Why CC?

Learning Over a Lifetime

The guiding principle of the ABPMR Continuing Certification (CC) Program is to foster excellence in patient care by encouraging, stimulating, and supporting physiatrists’ continuing education over a lifetime of practice in PM&R. The ABPMR strives to be diplomates’ partner in professionalism by providing access to the tools necessary for ongoing learning and improvement over time.

Goals of CC

Improving our practice, enriching our patients' lives

Based on the Core Competencies set by the American Board of Medical Specialties, the ABPMR CC Program is designed to:

Foster excellence in patient care

Ease diplomates into a continuous program of lifelong learning and periodic testing

Demonstrate that physicians are maintaining their knowledge and skills over time

Document physicians' ongoing efforts to meet the requirements of certification in PM&R and keep current in the specialty

Provide assurance to the public that ABPMR diplomates maintain and continually improve their knowledge and skills in physiatry

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An Integrated Model

ABPMR CC requirements are moving toward integration—both within its design and external integration with your practice. The elements of the program include:

Professionalism

Professionalism is at the heart of the ABPMR CC Program and foundational to all the other requirements.

The requirement is met by adhering to the ABPMR Principles of Professionalism and by holding a current, valid, and unrestricted license to practice medicine. Learn more about why ABPMR standards of medical professionalism go beyond licensure.

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Tools & Resources

Lifelong Learning

Continuing certification means keeping up with the latest in the field—and assessing your own knowledge.

Lifelong learning comprises continuing medical education (CME) credits and self-assessment CME (SA-CME) credits, which should be accumulated from a variety of sources on an ongoing basis.

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Assessment

This component of continuing certification involves demonstrating and improving your knowledge over the course of your career.

Participating in Longitudinal Assessment for PM&R (LA-PM&R) and meeting the performance standard on a rolling five-year basis fulfills the assessment component of CC.

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Quality Improvement

All physicians are continually making small changes to improve some aspect of their practice—often related to office efficiency, improving patient care, or enhancing communication.

This component of CC is about applying simple measures and timeframes to those improvements and documenting how they impact your practice.

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CC PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AND FEE

Who Participates in CC, and What’s the Fee?

The ABPMR implemented its Maintenance of Certification Program in 1993. Since then, there have been a few major changes to the program as the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) implemented and updated standards for all member boards. The most recent change is the implementation of the ABPMR Continuing Certification (CC) Program starting in 2021.

All ABPMR diplomates certified in 1993 and later are required to participate in all parts of the CC Program. In addition, any ABPMR diplomate holding any ABPMR subspecialty certificate is required to participate in all parts of the CC Program for that subspecialty.

The current annual CC program fee is $360, which helps to cover the cost of administering, innovating, and providing customer service related to the CC Program. The ABPMR is currently evaluating our cost for LA PM&R, including ongoing development of questions and supporting the program; for now, LA-PM&R access is included in the $360 CC program fee. Within the next two years, ABPMR will set new fees in line with costs to run the program.

The requirements for your CC Program are based on the year you were certified or recertified. Find out more below.

CC Requirements

Your CC Program

When you pass the ABPMR Part II Examination, you've earned your primary certification in PM&R and are automatically enrolled in the Continuing Certification (CC) Program. But because the program has evolved since its inception in 1993, ABPMR CC Program requirements vary based on the year you were certified or recertified.

Certificates issued in 2020 and later

CC Requirements – Certificates issued 2012-2019

CC Requirements – Certificates issued before 2012