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ABIM Call For Comments on Proposed Change to Procedural Requirements to be Eligible for Initial IM Certification

Issue Brief:

On August 31, 2020, the APCCMPD responded to the ABIM's request of Sub-speciality Program Directors of whether residents should be trained in any procedures in particular before entering fellowship in your discipline. The APCCMPD developed their response based on a surveyed the APCCMPD membership, which was conducted in March of 2020. Read the APCCMPD's response.

In September of 2018 the ABIM requested input as to whether or not there should be procedural competencies required of all graduating residents to be eligible for initial certification in Internal Medicine. See the APCCMPD’s September 2018 response. 

In follow-up, on March 12, 2019, the ABIM Internal Medicine Board made a recommendation about what the procedural competencies for Internal Medicine certification will be.

ABIM’s Recommendations, which are open for public comment (Learn More Here):

  • ABIM confirms that the exposure to the performance of and the opportunity to develop competence in invasive procedures is essential for internal medicine residents’ preparation for their chosen career paths.
  • However, given the range of skills needed by graduating residents in order to be ready for independent practice and/or successfully transition into accredited fellowship training, ABIM does not believe there should be a requirement for a common set of procedures to be performed by all residents for the purpose of initial certification eligibility.
  • Instead, ABIM would require Program Directors to attest at the completion of a resident’s training that they have done some procedures relevant to their intended career direction (without naming specific procedures), and most importantly, are able to demonstrate effective consent discussions, universal precautions and establishment of a sterile field that is applicable to all invasive procedures a resident may perform.
  • ABIM would further require that residents have opportunities to develop competence in procedures which will further their development as independent practitioners in their intended fields.