ABIM Blog (07/12/23)

The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) will retire its Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine (FPHM) program at the end of this year ahead of launching new inpatient-targeting versions of the Internal Medicine Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) and the 10-year Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification (MOC) exam next January. "[The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM)] has long advocated that hospitalists deserve an exam option closely aligned to their day-to-day hospital-based practice," said SHM CEO Eric Howell, MD, MHM. "We believe the process ABIM used to evaluate how to best serve hospitalists was rigorous, and this decision reflects the preferences of a majority of members. SHM hopes the new inpatient assessment options will make it easier for hospitalists to choose a recertification pathway that resembles practice." Practitioners currently maintaining FPHM-accorded Internal Medicine certification will continue being publicly disclosed as certified in that category through December 1, provided they maintain their other MOC program requirements. December 1 also marks the start of enrollment for all 2024 ABIM exams. All diplomates due for a 2024 Internal Medicine or Hospital Medicine evaluation, including current FPHM program enrollees, can participate in either of the new inpatient Internal Medicine MOC exams or the Internal Medicine MOC exam or LKA.

Read More