Re-Certification/Self-Assessment

Requirements

Who Must Re-Certify or Self-Assess

Note: In 2007, certain changes were made in the re-evaluation requirements of Diplomates. All active Diplomates must meet the re-evaluation requirement, including Founders and Emeritus, with the following exceptions (refer to page 18 in our Policy Manual for Diplomate status):

• Those Diplomates who have already attained 60 years of age (including Founders and Emeritus) by 2006 remain exempt from their 10-year re-credentialing requirement
• Diplomates who are Retired are exempt from the requirement
• Diplomates who can document permanent disability from the ability to practice the profession of podiatry are exempt from the re-evaluative process.
• Diplomates who are disabled or are inactive may have the re-evaluation requirement extended based upon appeal to the Board of Directors.

Diplomates who will become 60 years of age in 2007 and 2008, holding time-limited certificates and in the tenth year of their re-credentialing cycle, are being allowed additional time (until 2009) for case preparation due to their prior expectation of attaining the 60 year of age re-credentialing waiver. As with all Diplomates holding time-limited certificates, the Board advises that re-certification be attempted before the final year (2009) of eligibility for individuals given the extension as well as those who were previously certified or re-certified in 1999.

A Diplomate who fails the recertification process in their final year of eligibility is automatically placed on suspended status and given the option to undergo a case defense process. If the suspended diplomate declines the case defense option, their diplomate status is revoked. If the suspended diplomate completes the case defense process successfully, their active diplomate status is restored. If they fail, their diplomate status is revoked.

A. Members who achieved Diplomate status prior to 1994, hold lifetime certificates. They have the option of either self-assessing or re-certifying. Lifetime certificate holders who fail either re-evaluation method will still retain their Diplomate status; however, failure to complete either option will result in the loss of Diplomate status.

Note: The self-assessment process is not the same as re-certification and may not fulfill third party re-credentialing requirements (e.g. hospitals or managed care companies). We strongly advise you to review your third party contracts carefully. ABPOPPM headquarters is mandated to inform inquiring third party credentialing organizations seeking verification of a Diplomate's status of the method by which the Diplomate has been re-evaluated (re-certification versus self-assessment).

The Self-assessment Examination consists of 100 written questions in a variety of short answer formats, e.g. multiple choice, matching, etc. Candidates will receive their examination questions and answer form through the mail. The answer form is to be returned to board headquarters. Diplomates will receive individual reports of their performance by mail within 8 weeks following the examination, as well as aggregate data for the group tested that year.

The Re-certification Process is a Case Documentation Review process, which involves submitting 8 cases on disc(s) or binder(s). It is not a written or oral examination. The diplomate initially lists 36 cases from among 16 listed subject areas, from which the Case Documentation Review Committee chooses the 8 cases requiring full documentation. A minimum of 4 subject areas must be chosen, but the Diplomate may choose as many as all 16 from which to list their cases. Diplomates holding lifetime certificates that elect to go through the re-certification process rather than the Self-assessment examination, and fail, will still be given credit for having Self-assessed. Lifetime certificate holders who successfully re-certify retain their right to meet a future re-evaluation requirement through the Self-assessment Examination and are not obligated to re-certify.

B. Members who achieved Diplomate status in 1994 or thereafter hold 10-year, time-limited certificates. They have four (4) opportunities to pass the re-certification process. They may attempt the Case Document Review process as described in section A above in the 8th, 9th, and 10th year from their prior certification but must attempt that process no later than the 10th year. Also, see the section starting with "General Information on Case Submission" and all pertaining pages that follow. Diplomates who are unsuccessful in re-certifying by the 10th year, having gone through the Case Documentation Review process will be given a final opportunity to retain their Diplomate status by undertaking a case defense process. This is an oral process in which the Diplomate is required to defend his or her submitted cases, as selected by the Board, to a panel of Diplomates, likewise selected by the Board. Failure to pass this process will result in the loss of Diplomate status.

Diplomates who re-certify early will be given 10 years plus the numbers of years in which they re-certified in advance before they are required to re-certify. For example, a Diplomate holding a time-limited certified acquired in 1994 who elected to re-certify in 2002 would be deemed re-certified in 2002 but would not have to re-certify again until 2014.

C. Members who fail the re-certification process in their 10th year are placed on suspended status and given a final opportunity to regain Active status with the Board by successfully completing the Case Defense Process. The Case Defense Process is an interview format designed to discuss aspects of the cases and topics that the Diplomate had submitted in the original re-certification process. The interview will be conducted by a group of Diplomates designated by the Board who have not been involved in the review of the Diplomate's original case documents. The committee members will be questioning Diplomates on issues such as patient management as documented in the records relative to generally accepted standards of care; and general knowledge related to the category or categories in which the cases were listed.

The date and location of the interview process will be determined by the committee and communicated to the Diplomate in writing. The suspended Diplomate will need to travel to a location specified by the Board. The binder(s) will be returned to the Diplomate in advance of the interview process for their review.

Materials Required for Re-Certification:

Re-Certification documents are available here for viewing online with Adobe Reader (please see the Acrobat download link below):

1. 2008 Examination Information and Requirements Booklet (Online PDF)  
2. 2008 Form 106 and Guideline (Online PDF)  
3. 2008 Case Summary Index Form 112 and Instructions (Online PDF)  
4. 2008 Form 121 (Online PDF)  
5. 2008 Case Documentation Seminar Application (Online PDF)  

The five documents required for Re-Certification are also available for download, archived in a single file packet for your convenience. Click here to go to our download page then click on the "Re-Certification Packet" link.

Materials Required for Self-Assessment:

Self-Assessment documents are available here for viewing online with Adobe Reader (please see the Acrobat download link below):

1. 2008 Examination Information And Requirements Booklet (Online PDF)  
2. 2008 Form 105 and Guideline (Online PDF)  
3. 2008 Study Guide (Online PDF)  

The two documents required for Self-Assessment are also available for download, archived in a single file packet for your convenience. Click here to go to our download page then click on the "Self-Assessment Packet" link.

Adobe Reader:

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