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Concerned about MOC? Consider Internal Medicine Recertification Through the ABPS

Doctor taking blood pressure of smiling pregnant patientIf you are a physician who has achieved board certification through the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), but you are concerned about the new Maintenance of Certification (MOC) requirements, there is another option. The Board of Certification in Internal Medicine (BCIM), a Member Board of the American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS®), provides a platform for qualified physicians who are board certified through another body to earn their recertification without the ongoing challenges and financial burden presented by the MOC requirements.

Qualified physicians who earned board certification through the ABIM might be eligible for recertification through the BCIM if they meet the eligibility requirements. Like all ABPS Member Boards, the BCIM is a rigorous, but fair, test of a physician’s knowledge and experience. Unlike the accumulated “points” requirements associated with MOC, recertification through the BCIM is required every eight years. This eliminates many of the chief complaints about the MOC requirements, including the “points” system and what many physicians consider a duplication of existing continuing medical education (CME) programs.

Eligibility Requirements of the BCIM

The ABPS will accept qualified Diplomates who are part of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (AOABOS). To be clear, physicians who are currently board certified in internal medicine and would like to become recertified through the BCIM must meet the eligibility requirements, including:

  • Documentation of an average of 50 hours of CME per year for the years since last certified or re-certified.
  • Completion of an average of 50 self-assessment CME exam questions per year.
  • Completion of 7.5 CME credits of medical ethics, as approved by the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc.
  • Completion of 16 hours of AAPS-sponsored CME (may be waived before the first re-certification)
  • An active and unrestricted medical license(s)

Advantages of ABPS Certification

At the ABPS, we are dedicated to empowering our Diplomates and ensuring their professional growth. We actively advocate on behalf of ABPS-certified physicians, working with credentialing bodies, lawmakers, and healthcare decision-makers to expand access to employment, advancement, and recognition within their specialties.

As healthcare organizations increasingly prioritize hiring board-certified professionals, ABPS certification serves as a trusted validation of a physician’s qualifications, positioning them as strong candidates for new career opportunities. Beyond advancing careers and increasing earning potential, ABPS board certification offers these key benefits:

  • Strengthens a physician’s professional confidence
  • Promotes ongoing education and lifelong learning to stay current with medical advancements
  • Earns peer recognition and professional respect
  • Demonstrates a clear commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care

The ABPS champions board-certified physicians by providing them with the tools, support, and recognition needed to thrive in today’s evolving medical landscape.

To learn more about becoming recertified through the BCIM, or for information about recertification through other ABPS Member Boards, contact the ABPS. The ABPS is the official multi-specialty certifying board of the AAPS.

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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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