Health Equity Statement

As the current leaders of ABIM and the ABIM Foundation, we affirm our ongoing commitment to advancing health equity in furtherance of the missions and work of both organizations.

To that end:

• We include health equity content in our assessments, based on science and evidence related to health disparities
• We conduct structured reviews of questions (items) on our assessments, to ensure that any potentially biased questions are identified and addressed.
• We conduct research on our assessments, and we use this research to contribute to improved assessment strategies.

ABIM seeks to enhance the quality of health care by certifying internists and subspecialists who demonstrate the knowledge and skills essential for excellent patient care. As an organization that sets standards, we must ensure that our assessments reflect the needs of patients and society. Key among these needs is health equity, “a human right that allows everyone to achieve the best attainable health and outcomes, by overcoming all avoidable barriers.”¹ We will continuously hold ourselves accountable to standards of fairness and seek feedback from a broad range of voices including patient voices.

Improving equity in medical care and health cannot be done alone, and we will continue to collaborate with organizations within medicine and the broader community to address health inequities and reduce barriers for those seeking to join our internal medicine workforce.

Through our programs and initiatives, ABIM and the ABIM Foundation are committed to advancing the values of medical professionalism in ways that foster trustworthiness, promote health equity, and improve care for all patients.

¹ Douglass, P., Itchhaporia, D., Bozkurt, B., et al. Achieving Equitable Cardiovascular Care for All: ACC Board of Trustees Health Equity Task Force Action Plan. JACC Adv. 2024 Jul; 3(7_Part_2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacadv.2024.1010