ABIM vs AOBIM?

[shownomercy]

ABIM vs AOBIM?

Hello
Need help please. I am coming from a combined DO/MD residency. Is it not true that if as a DO and you go to a Osteopathic fellowship you would take the AOBIM and you then should sit for the Osteopathic subspecialty board exam?
If however as a DO you then go to an Allopathic program wouldn't you be expected to sit for the Allopathic subspecialty exam? You would not be able to take the Allopathic subspecialty exam without haven first taken the ABIM exam. You can apply to have your Allopathic program recognized by the AOA and then take the Osteopathic specialty exam but that seems like a risk. I have also heard that the Osteopathic specialty exam is offered in fewer locations and may still be on paper. For these reasons it seems like it maybe better to take the Allopathic subspecialty exam if given the choice. Or do I have to take the Osteopathic because I am a DO? Is there any benefit to just taking both exams?


Thank you!

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[Hernandez]

Is it not true that if as a DO and you go to a Osteopathic fellowship you would take the AOBIM and you then should sit for the Osteopathic subspecialty board exam? - it's not not true.

If however as a DO you then go to an Allopathic program wouldn't you be expected to sit for the Allopathic subspecialty exam? - if you take a DO residency followed by a MD fellowship, you will not be eligible to sit for ABIM sub specialty boards unless you're ABIM IM certifies.

You would not be able to take the Allopathic subspecialty exam without haven first taken the ABIM exam. - correct, however non combined MD/DO programs can not sit for ABIM IM boards last Time I checked

You can apply to have your Allopathic program recognized by the AOA and then take the Osteopathic specialty exam but that seems like a risk. - a risk that their unlisted requirements could be arbitrarily used to deny your approval to sit for boards? Absoltuely, the only person I know who claims that happened to them was in a previous generation ago.

I have also heard that the Osteopathic specialty exam is offered in fewer locations and may still be on paper. - Chicago, once a year, with plenty of questions that are off the wall.

For these reasons it seems like it maybe better to take the Allopathic subspecialty exam if given the choice. - if given the choice, do not sit for AOBIM board,

Or do I have to take the Osteopathic because I am a DO? - if you're ABIM eligible for IM boards, take ABIM and then thank ABIM Pulm-cc boards,

Is there any benefit to just taking both exams? - pride? Ego? An over abundance of money?

 

[shownomercy]

No if you are in a MD DO combined residency you CAN sit for both or either board actually.

 

[Hernandez]

No if you are in a MD DO combined residency you CAN sit for both or either board actually.

I don't recall saying that you couldn't

 

[IMDoc607]

I have some experience with this myself. I did an acgme residency and will be graduating from an AOA fellowship. My recommendations are as follows:


1. Take ABIM as this will allow you to sit for any board exam going forward. I am board certified by both the ABIM and AOBIM. However, I cannot take the ABIM sub specialty exam because I am in an AOA fellowship.

2. There is no reason to take both unless you are going into an AOA fellowship. If you are not sure yet, study hard for the ABIM and pass it. If you go to an AOA fellowship then take the AOBIM in your second year of fellowship. I say this because no one wants to sit for two exams. Only do it if you have to.

The content on the exam was no difference but the test taking skills were. With the new accreditation system, this will all be abolished soon anyway.

 

[Mad Jack]

Is it not true that if as a DO and you go to a Osteopathic fellowship you would take the AOBIM and you then should sit for the Osteopathic subspecialty board exam? - it's not not true.

If however as a DO you then go to an Allopathic program wouldn't you be expected to sit for the Allopathic subspecialty exam? - if you take a DO residency followed by a MD fellowship, you will not be eligible to sit for ABIM sub specialty boards unless you're ABIM IM certifies.

You would not be able to take the Allopathic subspecialty exam without haven first taken the ABIM exam. - correct, however non combined MD/DO programs can not sit for ABIM IM boards last Time I checked

You can apply to have your Allopathic program recognized by the AOA and then take the Osteopathic specialty exam but that seems like a risk. - a risk that their unlisted requirements could be arbitrarily used to deny your approval to sit for boards? Absoltuely, the only person I know who claims that happened to them was in a previous generation ago.

I have also heard that the Osteopathic specialty exam is offered in fewer locations and may still be on paper. - Chicago, once a year, with plenty of questions that are off the wall.

For these reasons it seems like it maybe better to take the Allopathic subspecialty exam if given the choice. - if given the choice, do not sit for AOBIM board,

Or do I have to take the Osteopathic because I am a DO? - if you're ABIM eligible for IM boards, take ABIM and then thank ABIM Pulm-cc boards,

Is there any benefit to just taking both exams? - pride? Ego? An over abundance of money?

I thought the merger dealt with the whole AOA>ACGME residency>fellowship issue, and was the whole reason it was pushed through in the first place.

 

[Mad Jack]

I have some experience with this myself. I did an acgme residency and will be graduating from an AOA fellowship. My recommendations are as follows:


1. Take ABIM as this will allow you to sit for any board exam going forward. I am board certified by both the ABIM and AOBIM. However, I cannot take the ABIM sub specialty exam because I am in an AOA fellowship.

2. There is no reason to take both unless you are going into an AOA fellowship. If you are not sure yet, study hard for the ABIM and pass it. If you go to an AOA fellowship then take the AOBIM in your second year of fellowship. I say this because no one wants to sit for two exams. Only do it if you have to.

The content on the exam was no difference but the test taking skills were. With the new accreditation system, this will all be abolished soon anyway.

Is the AOA's MOC program less onerous than the ABIM's? That alone could be worth going for the AOA BC instead of the ACGME...

 

[Hernandez]

I thought the merger dealt with the whole AOA>ACGME residency>fellowship issue, and was the whole reason it was pushed through in the first place.

I'm not aware of what changes this will have in regards to board certification purposes or on which test you can sit for

 

[Hernandez]

Is the AOA's MOC program less onerous than the ABIM's? That alone could be worth going for the AOA BC instead of the ACGME...

No, and after seeing how the AOA/AOBIM/ACOI works. id much rather deal with ABIM, when asked at AOA Gary Slick basically told those asking why are y'all doing this and lodge objections to pound sand, it is what it is and there is no changing it. The online tests are painful and there is only 1 approved pt improvement module which I can't remember if it says it estimates 4-8 hours to complete. And then there are the fees. You have to pay $500 to access the website to be able to do their MOC.

And good luck getting specialty CME. Since there is no specialty IM CME programs and they will only give you partial credit for ACGME Cme. This year. I logged >250 Cme with ~30+ love cme credit A but am still short 1 1A credit that I can only get at a AOA program.