Internal Medicine Eligibility
Updated February 2018
To be eligible for certification in Internal Medicine through the Board of Certification in Internal Medicine (BCIM), the applicant must:
ABPS General Requirements:
- Be in conformity with the Code of Ethics of the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS), be known in his/her community as an ethical member of the profession, and be an active specialist in Internal Medicine.
- Be a graduate of a recognized U.S., Canadian, or international allopathic or osteopathic college of medicine. International graduates must hold a valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) Certificate.
- Hold a valid and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States, U.S. territories or Canada.
Internal Medicine Training and Experience:
- All applicants must have completed an Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), American Osteopathic Association (AOA), or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)-accredited residency in Internal Medicine. The ABPS accepts medical residencies approved by the RCPSC, including approved residencies outside Canada.
Additional Application Requirements:
- Submit two (2) letters of recommendation from Diplomates in Internal Medicine of an ABPS, ABMS, AOA, or RCPSC 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.
- All U.S. physicians must perform and submit a self-query of the National Practitioner Data Bank. For information, visit 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.
- Submit current curriculum vitae which includes medical school, degrees earned, and work experience, in chronological order.