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Diplomate Categories and Fees

Fees are based on a calendar year and vary for each Diplomate category.

Diplomates requesting changes in their Diplomate status for the ensuing year must submit to ABPS a written and signed request for a status change no later than December 31.

Diplomate ($895) Primary – Certification Management Fee (CMF)
($595) Non-Primary CMF

Diplomates are physicians who achieve and maintain board certification by an ABPS member board and are in good standing with ABPS.

Military Diplomate ($350)

Military Diplomates shall be Diplomates on active duty in the armed forces of the United States. To qualify for and retain Military Diplomate status, each year Military Diplomates must attest to their active duty military status and upon request furnish written confirmation of such status.

Retired Diplomate ($25)

Retired Diplomates shall be completely retired Diplomates who have no active practice hours in any month during the billing year and who, at the time of their retirement, were ABPS Diplomates in good standing. To qualify for and retain Retired Diplomate status, Retired Diplomates must attest that they are not engaged in the practice of medicine and have no expectation of actively practicing medicine in the future. Retired Diplomates do not retain their active board certification status and are not eligible for recertification. ABPS does not provide verification of board certification for Retired Diplomates.

Retired Application – Download

Emeritus Diplomate ($495)

Emeritus Definition and Application – Download

 

Frequently Asked Fee Questions

What is the purpose of the annual fees?

A: The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) is one of three nationally recognized multi-specialty board-certifying organizations in the United States. ABPS provides certification and recertification examinations, with a rigorous process equivalent to the other, much larger, national boards of certification for physicians.

ABPS is a 501(c) 6 Trade non-profit organization that supports a full-time staff and national headquarters facility. Income is derived from fees charged for its products (i.e., initial certification and recertification applications and examinations, primary source verification, contributions to special programs, and sales items. However, the primary source of income is from annual Certification Management Fees and dues. ABPS does not receive funding from Federal or State government resources.

The certification management fee (CMF) enables ABPS to maintain the standards of its certification program. This includes conducting exam development tasks using sound measurement practices and ensuring the ongoing validity and relevance of the examination content. Upholding the highest possible certification standards enhances the testing program and furthers ABPS’ national recognition efforts.

What does the annual CMF cover?

The annual CMF covers the following necessary and essential recurring expense and overhead items:

  • The development, maintenance, and administration of all written, oral, and simulation examinations, including but not limited to:
    • Psychometric consulting expenses
    • Software used for item writing, tracking, and storage of examination items
    • Examination administration services
    • Expenses associated with in-person exam development review sessions
    • Expenses for travel, meals, and accommodations for oral and simulation examiners
    • Facilitation of the oral and simulation examination administrations
  • Maintenance and enhancement of Certification and Diplomate records, including but not limited to:
    • Development, licensing, and maintenance expenses associated with a primary certification database (Protech)
    • Development, licensing, and maintenance costs associated with an online candidate application and verification program through Protech and Aperture
    • Production, management, and distribution of ABPS certificates
    • Primary source verification of new applicants’ education and training
  • Expenses related to marketing and recognition efforts, including but not limited to:
    • Website development, monitoring, and maintenance
    • Career Service
    • Recruitment and retention efforts
    • Journal advertising
    • Conference exhibit booth rental and travel expenses
    • Development and production of brochures, business cards, etc.
  • Management of full-time staff and national headquarters facility, including but not limited to:
    • Facility operations
    • Administration operations
    • Board of Certification operations

What are the different items that are billed on an annual statement?

A: The annual billing has two items: the annual Certification Management Fees (CMF) for Diplomates or Dues for retired Diplomates. The first item billed (CMF or Dues) is mandatory and must be paid to remain active and in good standing. Then, there is the voluntary National Initiative Fund (NIF) donation that funds recognition activities.

Who is considered a Diplomate or retired Diplomate?

A: A Diplomate is an individual certified by ABPS whose certification is managed by ABPS. A retired Diplomate is an individual who wishes to remain actively engaged with/in the organization’s governance or was previously certified as a Diplomate with ABPS but does not wish to recertify and is no longer practicing.

What is the period that is covered by the annual fees?

A: The period covered by annual fees or dues is January 1st to December 31st of the billing year or at any point within the billing year until December 31st of that same year.

When will I receive an annual fee notice?

A: Initial annual Certification Management Fees (CMF) or Dues invoice communications are emailed in October for the following year. This is done to give Diplomates adequate time to pay their annual fees before the January 31st due date. Additional notices (via mail/email) are sent out in November, December, and January. In March, if the annual fee has not been paid, a final invoice will be sent informing of the removal from good standing and the inactivation of their account on April 1st.

How can I pay my fees?

A: There are various ways to pay fees. Payments can be made online via American Express, Discover, Mastercard, or Visa on the ABPS website or by mail via check, money order, American Express, Discover, Mastercard, or Visa.

Do I have to pay my annual fees by January 1st?

A: No. We recommend making your payment as soon as possible, but it is not required by January 1st. To remain an active Diplomate or retired Diplomate “in good standing,” we must receive your annual fee no later than March 31st of the billing year. Inactive Diplomates who pay their annual fee after October 1st of the billing year must also remit all of the following year’s fees.

If I become a Diplomate or retired Diplomate after September 1st, do I have to pay the entire year’s fees?

A: No. You will not be billed the annual fee until the following year.

What is an active Diplomate/retired Diplomate “in Good Standing,” and how does it affect me?

A: An active Diplomate or retired Diplomate “in Good Standing” is a Diplomate or retired Diplomate who is up to date with all required obligations (both financial and administrative) for the current billing year or past years before the March 31st of the current billing year. Diplomates must also furnish a signed attestation. Only Diplomates or retired Diplomates “in Good Standing” receive organization mailings and information. Diplomates can have their credentials verified by ABPS or its designated verification organization and are eligible to recertify.

How can my account be not “in Good Standing” or “inactive,” and how will it affect me?

A: The account for a Diplomate or retired Diplomate who has not met all required ABPS obligations (both financial and administrative) for the current billing year will be placed in not “in Good Standing” or “inactive” status. Diplomates not “in Good Standing” or “inactive” will not receive organization mailings and information. Diplomates will not be able to have their credentials verified by ABPS or its designated verification organization and are not eligible for recertification.

What will I need to do to reinstate my status to “in Good Standing” or “active?”

A: If a Diplomate does not pay the annual fee, they will have to pay all outstanding annual fees up through the current year before their status is reinstated.

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Patient Care Is Our Priority

Medical organizations throughout North America understand that our rigorous certification standards prove that ABPS Diplomates are capable of delivering the best patient care possible.

With declining access for maternity care amid rising maternal mortality, ABPS and their Board Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics has been essential for me and many of my colleagues in getting privileges and thereby creating local access for mothers and their children.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
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Board certification through the American Board of Physician Specialties has served to substantiate my interest and additional training in several fields of medicine including Internal Medicine, Disaster Medicine, and Administrative Medicine. As a result, I have been able to serve my community in clinical, disaster response, and administrative medicine roles. Through the ABPS, I have become recognized as a leader in my various fields of interest.

Spencer Price MD, MPH, MBA
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In this era, when continuous updated medical knowledge means so much to you, when quality of emergency care matters most to you ,when you need to excel in your medical career to continue providing exceptional service to your critically ill patients, please consider board certification with the Boad of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). Where your knowledge & expertise translates to credentialing & certification with wider approval & recognition every day at many fronts. We Welcome you to join our team for a brighter future of our emergency healthcare where dedication to profession relies not solely on clinical practice but also on sound academic certification.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
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Board certification in Orthopedic Surgery through the American Board of Physician Specialties validated my training and surgical experience through a process that was both rigorous and respectful of real-world practice. ABPS recognizes clinical competence, not just credentials, and that sets it apart.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
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The American Board of Physician Specialties is a forward- thinking organization that focuses on where Medicine is going, not just where it has been. Traditional Certification Boards like Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Dermatology are represented as are Integrative Medicine, Disaster Medicine, and Family Medicine-Obstetrics. Physicians appreciate the ability to showcase their skills and knowledge through Board Certification, and this organization allows excellent physicians the ability to bring their skills to patients. The dedication and commitment of this organization and its volunteers will ensure ongoing distinction and commitment for decades to come.

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Arti Prasad, MD, FACP
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There are many ways board certification advances a physician career. ABPS Board examination verifies your accuracy, precision, and reflects your mastery of your residency training verifying your expertise. ABPS Board certification demonstrates your level of expertise beyond your practice experience, primary education degrees, and training which are necessary for insurance reimbursement and practice privilege requirements. Attaining your ABPS Board Certification will clarify your purpose, secure your practice growth, and expand into leadership positions. Board certification can serve as an indication of a physician’s commitment to medicine, beyond the minimal standards and competency of training, their measurement to quality of care, and attaining an award for excellence.

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On October 18, 2007, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), calling on our nation, among other initiatives, to “collectively support and facilitate the establishment of a discipline of disaster health”. It is a great testament to the wisdom and foresight of the American Board of Physician Specialties that it immediately set to work and created, within the short span of only one year, an educational blueprint and set of certification examinations, both written and oral, for a new subspecialty of disaster medicine—and it is why I chose to be part this vital initiative and this wonderful organization. This is but one of the many innovative programs initiated by the American Board of Physician Specialties over the years, and why I am proud to support its work on behalf of our nation’s public health.

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Far too often, medicine is led by less than 5% of non-practicing physicians taking away and replacing the voice of the 95% of physicians practicing and placing patient safety and care first on the front lines every day. The American Board of Physician Specialties has raised the standards in physician board certification not only in the quality of their boards of certification, but in hearing and allowing for the voice of those active physicians caring directly for patients. Having been a part of the ABPS over the last 28 years has allowed me to grow as a woman leader in a field often wrought with challenges. It helped me and others raise the bar of the standards of care in my specialty, Emergency Medicine, through their Board Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). ABPS also helped raise the standards of care for 21st century medicine through their certifications in other specialties, particularly in Integrative Medicine & Disaster Medicine. Having physician voices heard matters to medicine and is essential in the betterment of patient safety and care.

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