The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) is introducing Certification 2025, a new Continuous Certification 5-Year Cycle, effective January 1, 2025. This update aligns with the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Assessment Standards for Continuing Certification, ensuring physicians meet ongoing certification requirements.
The ABMS has mandated that boards assess physicians no less than every five years to maintain certification. This shift allows Diplomates to keep pace with evolving medical advancements and practice guidelines while continuing to demonstrate excellence in family medicine.
All ABFM-certified physicians will transition to the new 5-Year Cycle when their next exam requirement comes due.
According to ABFM President and CEO Warren Newton, “We will honor the current 10-year exam requirement. Diplomates will not be required to transition to the new 5-Year Cycle any earlier than 10 years from when they last met their exam requirement. We intend to make the transition as seamless as possible for every Diplomate.”
Physician Benefits of the New 5-Year Cycle
This new approach to certification comes with several advantages for physicians, providing more flexibility and options for maintaining certification:
- Flexible Exam Options: Choose between quarterly exam questions or the traditional one-day exam.
- More Time for Certification Activities: Diplomates will have five years, rather than three, to complete required activities.
- Self-Paced Certification: Physicians can select how and when they complete activities, based on their schedules.
- Fifth Year Free: Diplomates who fulfill all requirements in the first four years get the fifth year off.
- No Fee Changes in 2025: Annual certification fees will remain unchanged, offering financial predictability.
Requirements (Every Five Years)
- Certification Exam: Diplomates can either answer 25 quarterly exam questions through longitudinal assessment or take the traditional one-day exam. Med-Challenger's Family Medicine products can prepare you for both.
- Certification Activities: Earn 60 certification points by completing Self-Assessment and Performance Improvement activities.
- Continuing Medical Education (CME): Accumulate 200 AAFP or AMA-approved CME credits. Med-Challenger's ABFM Review with CME provides both credits types with low-cost, easy subscriptions.
- Professionalism and Licensure: Maintain active and valid medical licenses in accordance with ABFM's Guidelines for Professionalism, Licensure, and Personal Conduct. Med-Challenger Professionalism covers the topics you need AND provides certification with CME credits.
- Annual Fee: Continue to submit the annual certification fee.
Seamless Transition for Diplomates
All ABFM-certified physicians will receive email notifications with details on their transition to the new system. Diplomates are encouraged to visit their MyABFM Portfolio for personalized information about their certification status.
ABFM remains committed to supporting its Diplomates through this transition, ensuring the certification process is as valuable and meaningful as possible. By maintaining high standards of medical knowledge, skill, and ethics, ABFM aims to ensure that every certified physician continues to provide the best possible care to their patients.
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This new 5-Year Cycle marks a significant step toward flexibility and convenience for busy physicians. Med-Challenger can help family medicine physicians stay current with medical advances while providing them with the tools they need to meet their certification requirements.
For easy, low-cost personal medical education subscriptions that include board's prep, MOC, and CME requirements, Med-Challenger has you covered in Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, OBGYN, Physician Assistants, and Nurse Practitioners
