Adiletto J, Iobst W, Hood S, Holmboe ES. — American Board of Internal Medicine
Presented: 14th Ottawa Conference, May 2010
Background: The New Faculty Pathway Pilot Program is a modified pathway for physicians to attain ABIM certification. Eligible candidates must be full-time faculty in a training program approved by either the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME); have completed three years of verified internal medicine training abroad (non-U.S. or Canadian training); provide letters of support from the Chair of Medicine and the Internal Medicine Program Director abroad; and complete approved ABIM Maintenance of Certification self-assessment products.
Summary of Work: August 2008, ABIM began pilot recruitment. Nineteen participants are enrolled in the pilot program.
Summary of Results: Six of the 19 pilot participants took the 2009 ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Examination, and two of six failed.
Conclusions: Early results indicate that pilot participants experience difficulty passing the ABIM certification exam. While the numbers are small, the pilot pass rate is significantly lower than the 92% pass rate for traditional first-time exam takers.
Take-Home Message: While New Faculty Pathway Pilot Program participants are successful academic internists, passing the certifying exam still requires significant preparation. Further study is required to better understand the characteristics and skills of nontraditional candidates seeking ABIM certification.
For more information about this presentation, please contact Research@abim.org.