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Grandparenting for Board Certification Through the American Board of Integrative Medicine
The newly developing American Board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM) has declared its eligibility requirements.1 ABOIM is a new entity backed by the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine (ABIHM) and the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and announced in September 2011. Leaders of the organizations collaborated to create the new medical specialty under the umbrella of the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS). The newly issued requirements allow medical doctors, osteopaths, or British medical doctors who have finished conventional residencies to sit for the exam. Applications open May 2013.
Of particular interest to long-practicing integrative and holistic medical doctors is a mechanism for what is called "limited time eligibility"-or what was historically known as "grandfathering." They establish a point scale for years of clinical practice (up to 250 points), current status with ABIHM (200), and American Medical Associationrecognized CME credits in integrative medicine (1 per credit up to 150). This option is likely to sunset by 2016.
Other applicants must have completed a fellowship in integrative medicine or, as an option, either: a full, 4-year residential program in naturopathic medicine; a National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine-recognized acupuncture and Oriental medicine program; or a chiropractic program accredited through the Council on Chiropractic Education. In addition, applicants "must currently hold, or previously have held, board certification granted by an American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS), American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), American Osteopathic Association (AOA), or a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) Board."
Comment: This is the first significant news from ABOIM (as it will be known) since the initiative was announced. Credit the ABOIM team for formally honoring the depth and breadth of the ND, AOM, and DC programs through recognizing such standards as essentially on par with an integrative medicine fellowship. This is a giant step out of the guild box. In an e-mail give-and-take with a group of non-MDs/DOs...