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Urgent Care Certification Eligibility

Updated June 2022

The Board of Certification in Urgent Care Medicine® (BCUCM®) is no longer accepting initial certification applications. 

To be eligible for certification in Urgent Care Medicine through the BCUCM® the applicant must:

ABPS General Requirements:

  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 Urgent Care Medicine.
  2. Be a graduate of a recognized U.S., Canadian, or international allopathic or osteopathic college of medicine. Graduates of foreign medical schools must 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.

Urgent Care Training and Experience:

  1. Residency – All applicants must have completed residency training in a program approved by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and deemed acceptable to the Board of Certification in Urgent Care Medicine. Such training must include substantial and identifiable training in Urgent Care Medicine as determined by the Board of Certification in Urgent Care Medicine and approved by the ABPS. Applicants without a completed residency may also be eligible if they hold current Board Certification* granted by an ABMS, AOA, or ABPS board that was granted on or before December 31, 2001.
  2. Urgent Care Experience  – In addition to fulfilling requirements above, applicants must be qualified under one of the following (2A-D):
    1. Have practiced Urgent Care Medicine on a full-time basis for 2 consecutive years or are currently practicing Urgent Care Medicine and have acceptable, equivalent acute care experience AND have accumulated a minimum of 2,800 hours in the practice of Urgent Care Medicine (as defined in the note below) AND
      1. Have completed an accredited residency in Emergency Medicine, Family Practice, combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, combined Family Practice/Emergency Medicine, combined Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine, or combined Pediatrics/ Emergency Medicine or
      2. Are currently board-certified by an ABMS, AOABOS, or ABPS board in Emergency Medicine or Family Medicine*.
    2. Have been an instructor in Urgent Care Medicine on a full-time basis for 2 consecutive years AND have accumulated a minimum of 2,800 hours in the practice and/or instruction and teaching of Urgent Care Medicine in a distinct outpatient department or clinic that is part of an ACGME-approved institution for postgraduate medical education AND one of the following:
      1. Have completed an ACGME or AOA-accredited residency in Emergency Medicine. Family Practice, combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, combined Family Practice/Emergency Medicine, combined Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine, or combined Pediatrics/ Emergency Medicine or
      2. Are currently board-certified by an ABMS, AOABOS, or ABPS board in Emergency Medicine or Family Medicine*.
    3. Have practiced Urgent Care Medicine on a full-time basis for five (5) consecutive years or are currently practicing Urgent Care Medicine and have acceptable, equivalent acute care experience AND have accumulated a minimum of 7,000 hours in the practice of Urgent Care Medicine (as defined in the note below) AND one of the following:
      1. Have completed an ACGME, AOA, RCSPC, or CFPC accredited residency other than those mentioned above (in 2a or 2b), which includes substantial and identifiable training in Urgent Care Medicine as determined by the BCUCM and approved by the ABPS, OR
      2. Are currently board-certified by an ABMS, AOABOS, or ABPS board in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, or Occupational Medicine*.
    4. Fellowship Training Program: Completed a twelve (12) month Urgent Care Medicine fellowship training program recognized by the BCUCM (this Fellowship Training Program does not constitute a residency program, and does not fulfill the residency requirement specified in item 1). These programs will have been approved by the Academic Committee of the Urgent Care Association of America. Currently, the BCUCM has approved the following fellowship training programs:
      • University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
      • University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL
      • University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas
  3. Case Reports -Submit ten (10) Urgent Care Medicine cases for which the physician had the lead management role. Case reports must be no older than twelve (12) months from the date of application submission, as well as meeting the other requirements listed in the Case Report Requirements detailed below.

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 and submit 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.

*About Eligibility through Board Certification: Board certification(s) must be current at the time of application and have been initially granted before December 31, 2001. As fellowship training opportunities in Urgent Care Medicine continue to expand and other post-graduate training options become available, BCUCM anticipates that these pathways for eligibility will close, as they have for other developing specialties.

NOTES on Urgent Care Practice:

“Practicing Urgent Care” is defined as working in an Urgent Care Medicine (UCM) clinic or facility which includes medical staff and diagnostic testing (EKG, x-ray, and basic point-of-care lab-testing) which provides, for the majority of the patients seen at the facility, episodic, unscheduled evaluation and treatment for patients with a broad spectrum of acute, not immediately life-threatening injuries and illnesses. The capability to recognize and provide stabilizing care and efficient transfer for patients with more severe or life-threatening conditions is also essential. UCM facilities are open during hours of the day beyond typical medical office hours, and on weekends and most holidays. Facilities may be medical clinics that are free-standing or are separate clinics within hospitals or larger multi-specialty practices.  A fast-track area within an emergency department may also be considered a UCM facility if the above capabilities are present. All facilities will be verified and must meet approval of the board according to these criteria.

For the purpose of defining “full-time” practice, the BCUCM requires verification of a minimum of 1,400 hours per 12-month period. Verification of less than 1,400 hours in a 12-month period will not be accepted.

Applicants must have been working full-time Urgent Care Medicine for the 12-month period prior to application and must be currently working full-time in Urgent Care Medicine in an urgent care facility acceptable to the board.

Independent verification of urgent care facilities and hours must be submitted on letterhead stationery (from someone with access to information regarding the physician’s experience) itemized by year and number of hours earned each year. Hours may be presented over a 12-month consecutive period or a calendar year. Clinic/facility medical director or lead administrator must complete the verification. For a sample facility verification letter click here.

Case Report Requirements:

The case reports must be no older than twelve (12) months from the date the candidate’s application for certification is received by ABPS. Case reports shall only include information on the care and services provided by the applicant. At the point where a patient’s care is transferred to another physician or facility, the applicant’s case presentation is complete.

The Board in general looks for cases that show the application of accepted/standard medical practice in the management of the patient, resulting in an excellent outcome. The Board is not looking for controversial or unusual case management, even if the physician can justify his or her actions. One purpose of Board certification is to demonstrate knowledge/application of practices acceptable in Urgent Care Departments across the United States and Canada.

Content Requirements
All applicants are required to choose five areas, from the following ten (Infectious disease; Pediatrics; Orthopedics; Pulmonary disease; Gastrointestinal disease; Cardiovascular disease; Ear/nose/throat disease; Wound care; Obstetrical/gynecological disorder; Evaluation, stabilization, and transfer of a critically-ill patient from the clinic to a higher level of care), on which to submit cases. The remaining five cases may document any other area of practice that the applicant chooses.

Format Requirements
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 8.5″ x 11″ white paper.
  3. The applicant must sign each case report.
  4. An index shall be placed at the front of reports indicating the type of case (diagnosis) and the page number on which the case can be found.
  5. Confirmation of validity of the reports by hospital administrator, medical records director, or whoever performs such duties at the facility. This must be on official letterhead 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 sample index/verification form.)
  6. Case reports should contain the following information:
    For patient no. list the same number as the case number (Refer to index/verification form.)

A.    Date of Urgent Care treatment

B.    Chief complaint

C.    History

D.    Physical examination and results of the Urgent Care work-up, including any tests

E.    Urgent Care course and final disposition including condition of patient at the time of completion of your care of the patient, as well as final diagnosis

F.     Each case must include discussion of the case, demonstrating to the Credentials Committee what the thought process was in the evaluation of the patient, diagnostic and treatment approach, and indication that the candidate understood the pathophysiology of the patient’s problem, and some rationale to explain the patient’s final disposition. This is the most important section of the case report and will be reviewed closely.

The BCUCM Credentials Committee reserves the right to seek additional details for any case it deems necessary. Board certified practicing Urgent Care Physicians carefully scrutinize these cases. Every attempt at accuracy and clarity should be made. Please note that case reports are not copies of dictated Urgent Care summaries from the chart, but are specifically prepared documents for the application packet.  Case reports not adhering to the above mentioned format will be rejected.

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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
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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
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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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