Diplomate Certification Renewal
Policies & Requirements
Board Evaluations and Judgments
Candidates for Certification and Maintenance of Certification agree that their professional qualifications, including their moral and ethical standing in the medical profession and their competence in clinical skills, will be evaluated by the Board, and the Board's good faith judgment concerning such matters will be final.
The Board may make inquiry of persons named in candidates' applications and of other persons, such as authorities of licensing bodies, hospitals or other institutions as the Board may deem appropriate with respect to such matters. Candidates agree that the Board may provide information it has concerning them to others whom the Board judges to have a legitimate need for it.
Board Eligibility, Board Certified, and Diplomate Status
The Board does not use, define or recognize the term "Board Eligible."
The Board does recognize and regulate the term "Board Certified".
The Board does recognize and regulate the term "Diplomate" or "DABFM". This designation will only refers to the qualification of the physician, as a Diplomate of the American Board of Fucntional Medicine, to have met the educational requirements with successful passing of the Board's examination.
The Board encourages all Diplomates to maintain their "Active" status.
Reporting ofCertification Status
The Board will routinely report or confirm a canidate's certification status. This may be through our website or by mail. If a diplomate was previously certified, the dates of former Certification will be reported. If Certification is revoked or suspended, the Board will report that fact, including the date of revocation or suspension.
Representation of Certification Status
Diplomates of the Board must accurately state their Certification status at all times. This includes descriptions in curriculum vitae, advertisements, publications, directories and letterheads. Diplomates with expired certification or those whose certification is suspended or revoked may not claim board Certification and must revise all descriptions of their qualifications accordingly. When a physician misrepresents Certification status, the Board may notify local credentialing bodies, licensing bodies, law enforcement agencies and others.
Examination Administration Problems
The canidate will hold the ABFM exempt for any unforseen problems during the adminstration or scoring of a test. This may included, but is not limited to, power failures, tornados, computer problems, or human error. If in the event such a sitiation presents itself, affected students will be given an opportunity for re-examination. This is solely up to the canidate and the canidate will not hold the Board liable for any expenses, incoveniences or damages.
Confidentiality
The Board will publish the certification status of its candiates to the public either on the website or in written form upon request.
Upon the the Diplomate's request to apply for a residency or fellowship program, the Board will provide the training director with information about the candiate's pass/fail status and score on their certification examination.
The Board reserves the right to disclose information it possesses about any individual whom it judges has violated ABFM rules, engaged in misrepresentation or unprofessional behavior, or shows signs of impairment.
Licensure
Candidates for certification and Maintenance of Certification must possess a valid, unrestricted, and unchallenged license to practice within their healthcare field in the United States, its territories or Canada. Candidates practicing exclusively abroad and who do not hold a US or Canadian license, must hold a license where they practice and provide documentation from the relevant licensing authority that their license is in good standing and without conditions or restrictions. A candidate whose license has been restricted, suspended, revoked, or surrendered in lieu of disciplinary action, in any jurisdiction, cannot be certified, recertified or admitted to a certification examination. Restrictions include but are not limited to conditions, contingencies, probation, and stipulated agreements.
Substance Abuse
Any candidate or diplomate who has a history of substance abuse, including alcholism, will be required to provide documentation of at least one year of continuous sobriety from a reliable monitoring source must be submitted to the Board for admission to an examination or to receive a certificate. The Board treats such information as confidential.
Suspension and Revocation of Certificates
The Board may, at its discretion, revoke or rescind Certification if the diplomate was not qualified to receive the certificate at the time it was issued, even if the certificate was issued as a result of a mistake on the part of the Board. It may also revoke the certificate if the diplomate fails to maintain moral, ethical or professional behavior satisfactory to the Board, or engages in misconduct that adversely affects professional competence or integrity. It may revoke or suspend the certificate if: (1) the diplomate made any material misstatement of fact or omission of fact to the Board in connection with application or to any third party concerning the diplomate's Certification status; or (2) the diplomate's license to practice in any area of healthcare has been revoked, suspended, restricted or surrendered in lieu of disciplinary action in any jurisdiction. Restrictions include but are not limited to conditions, contingencies, probation, and stipulated agreements. A physician may petition the Board for reinstatement of suspended Certification upon restoration of unrestricted licensure. If the Board grants the petition, and upon such conditions as the Board may require, the physician must complete the Board’s Maintenance of Certification program. Upon successful completion of the Maintenance of Certification program, the physician will be granted a new time-limited certificate consistent with the current policies of the Board.
Irregular Behavior on Examinations
The Board's examinations are copyrighted and administered in secure testing centers by test administrators who are responsible for maintaining the integrity and security of the Certification process. Test administrators are required to report to the Board any irregular or improper behavior by a candidate, such as giving or obtaining information or aid, looking at the test material of others, removing examination materials from the test center, taking notes, bringing electronic devices (e.g., beepers, pagers, cell phones, recorders, etc.) into the examination, failing to comply with time limits or instructions, talking, or other disruptive behavior.
Re-examination
Candidates who are unsuccessful on an examination may apply for re-examination. To be granted admission, candidates must meet all applicable licensure, professional standing and procedural requirements. Candidate may only take the board exam for a maximum of 3 attempts, without any deadline when to take it. Candidates that cannot pass the exam within 3 attempts will be required to complete 50 hours of additional functional medicine coursework before becoming eligible to retake the exam for a total of 3 additional attempts.
