing Medical Education (CME) (minimum 50% Division I), acquired in the three years before you take the Family Medicine Certification Examination
- Continuous compliance with ABFM Guidelines for Professionalism, Licensure, and Personal Conduct which includes holding medical license(s) which meet the licensure requirements of the Guidelines
- Submission of Entry Process Fee
- Submission of application and accompanying full examination fee for the Family Medicine Certification Examination
- Successful completion of the Family Medicine Certification Examination
You will need to complete the Certification Entry requirements no later than three calendar years following the year in which you started the process; otherwise, a new cycle will be required to gain certification. Any modules you may have completed prior to starting the Entry Process (and associated fees) will not carry forward. Any incomplete modules started prior to the Entry Process will be reset so they may be started anew, and unused fees will be refunded. If you have not satisfied all requirements of the Entry Process, including successful completion of the Certification Examination, before the expiration of your Board Eligibility Period, you will be required to satisfy the requirements of the ABFM Re-Eligibility Pathway.
If you experience problems using the ABFM website or have any other questions for the ABFM Staff, please contact the ABFM Support Center at 877-223-7437, or you may email us at [email protected].
