Alternative Pathway for Academic Faculty
The chair of a department of pediatrics may nominate an individual who is a member of the full-time faculty of an academic department of pediatrics for special consideration if he/she does not meet the usual eligibility criteria for admission to the certifying examination in general pediatrics.
The Credentials Committee will consider an individual for this alternative pathway for certification only if he/she has completed three years of nonaccredited general pediatrics training and provides clinical care in a department that sponsors an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited general pediatrics training program. In addition, the individual must have teaching responsibilities and be engaged in scholarly activity.
Final eligibility for the examination will require the individual to have completed a minimum of two years of prospective evaluation of clinical competence to the satisfaction of the ABP and to have achieved the rank of associate professor or professor.
1. Nomination by the Chair
To be eligible for nomination by the chair of the department, the individual must have been a member of the full-time faculty (not voluntary) for a minimum of five years or have achieved the rank of associate professor or professor. The chair's nomination letter must document the individual's contributions to the academic mission and include the reasons the proposer feels the candidate merits special consideration, such as his or her reputation as an outstanding clinician or consultant. The chair must outline a plan for prospective evaluation. The letter of nomination should identify the criteria and process for assessment to be utilized during the two-year evaluation period. The application must include letter(s) from the program director(s) abroad, documenting at least three years of training in general pediatrics, including the exact dates of training, a brief description of the training, and confirmation of the candidate's clinical competence and satisfactory completion of the training program.
2. Prospective Evaluation
If the Credentials Committee approves the nomination, the individual must then undergo the proposed two-year prospective evaluation in the same institution. The evaluation must incorporate a structured, rigorous assessment by supervisors, peers, and learners. There must be a multifaceted method for the objective evaluation and documentation of clinical competence such as a multi-source evaluation (in which residents, fellows, nursing staff, patients, and families provide input) or similar documentation gathered from an institution's credentialing department or promotions committee. The evaluation must assess the six general physician core competencies agreed upon by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and the ACGME. The proposing program must define the specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for its candidate to demonstrate competence in these six areas, provide opportunities for clinical practice/consultation, as needed, and develop methods of evaluation of the competencies.
3. Final Review by the ABP
After completion of the two years of prospective evaluation, documentation must be provided to the ABP that the candidate's clinical competence has been judged to be superior and verified by the chair. If there is difficulty in assessing clinical competence in general pediatrics, verifying competence in the area of subspecialty expertise will be sufficient. The documentation must include at least three letters of endorsement from diplomates of the ABP, attesting to the candidate's superior clinical competence.
The documentation and the letters of endorsement will then be reviewed by the Credentials Committee. If acceptable to the Credentials Committee, and the candidate has achieved the rank of associate professor or professor, the individual will be approved to take the certifying examination in general pediatrics. The approved candidate will have seven years from the time of the Credentials Committee's action to become certified.
Addendum for Subspecialty Certification
1) Individuals approved for the Alternative Pathway for Academic Faculty who completed subspecialty fellowship training in an accredited US or Canadian program will have seven years from the time of the Credentials Committee action to become certified in both general pediatrics and the subspecialty.
2) Individuals who have completed training in a nonaccredited subspecialty training program and who are seeking certification in general pediatrics via this alternative pathway can appeal to the ABP to consider their subspecialty training for admission to the subspecialty certifying examination. The Credentials Committee of the appropriate Subboard will judge the suitability of the training to meet the requirements for subspecialty certification.
Review of the subspecialty training would be concurrent with review for general pediatrics certification. The supporting documentation verifying the nonaccredited subspecialty training must be submitted at the time of nomination by the chair of the department. It should include letter(s) from the program director(s) abroad, documenting the dates of training, a brief description of the training, confirmation of the candidate's clinical competence, and satisfactory completion of the training program. If the individual receives approval from the Credentials Committee of the appropriate Subboard, he/she will be granted seven years of eligibility to achieve certification. Thus eligibility commences at the same time as approval for general pediatrics certification, since subspecialty clinical competence would be assessed during the two year prospective evaluation period for general pediatrics certification.
Policy adopted 9/2010
Addendum approved 2/2011
A guide (PDF) and evaluation form (PDF) for the department chair when nominating an individual for consideration is available as well.