Maintenance of Certification (Recertification)

Continued interest and commitment to learning are essential when maintaining a level of expertise in a given field. Time limited certification and certification maintenance processes are standard with all certifying boards. The American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine (ABIHM) has developed the certification maintenance process to assure continued proficiency and growth in the art, science and practice of Integrative Holistic Medicine (IHM). Certification maintenance with the ABIHM is required every 7 years. Proficiency in IHM is a combination of academic, work-based, personal, and relationship growth. Certification maintenance (recertification) therefore evaluates the growth of ABIHM diplomates in each of these areas. Please note that Diplomates are not required to sit for the exam again in order to achieve recertification. We hope that the recertification process is gratifying to you, both personally and professionally, and we welcome your comments.

The requirements include the following (completely accomplished online):

• ABIHM Diplomate status – You must have been certified as an ABIHM Diplomate prior to undergoing maintenance of certification. The recertification cycle is every seven years. Diplomates who originally certified during the years 2000-2004 are no longer eligible to undergo recertification and must take the certification exam to reactivate ABIHM status. Recertification should be accomplished by December 31st, seven years following the year of initial certification. We do allow a one year grace period following the expiration date to complete all requirements. For example, Diplomates who certified originally in 2005 were due to recertify by 12/31/12. For those who missed the 12/31/12 deadline, we do permit “Late Recertification” ($150 penalty fee applies) such that the final process of recertification must be completed by 12/31/13. For such individuals, status on our website will appear expired during 2013 until all requirements have been met.  Applications and other documents for any Diplomate received more than one year past due date will not be accepted. No refunds for partially accomplished recertification will be provided.
• Current Licensure – You must be currently licensed in the United States, Puerto Rico or Canada as an MD or DO in good standing to be eligible for certification maintenance. Your license verification MUST indicate the expiration date of your current license. You may either scan your current license or copy and paste verification from your state medical board’s website onto a Word document, provided the source and expiration date are evident.
• Reporting 120 Category One CME hours, at least 60 of which have been obtained from integrative holistic activities. Submit your official CME transcript to the ABIHM Recertification application area. If your 60 hours of Category One integrative holistic activities are not readily apparent, you should clearly demonstrate or  highlight the integrative holistic CME credits directly on the transcript. If your CME transcript is unavailable, you may type out a written list of Category One approved CME activities including the official title of the activity, the dates attended, and the number of hours claimed. Integrative Holistic CME credits should be evident in the activity title.
• Personal growth log, indicating at least 70 hours of personally/professionally enriching activities. You will meet this requirement by submitting a list of the coursework, retreats, self-study (including books, journals), elective CME activities, or counseling in which you have participated during your re-election cycle.
• Case presentation—for Diplomates in clinical practice. A clinical case must be submitted, representing your holistic medical diagnosis and management of a patient. A 1-4 page narrative will suffice. Copies of lab results and other diagnostic reports should not be included, nor any patient names or identifying information. We are interested in your story of how you treated your patient in an integrative holistic manner.
• Growth in understanding the business of Integrative Holistic Medicine—only necessary for  Diplomates not actively in medical practice at the time of certification maintenance or who have left clinical practice between certification periods and cannot submit a case. You will describe your work in the arena of integrative holistic medicine and the demonstration and application of new strategies in this area.  Participation in meetings and seminars involving the business of integrative holistic medicine should also be documented. If your area of work is in academia, please similarly express your growth in this capacity.
• Choice of 6 chapters from the current Course Curriculum Study Guide (complete, updated copy provided upon registration for recertification will be found under MY SUBSCRIPTIONS on the lower left of the account page) on which to be tested (2 questions per chapter). Note: All documents must be uploaded and approved before the online 12-question exam can be taken.
• Payment of Recertification fee ($600).  Late recertification fee: $750 (if initiated past 12/31 of recertification year; no submissions accepted past one year beyond expiration date, and no refunds are provided for uncompleted recertification cycles). IMPORTANT NOTE: Recertification fees are scheduled to increase on January 1st, 2014 to $700 for on time registration and $850 for late recertification within the one year grace period.

Always allow 1-2 business days for our administration to verify your submitted documents.

If you do NOT already have a Username and Password,
Click Here to Register for Recertification.

If you already are a registered user of our web site, simply log in to your member area and click on the Add/Renew Subscription Button in the My Account area, and then click on the appropriate recertification fee within the drop down menu. If you are a Diplomate who has passed the late recertification deadline and you wish to begin the certification process again, you must contact the ABIHM office so that we can reset your status.

After payment occurs, make sure you are logged in. Read the account page, scroll to the bottom of the page, and complete your profile areas under MY ABIHM. Then click on MY RECERTIFICATION PROGRESS to upload your documents, take the 12 question exam, and receive your results.

If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact us at admin@abihm.org or 218-525-5651.