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Family Medicine Eligibility

Updated February 2018

To be eligible for certification in Family Medicine through the Board of Certification in Family Medicine (BCFM), the applicant must:

  1. Be in conformity with the Code of Ethics of the American Board of Physician Specialties, be known in his/her community as an ethical member of the profession, and be an active specialist in Family Medicine.
  2. Be a graduate of a recognized U.S., Canadian, or international allopathic or osteopathic college of medicine. International graduates must also hold a valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) Certificate.
  3. Hold a valid and unrestricted license(s) to practice medicine in the United States, U.S. territories, or Canada.

Family Medicine Training and Experience:

  1. Be qualified under one of the following:
    1. Have completed an Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), American Osteopathic Association (AOA), or College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)-accredited residency in Family Medicine.
    2. Osteopathic physicians – Have successfully completed an AOA-approved internship, plus an AOA-approved General Practice residency and have a minimum of two (2) years full-time experience in Family Medicine and 300 hours of CME acceptable to the BCFP. AAPS CME form must be used, to view click here. (Form is included with the application materials.)
  2. Submit a documented report of a minimum of ten (10) Family Medicine cases for which the physician had the lead management role (see Case Report requirements outlined below). The case reports must be no older than twelve (12) months from the date the candidate’s application for certification is submitted to ABPS.

Additional Application Requirements:

  1. Submit three (3) letters of Recommendation from Diplomates of any ABPS, ABMS, AOA, RCPSC, or CFPC Board of Certification. All letters of recommendation must be signed by the author, printed on letterhead, dated within the twelve month period just  prior to the submission of the application, and must include author contact and board certification information.
  2. All U.S. physicians must perform a self-query of the National Practitioner Data Bank and submit the report. Get your self-query report at www.npdb-hipdb.hrsa.gov. All Canadian physicians must request a Testament Statement from each province in which a license is held verifying that there have been no disciplinary actions against the applicant.
  3. Submit a current curriculum vitae, which includes medical school, degrees earned, and work experience, in chronological order.

Case Report Requirements:

Case reports must be carefully prepared as they are subjected to detailed scrutiny. Please note that case reports are not copies of dictated summaries from the chart. Reports should be accurate, well written, diversified, and properly descriptive. Case reports not meeting the requirements described below will not be accepted, resulting in an incomplete application. 

The applicant must submit ten (10) case reports in the following format:

  1. Case reports must be typewritten.
  2. Case reports must be double-spaced on standard 8.5″ x 11″ white paper.
  3. The applicant must sign each case report.
  4. An index shall be placed at the front of the reports indicating the type of case (diagnosis) and the page number on which the case can be found. To view index and verification form, click here.
  5. Confirmation of the validity of the reports by hospital administrator, medical records director, or whoever performs such duties at the facility, verifying that you were the physician treating the patient in each case on the date stated. If the applicant’s cases reflect work at more than one institution, then separate letters must be submitted verifying the cases from each institution. This validation must be notarized and signed. (Refer to index and verification form.)
  6. Case reports shall contain the following information:
    1. Patient # (1-10), list the same number as the case number (refer to sample index and verification form.)
    2. Date of the case
    3. Admitting diagnosis
    4. Final diagnosis
    5. Presenting Complaint
    6. History
    7. History of present complaint
    8. Pertinent past medical, family and social history
      1. Medical decision making
      2. Treatment and follow-up
      3. Pertinent physical and laboratory findings
    9. Summarization – Summarization of the important facts regarding the case acts as the most essential part of the case report and must describe the case in such a manner as to convey to the BCFM Credentials Committee the applicant’s understanding of the medical issues regarding the diagnosis, care, potential pitfalls and clinical relevance of the conditions and results obtained.

The BCFM Credentials Committee reserves the right to seek additional details for any case it deems necessary.

 

 

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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.

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.

Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Emergency Medicine
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.

Art Cooper, MD
Disaster Medicine
When the American Board of Physician Specialties offered to host the American Board of Integrative Medicine, ABPS became a landmark organization working to move medicine into the twenty first century. Certifying physicians who have completed rigorous academic training in Integrative Medicine ensures that the field of Integrative Medicine will continue to develop academically, clinically, and professionally. The leadership of ABPS continues to impress me - they are diligent in constantly innovating to provide certifications for physicians who want to advance their careers and their areas of expertise. I am honored to be a part of this organization.

Ann Marie Chiasson, MD
Integrative Medicine
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.

Chris Kunis MD
Internal Medicine
When I think historically, advancement in medicine and patient safety and care has been driven by the diversity of people and scientific thought. That’s what I found at the ABPS and more. For over 60 years that is just who we are. I found a physician certifying body that provides a choice and voice to all physicians ensuring that patients are always placed first.

Jerry Allison, MD
Emergency Medicine
When I decided to pursue a full time role as a physician executive it was important to me to obtain additional professional training, education and work experience. Board certification through the ABPS in Administrative Medicine is validation of my efforts and a demonstration of dedication to professional development. We need more physicians to become full time health care executives, knowing there is a board certification option in Administrative Medicine encourages physicians to take the leap from full time clinical practice to healthcare organizational leadership.

Richard Paula, MD
Administrative Medicine
The American Board of Physician Specialties has provided me with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of internal medicine through board certification. As a hospitalist, board certification is an expected credential, and hospitals recognize the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) as one of the three standard credentialling bodies for Internal Medicine. Additionally, the ABPS has helped me develop leadership skills as a Board member and Committee Chairperson. ABPS has also helped me sharpen critical thinking skills as a test question developer and reviewer. The Allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) physicians in the ABPS are lifelong learners and frequently pursue multiple board certifications. I enjoy the camaraderie of my peers in ABPS.

Loren Jay Chassels, DO
Internal Medicine
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