OVERVIEW
Fees for All Examinations
Honor Code
Candidates with Disabilities
Certification
CME Award
Revocation
Re-Application after Revocation
Re-Examinations
CCP Fellowship Waiver and Military Waiver
Appeals and Review of Adverse Decisions
Privacy Policy
Explanation of Board Certificate Numbers
Written Verification of Board Certification
Expiration of a Time Limited Certificate
Fees for All Examinations
The Directors of the Board serve without compensation. Fees are based on the actual expenses incurred in administration of the Board office and related activities, and on the costs of development and administration of the Board examinations.
All fees are payable when the application for an examination is submitted and are applied to the first examination of that type given after approval of the application.
CURRENT FEES
BASIC Examination
Residents in ACGME-accredited programs: $300.00
All others: $150.00
CORE Exam:
$200 (for 4 module attempts)
$54 for each additional module attempt
$125 per module taken after residency
APPLIED Examination: $2,250.00
Initial Dermatopathology Subspecialty Certification Examination: $1,800.00
Initial Pediatric Dermatology Subspecialty Certification Examination: $1,800.00
Initial Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery (MDS) Subspecialty Certification Examination: $1,800.00
CCP Annual Fee (deadline Dec. 31): $150.00
OTHER FEES
Call the ABD office for details
Request for verification of certification: $35.00
Replacement certificate: $75.00
Checks returned for insufficient funds: $35.00
All checks are to be made payable to The American Board of Dermatology. The Board also accepts credit card payments (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express). Contact the Board office for details.
Candidates who withdraw from an exam 14 or more days before the exam administration begins will be refunded their entire exam fee. Candidates who withdraw less than 14 days before the exam administration begins will be charged $500, but the remainder of their exam fee will be refunded. Candidates who fail to appear for an exam, without verifiable evidence of extenuating circumstances, will forfeit the entire exam fee. Candidates must notify the Board office in writing when withdrawing from an exam. Withdrawal requests are not accepted by phone.
Candidates who do not successfully pass the certifying exam in Dermatology or the subspecialty examinations retain the right to reapply, submit the examination fee in effect at the time of the application, and retake the examination in any subsequent year, within 5 years of completing their residency training. Please refer to our Re-Examinations section for full details.
For further information concerning Board policy in effect and for the applicable examination fee, write or call the ABD office (617-910-6400).
All correspondence should be sent to:
Randall K. Roenigk, MD - Executive Director
American Board of Dermatology
2 Wells Avenue
Newton, MA 02459
Tel: 617-910-6400
communications@ABDerm.org
At the time of applying or registering for an ABD examination, all candidates are presented with and asked to agree to the American Board of Dermatology Honor Code. On Exam Day, candidates are asked to reaffirm their agreement with the Honor Code.
The American Board of Dermatology complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and, therefore, will provide or allow the use of necessary auxiliary aids, services or testing conditions that do not fundamentally alter the measurement of the skills or knowledge the Board assessment program is intended to test. To request accommodations for an exam, candidates must notify the Board of the need for special testing at the time that he/she applies for the exam. This advanced notice is required to allow the Board to review the supporting documentation, and to verify the disability, if necessary. After requesting an accommodation on the exam application, the candidate will use the Application for Special Accommodations to submit a detailed request and supporting documentation to the ABD.
After meeting the requirements and passing the examination, the candidate will be awarded a certificate which acknowledges that he or she has completed the required course of graduate study and clinical training, has met other required specific standards and qualifications, and has passed the examination conducted by the Board. The candidate is then referred to as a Diplomate of The American Board of Dermatology and will be displayed as certified in both the 'Is My Derm Certified?' online search tool on ABDerm.org and the ABMS Certification Matters website. Renewal of the certification is subject to successful completion of Continuing Certification (CCP) requirements.
Individuals who PASS an ABD certifying or subspecialty exam will automatically receive 60 AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits. The ABD has contracted with the AMA to provide these credits at no cost to diplomates. After the ABD releases the exam results, the AMA will send passing candidates a certificate for this credit.
Each certificate is subject to revocation or suspension in the event that:
(a) the diplomate was not eligible to receive the certificate, whether or not the facts concerning ineligibility were known to the Board at the time that the time certificate was issued;
(b) the diplomate has made any material misrepresentation or omission in the application for certification or in any other statement to the Board or has failed in timely fashion to supplement any response to any question on any examination application with respect to criminal conduct, loss or suspension of a medical license, medical staff privileges, or medical society membership;
(c) the diplomate is convicted of, or pleads nolo contendere to a crime, which in the judgment of the Board relates to the practice of medicine;
(d) the diplomate fails to complete the dermatology Continuing Certification Program (CCP) requirements in a timely fashion and fails to make an effort to engage in the CCP process or to communicate with the ABD about the reasons for delay;
(e) the diplomate is found to have engaged in conduct which, in the judgment of the Board,
(i) reflects unethical activity relating to the practice of medicine, or
(ii) casts significant doubt on the ability of the diplomate to practice medicine in the best interests of patients; or
(f) the diplomate is found by the Board to have
(i) engaged in irregular behavior in connection with the examination,
(ii) had a license to practice medicine revoked or suspended,
(iii) been expelled from a medical society for reasons other than non-payment of dues or failure to attend meetings,
(iv) has had medical staff privileges revoked or suspended for reasons relating to the practice of medicine,
(v) taken other action reasonably deemed by the Board to be inconsistent with diplomate status, or
(vi) willfully and materially violated any rule or policy of the Board, or
(g) the diplomate is uncooperative with the Board, particularly in failing to respond to multiple communications from the Board regarding certification, continuing certification, or licensure actions.
Re-Application after Revocation
A physician whose board certification has been revoked may apply for reinstatement as a Diplomate when the physician believes that the circumstances underlying the Board’s action have been satisfactorily resolved. The physician shall apply by providing a written statement setting forth in detail the changes in circumstances. The Board shall consider such statement and determine whether to reinstate the physician’s certification. The physician shall be promptly notified of the Board’s decision. The appeals process of the Board is described in Appeals and Review of Adverse Decisions.
CORE Exam
Individuals who do not pass the CORE Exam modules before completing residency training may continue to attempt the module(s) after graduation. Graduated residents with CORE Exam modules outstanding will receive invitations to apply for each CORE Exam during their 5-year eligibility period after graduation. Because passing the CORE Exam is necessary to qualify for the APPLIED Exam, they will not be able to apply for the APPLIED Exam until they complete the CORE Exam. They are considered “board eligible” because they completed training. Their window of opportunity to become Board Certified is during a five-year period of eligibility that begins at the date of the completion of residency training
APPLIED Exam
Candidates for initial certification have a five-year period of eligibility during which they may take the APPLIED Exam. Their window of opportunity to become Board Certified begins on the date of completing residency training. Eligible candidates will be invited to apply for the APPLIED Exam when the application opens, which is typically in the spring.
Residents who complete an approved dermatology residency will not be permitted to take the APPLIED Exam later than five years following the completion of their training. A dermatologist who has not met these requirements may not claim to be “board eligible” unless the American Board of Dermatology determines that that physician has been prevented from taking the examination within the applicable five-year period by military deployment or by catastrophic illness. If either of these situations exists, a dermatologist wishing to claim to be “board eligible” or wishing to take the examination after the expiration of the five-year period may be granted a one- or two-year deferral by submitting a request to the Board. The decision to grant or deny a deferral will be at the sole discretion of the Board.
Continuing Certification Program (CCP) Requirements not Completed
If the candidate does not successfully complete the CCP process prior to expiration of his/her time-limited certificate, he/she will remain eligible to participate in the process but will cease to be Board-certified until the process is successfully completed and a new time-limited certificate is issued.
Should a diplomate with a time-limited certificate not complete the requirements for CCP by the end of the tenth year, the certificate will expire and the physician will lose diplomate status. Once the certificate has expired, the physician may not represent himself/herself to the profession or the public as being certified until and unless certification has been reinstated by the American Board of Dermatology. The physician may apply for reinstatement, but must meet all the criteria in effect at that time.
Diplomates with lifetime certification who voluntarily choose to participate in CCP will receive an additional 10-year certificate. Expiration dates on subsequent 10-year certificates will be based on the initial CCP certificate expiration date. For example, a diplomate who initially certified in 1980 (lifetime, no expiration date), and elected to enter CCP in 2016, received a certificate with an expiration date of December 31, 2025.
CCP Fellowship Waiver, Military Waiver and International Medical Graduates
Fellowship Waiver
Diplomates in a dermatopathology, pediatric dermatology, or Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology fellowship training program, will be exempt from paying the annual $150 CCP fee, license attestation, and will not be required to report 25 hours of CME for the year in which the fellowship ends, if that fellowship began the year the residency training ended. If there is a gap of at least a year between residency and fellowship, then the $150 fee, license attestation and CME attestation requirement will be waived for the year in which the fellowship starts. A letter of attestation of fellowship status is required from the program director (please submit this electronically to communications@ABDerm.org). After the fellowship is complete, diplomates will be required to obtain 25 hours of CME credits (dermatology related, AAD or AMA approved) per year and begin paying the $150 fee. For example, for diplomates who took the APPLIED Exam in July 2021 and whose fellowship is completed on June 30, 2022, CME accrual begins January 1, 2023 and the CCP annual fee is due December 31, 2023.
Diplomates are required to have a preliminary registration form on file in the ABD office at the beginning of their fellowship year. Contact the ABD office (617-910-6400) to verify that the fellowship and waiver are recorded in your profile.
Military Waiver
Military personnel with time-limited certificates who are serving overseas and unable to complete the CCP requirements before expiration of their certificate, will receive an extension and be allowed to take the examination at the next available opportunity upon their return from overseas duty.
Military personnel will be exempt from paying the annual $150 CCP fee, license attestation, and will not be required to collect 25 hours CME for one year during the time they are serving overseas.
Appeals and Review of Adverse Decisions
The American Board of Dermatology recognizes a candidate's right of appeal following an adverse action at any stage of the certification process. Within the residency program, trainees must be accorded due process in compliance with provisions established by the parent institution and as stipulated in the Essentials of Accredited Residencies in Graduate Medical Education, (effective July 1, 1992) of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
Any candidate for initial certification (primary specialty or subspecialty) shall be given prompt written notice of any adverse decision by the Board. Such notice shall briefly state the reason for the adverse decision. It shall advise whether or not the candidate has a right to appeal the decision and shall include a copy of this document.
A candidate found to have engaged in cheating or other irregular behavior in connection with an examination may appeal the Board's finding, any consequent invalidation of the candidate's examination and any disbarment from future examinations. Such appeal must be received in the Board office within 30 days of mailing the notification of the finding by the Board.
A. APPEALABLE DECISIONS
1. Request for Appeal
Any physician (a) whose credentials for eligibility to sit for an ABD examination have not been approved, or (b) who has been denied certification for a reason other than receipt of a failing grade on the examination, or (c) whose certification or continuing certification has been revoked, or (d) whose application for reinstatement has been denied, shall have a right to appeal the adverse decision by submitting a written request for appeal in compliance with this policy on Review of Adverse Decisions. Such request must contain a concise statement of why the physician believes that the adverse decision was improper, must include any supporting material that the physician wishes to have considered, and must be received in the Office of the Board within 30 days after the date of the Board's notice of an adverse decision. The request may also include a request for a hearing. If a proper request for appeal is not received within 30 days, the adverse decision shall constitute the final decision of the Board.
2. Review by Appeals Committee
Each proper and timely request for appeal will be reviewed by an Appeals Committee consisting of three individuals appointed by the President of the ABD. No member of the Appeals Committee shall have participated in the adverse decision under review unless that decision was made by the full Board of Directors. The Appeals Committee, after reviewing the request for appeal, shall either (a) affirm, reverse, or modify the adverse decision or (b) grant a hearing if one has been requested and the Committee determines that a hearing might be useful.
If the Appeals Committee determines that a hearing might be useful, it shall schedule a hearing within 60 days after that determination. Not less than 30 days prior to the scheduled date of the hearing, the Appeals Committee shall notify the physician in writing of the date, time, and place of the hearing. The Appeals Committee, at its sole discretion, may determine whether legal counsel for the physician may be present at the hearing and the extent to which such counsel may participate.
The physician's written intent to appear at the hearing must be received in the Office of the Board not later than 14 days before the scheduled date of the hearing. A physician who chooses to appear shall be given the opportunity to make a statement summarizing his/her position. The Appeals Committee shall not be bound by technical rules of evidence usually employed in legal proceedings, but may consider any evidence it deems appropriate. A record of the proceedings shall be kept. A copy of the hearing record shall be made available to the physician upon payment of the cost of reproduction. All expenses incurred by the physician in connection with the hearing shall be borne by the physician.
Following the hearing, the Appeals Committee shall determine whether to affirm, reverse, or modify the adverse decision. The physician shall be promptly notified in writing of the action of the Appeals Committee and the reason for the action. The Committee's action in affirming, reversing, or modifying the adverse decision shall be subject only to ratification by the Board of Directors.
3. Review by the Board of Directors
The action of the Appeals Committee shall be reviewed no later than the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall ratify the action of the Appeals Committee unless it finds that action to have been arbitrary, unreasonable, or not sustained by the record. The physician shall be promptly notified of the Board's decision. The decision of the Board of Directors shall constitute the final action of the Board on the matter.
B. NON-APPEALABLE DECISIONS
1. Decisions by Residency Program or Program Director
Decisions by a physician's Residency Program, Program Director, or sponsoring institution regarding credit for training or any other matter shall not be appealable to the Board. Any disagreement by a physician with such decisions should be communicated to the Residency Program, Program Director, or sponsoring institution. The Board will not second-guess judgments of these entities. However, the physician may contact the Board to determine what further steps, if any, may be available.
2. Decisions Based on Failure of a Certifying Examination
Upon being informed of a failing score on the APPLIED Exam, MDS Subspecialty Certification Exam, Pediatric Dermatology Subspecialty Certification Exam or Dermatopathology Subspecialty Certification Exam, a candidate may contact the ABD office to request a call with an Executive Staff member to learn about the quality control measures taken to ensure the accuracy of exam results. Refer to the How Are Exams Scored? page for more details.
Privacy Policy
The American Board of Dermatology will collect mail and email addresses in order to communicate with individuals and notify them of important information relating to examinations, registration, certification, continuing certification, and other ABD activities that may affect them. The ABD will not disclose personal information to any third parties, except when required by law or as described below for the American Board of Medical Specialties, Pearson VUE testing centers, the psychometrics firm (for exam scoring) and the American Academy of Dermatology. ABD does not share personal information about its applicants or diplomates with companies or third parties outside of ABD for marketing purposes.
The ABD provides basic biographical and demographic diplomate data to the American Board of Medical Specialties, including the last 4 digits of social security numbers, which publishes The Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists. The ABMS will directly contact diplomates regarding the publication of diplomate information in its directory. ABD diplomates will communicate directly to the ABMS the personal information that they wish to appear in the directory.
For identification purposes, ABD also provides basic biographic and demographic data for candidates taking ABD examinations to Pearson VUE testing centers and Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) (psychometrics firm).
The ABD also shares personal information such as mail and email addresses with the American Academy of Dermatology to help maintain currency and accuracy of diplomate records and so that the AAD can provide materials to diplomates that are designed to assist them in remaining current in their specialty.
(Updated February 2011)
Explanation of Board Certificate Numbers
Prior to 2003, the American Board of Dermatology did not use certificate numbers. Dermatologists certified before 2003 who are completing forms for hospitals, government agencies, etc. should answer questions relating to a certificate number as "Not Applicable".
Written Verification of Board Certification
The American Board of Dermatology provides written verification of Board status for a fee of $35. Send a check or money order (payable to the American Board of Dermatology), signed release from the physician in question, and the address to whom the verification should be sent, to:
American Board of Dermatology
2 Wells Avenue
Newton, MA 02459
The ABD also accepts payment by credit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or VISA). Send credit card number, expiration date, billing address, and name as it appears on the card to the address above.
Please contact ABMS Solutions for information on professional credentialing and Primary Source Verification at sales@abmssolutions.com / 1-800-733-2267.
For patient use, please go to www.certificationmatters.org.
Expiration of a Time Limited Certificate
When a diplomate successfully completes the CCP program in advance of the expiration of his/her certificate, a new certificate will be issued for 10 years commencing January 1 of the year immediately following the expiration date of the prior certificate.
A diplomate who does not successfully complete the CCP requirements prior to expiration of his/her time-limited certificate will have a lapsed certificate. The physician will no longer be certified and may not be represented to the profession or the public as a board-certified dermatologist. If the physician wishes to have his/her certification reinstated – s/he can appeal to the Certificate Review Committee. If the certificate has been lapsed for less than 3 years – the Certificate Review Committee will consider each case individually and determine what steps are to be taken to bring the diplomate back into compliance. If the certificate has been lapsed for 3 years or more – s/he must follow the reentry policy.
Diplomates with non-time-limited ("lifetime") certification who voluntarily choose to participate in CCP will receive a 10-year certificate documenting participation in CCP while also retaining a non-time-limited certificate.
