Candidates who apply for subspecialty certification in BIM through the ABPMR must possess a current, valid an unrestricted license to practice medicine and be either:

• 1.

  ABPMR diplomates in good standing, OR

• 2.

  Subspecialty certified in sports medicine

Candidates qualifying under sports medicine certification must be maintaining their subspecialty certification in sports medicine through an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) board; this does not include orthopaedic sports medicine certification through the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Through the 2022 exam, applicants will be declared admissible if one of the following temporary criteria is met:

• Successful completion of 12 months of an ACGME–accredited fellowship in BIM after residency and recommendation by the fellowship program director, OR

• Successful completion of 12 months of non-accredited BIM fellowship in a program affiliated with an ACGME–accredited PM&R residency training program and recommendation by the fellowship program director, OR

• Completion of a minimum of three years’ full-time practice experience (within the last five years and beyond completion of residency), of which at least 25 percent of professional time is specifically devoted to BIM; practice should be adequately broad to reasonably reflect the full scope of BIM, OR

For BIM Examination administrations after 2022 all applicants must:

• Successfully complete 12 months of an ACGME–accredited fellowship in BIM after residency, AND

• Be recommended by the fellowship program director for admissibility to the BIM Examination