Addiction Medicine Specialty Grows

ASAM Applauds the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) and The Addiction Medicine Foundation (TAMF) regarding new addiction medicine board examination in fall of 2017  

November 30, 2016 – Today the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) and The Addiction Medicine Foundation (TAMF) announced a major step forward in the integration of the field of addiction medicine into routine medical practice. Starting in the fall of 2017, ABPM will offer physicians who are certified by a Member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) the opportunity to become certified in the subspecialty of addiction medicine.

“The announcement today is met with great excitement, we can now start preparing physicians for the board exam and provide resources to support them throughout their career,” said Dr. Jeffrey Goldsmith, ASAM President. “We look forward to working with ABPM, ABMS and TAMF to expand our addiction treatment workforce and provide much-needed certified specialists to care for those suffering from this disease.”

This announcement follows the recognition of the new subspecialty of addiction medicine by ABMS in October, 2015 and the approval of fellowship training in addiction medicine by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in June, 2016.

Scheduled for July 27-29, 2017 in Dallas, Texas, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) will hold its review course to assist physicians preparing for the fall 2017 examination.

The ASAM Review Course in Addiction Medicine is widely recognized as the essential primer for physicians. The July 2017 course features an outstanding faculty and offers two and a half days of sessions which are mapped onto the addiction medicine exam blueprint of topics.

The first five years that the exam is offered is the optimal time for physicians to become board certified in addiction medicine. Physicians who are already certified by any of the 24 Member Boards of the ABMS and have substantial experience in the field of addiction medicine are eligible to apply to take the examination. During the first five years the examination is given, individuals will NOT be required to complete an addiction medicine fellowship. After that, a one-year addiction medicine fellowship will be required.

Physicians interested in preparing for the ABPM Board Certification/Recertification examination should visit: http://www.asam.org/reviewcourse

For more information about taking the ABPM Board Certification examination, visit http://www.theabpm.org/