Memorandum To Examination Applicants

ABPM Headquarters has received calls from individuals who wish to sit for the ABPM certification examination but who completed a residency training sequence designated for access to the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery only (e.g. PSR-24).  These were legacy programs that preceded the PM&S-24, PM&S-36 and PMSR program designations.  Graduates from PM&S-24, PM&S-36 and PMSR training programs may sit for the certification examinations of either the ABPM or ABFAS.

As a result of decisions made by the Specialty Board Recognition Committee (SBRC) (JCRSB), through whom the ABPM and ABFAS are credentialed, the recognized certifying boards can only credential those individuals who completed residency training designated toward their particular specialties, irrespective of the individual’s practice pattern and expertise acquired subsequent to residency training.

Based on the volume of calls received regarding this issue, the ABPM requested reconsideration by the JCRSB of this policy in the fall of 2014.  In March 2015 we received notice that the request had been denied.  Both correspondences may be accessed below (note that an excerpt of the overall JCRSB response is provided as the correspondence covered additional, unrelated issues).