Emergency Medicine Recertification
ABPS Diplomates are encouraged to apply for recertification one year before the current certification expires. ABPS does not offer a “grace period” for certification, however, Diplomates have a period of four years after their certification expires to submit a recertification application, provided their account status is active. Failure to submit a complete recertification application within the window of eligibility will result in having to apply for and meet the requirements for initial certification in order to regain ABPS certification.
ABPS will accept for recertification Diplomates originally certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or the Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (AOABOS) member boards in any specialty in which ABPS currently certifies physicians. Click here for full details.
Requirements for Recertification
- Must hold an active and unrestricted license(s) to practice medicine in the United States, U.S. Territories, or Canada.
- Submit documentation of CME hours: an average of 50 hours of Category 1 CME per year with at least 25 CMEs in the field of Emergency Medicine. Over the eight-year certification period, the totals would be 400 CME, with 200 of those CME credits from Emergency Medicine related topics. Copies of an official CME summary from the granting organization or copies of individual certificates must be submitted for all completed CME activities. NOTE: Teaching hours may be used to help satisfy the CME requirement; however, the total teaching hours submitted may not be more than half the overall total CME required and a letter from the program director or official certificate verifying the number of hours claimed must also be submitted.
- Complete at least 50 questions of self-assessment CME each year, except in the final year of the recertification cycle. CMEs obtained from self-assessments may be used to meet the annual CME requirements specified in item 2.
- Number of self-assessment questions completed should be indicated in the designated column on the ABPS CME summary form. It is not necessary to submit copies of completed questions.
- The following resources are available for on-line CME and self-assessments:
- BCEM-compiled list of acceptable Emergency-Medicine self-assessment resources –Please Click Here to View
- A list of CME/Self-Assessment Resources compiled by Dr. Bernard Sklar (Online Continuing Medical Education) is available at www.cmelist.com.
- Another resource for On-Line self-assessments is NetCE at www.netce.com.
- Complete 4 CME credits of ABPS-Approved Medical Ethics – Approved courses include ABPS-sponsored courses or presentations designated as Medical Ethics credit OR must contain the term “Medical Ethics” in the title or syllabus of the course, must be intended for physicians, and cannot be the same course taken multiple times to meet the 4 credit requirement.
- Requirements for recertification in Emergency Medicine include successful completion of a recertification examination.
Recertification Application
Please carefully read the information below.
- Recertification is now easier than ever. Simply log in to your Diplomate account using the Diplomate Log In button at the top of this page, and go to My Certifications.
- Here you will notice a summary of your current certification period as well as an overview of the credits required and/or accumulated for your next certification renewal. You will also notice a form to be used to self-report your non-ABPS CME credits and upload the appropriate supporting documentation, as well as the ‘Apply for Recertification’ button that appears when your current certification expiration date is less than two years away.
- Before beginning the recertification application process, please ensure you have all the necessary information/documentation available to complete the application submission.
- You will need to enter all non-ABPS CME activities in the form provided on the My Certifications screen and upload the appropriate supporting documentation.
- Select the appropriate category of each CME activity – Emergency Medicine should be chosen for any specialty-related CME, Medical Ethics for medical ethics-related topics, or Other CME, for all other topic areas.
- The online application system will not let you submit your application until all required fields are completed, all required documentation has been uploaded, and the fee has been paid.
- The recertification application fee includes one examination attempt and varies by the date the application is submitted, see fee schedule.
- Failure to complete the submission by the published deadlines will delay the Board’s review of your application materials.
- Applicants have a period of one (1) year from the application submission date for their application to be approved. This includes the Board review and submission of any additional documentation that may have been requested by the Board. If the information has not been received and the application has not been unconditionally approved within that time, the application will become invalid, which will require the applicant to submit a new application and fee.
- Diplomates of ABMS or AOA specialty Boards who are interested in pursuing recertification with ABPS must first contact Certification staff at certification@abpsus.org or 813/433-2277. Click here for full details.