Cardiovascular Business (02/28/25) Walter, Michael

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has rejected an application to establish a new American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine. The proposed board, which would have managed the certification and recertification processes for cardiologists and other cardiovascular care specialists in the United States, would have been completely independent of the American Board of Internal Medicine. It was proposed by the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Heart Failure Society of America, Heart Rhythm Society, and Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions. “We are deeply disappointed with the ABMS decision not to approve the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine as a new, independent board for cardiology,” Jeffrey Kuvin, MD, chair of the proposed board. “The decision ignores the evolution of cardiovascular medicine into its own distinct medical specialty, separate from the field of internal medicine, requiring its own set of knowledge, skills, and competencies to sustain professional excellence and effectively care for cardiovascular patients. In addition, the decision does not acknowledge fundamental change in how clinicians learn information and demonstrate skills throughout their careers.” Kuvin said he hopes ABMS will consider the input of the groups involved in the proposal for future policy decisions. “We are overdue on rethinking the current approach to assessment and maintenance of competency and look forward to continuing to find new ways to ensure continuous cardiovascular clinical competence in a manner that meets the best interests of cardiovascular physicians and patients alike,” he said.

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