EXAM ELIGIBILITY AND REQUIREMENTS
qualifications for certification: cme pathway
QUALIFICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATION: CME PATHWAY
REQUIRED CREDENTIALS
Proof of an active, unrestricted medical license in the U.S. or Canada. Note: Training licenses are NOT accepted.
Proof of completion of a residency in the U.S. or Canada.
Active board certification in an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) member board or Osteopathic Medicine equivalent [waived for Canadian physicians]
REQUIRED CME CREDIT HOURS
A minimum of 60 CME credits on the topic of obesity is required for certification. All CME must be AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™; AOA Category 1-A; or Mainpro-M1.
The credits must include at least 30 ABOM-designated GROUP ONE credits.
For the current test cycle, any ONLINE or IN-PERSON AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ offered by ABOM’s Primary Obesity Medicine CME partners will qualify for GROUP ONE credit. See below for a current list of GROUP ONE partners .
Applicants may complete up to 30 GROUP TWO CME credits. GROUP TWO credits include any AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from sponsors other than those designated as ABOM’s Primary Obesity Medicine CME partners. GROUP TWO credits must include the word “obesity” in the course title. Please note: GROUP TWO credits are available as an option for those applicants who wish to earn credits from course sponsors outside of the Primary Obesity Medicine CME partners. If you complete 60 credits through GROUP ONE study, you do not need to complete GROUP TWO credits.
Please note: There is no cap on the number of GROUP ONE credits that may be used to satisfy the requirement. You may complete all 60 credits through ABOM’s Primary Obesity Medicine CME partners.
CME CREDIT TIMELINE
All 60 CME credits must be earned within 36 months prior to the application deadline.
All CME credits must be earned and documented at the time of application.
EXAM ADMINISTRATION
Once required credentials and CME are completed, candidates may submit an application to sit for the certification exam. Click here to begin an application.
The exam is offered on an annual basis at computer-based test centers throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The exam is comprised of four, one-hour blocks of 50 questions each.
APPLICATION DEADLINES AND FEES
2023 Early Application Deadline: July 10, 2023 ($1,500 fee)
2023 Final Application Deadline: August 7, 2023 ($1,750 fee)
NEXT TEST WINDOW
October 2-14, 2023
Pearson VUE computer-based testing centers
GROUP ONE CME REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must complete 60 CME credits on the topic of obesity, including at least 30 GROUP ONE credits. For the current exam cycle, GROUP ONE credits include any AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ offered by ABOM’s Primary Obesity Medicine CME partners:
- Obesity Medicine Association
- The Obesity Society/ObesityWeek®
- Columbia/Weill Cornell Obesity Course
- Boston Course in Obesity Medicine
- Blackburn Course in Obesity Medicine
PLEASE NOTE:
- There is no cap on the number of GROUP ONE credits you may use to satisfy the requirement. All 60 credits may be GROUP ONE.
- ABOM does not accept CME credit for multiple versions of the exact same content delivered in different formats. If you have completed a live/virtual course and recordings of the same course, please submit only ONE set of credits to count toward the requirement.
GROUP ONE CME OPTIONS
COLUMBIA/WEILL CORNELL OBESITY COURSE (on-demand, live, or virtual options, 60+ CME credits available)
On-Demand Course Available Now (self-paced recordings, 63+ CME credits)
Obesity: Etiology, Prevention, and Treatment, Review for ABOM Certification Exam (63.5 CME credits)
At the conclusion of this program, participants will be better able to:
- Discuss the epidemiology and changing patterns of obesity and its determinants.
- Discuss the role of nutrition in health and human disease as it relates to obesity management.
- Describe the role of genetics and the environment in the etiology of obesity.
- Apply evidence-based medicine to challenges of weight loss and maintenance of weight loss.
- Describe current medications and surgical approaches to obesity treatment.
- Describe the role of sleep and stress in the development and treatment of obesity.
- Use nutrition counseling skills to help patients improve their diet.
- Use nutrition counseling skills to help patients engage in healthy behaviors.
- Apply exercise counseling strategies which can be conveyed to patients.
LIVE MEETING OPTION
LIVE AND VIRTUAL COURSE TO BE HELD MAY 3-6, 2023 (33 CME CREDITS)
Description: The challenge of reversing the obesity epidemic has highlighted the need for new ways to teach complex skill sets that effectively target lifestyle behaviors, particularly diet and physical activity, the determinants of obesity, and the myriad of tools now available to address it.
This in-person or live online course—now available for registration—provides a comprehensive overview of obesity etiology, prevention, and treatment for all health professionals. Special attention is placed on new pharmacological options and case management.
OBESITY MEDICINE ASSOCIATION (on-demand and live options, 60+ CME credits available)
Please note: Any CME credits earned through the Obesity Medicine Association (online or in person) will count toward the ABOM requirement as GROUP ONE credits. Below please find more about some OMA offerings. Visit the OMA site for a detailed listing of all available CME.
LIVE MEETING OPTION
Obesity Medicine 2023 (New York City, April 19-23, Up to 30 CME credits available)
- Includes option for certification exam review course
ONLINE SELF-PACED OPTION
Prep Bundle for the ABOM Exam (32 credits)
Also:
The Obesity Medicine Academy is the Obesity Medicine Association’s online learning platform for evidence-based, peer-reviewed clinical obesity education. The Obesity Medicine Academy offers more than 200 on-demand presentations. Any CME credits earned through the Obesity Medicine Academy will count as GROUP ONE for Exam Applicants.
Click here to reach the Obesity Medicine Academy.
THE OBESITY SOCIETY/OBESITYWEEK (on-demand and live options, 60+ CME credits available)
Please note: Any CME credits earned through The Obesity Society (online or in person) will count toward the ABOM requirement as GROUP ONE credits. Visit the TOS site for a detailed listing of all available CME.
On-Demand Education from The Obesity Society: Courses include ObesityWeek Interactive (up to 94.25 CME credits), TOS Review Course for the ABOM Exam (up to 17.5 CME credits), Medical Management of the Metabolic-Bariatric Surgery Patient (up to 6.25 CME credits), and others.
ObesityWeek®2023: Credits valid for 2024 exam and beyond as course takes place after the 2023 application deadline.
BLACKBURN COURSE IN OBESITY MEDICINE (Livestream June 4-8, 2023)
CLICK HERE to register and learn more
Earn up to 35.5 CME credits when attending full course and one-day board exam review
Highlights of the 2023 program include:
- Comprehensive evaluation of the patient with obesity
- Medical management of the patient with obesity
- Emerging precision medicine approaches to obesity and metabolic disorders
- Optimizing medical outcomes after bariatric surgery
- Effective counseling and motivation techniques
- Medical and surgical treatment of children and adolescents with obesity
- Emerging strategies and therapies for genetic obesity
- Navigating our understanding of how diet influences metabolic processes
- Building and maintaining a successful Obesity Medicine practice
- Enhancing communication about obesity with patients, referring providers, payers, and the public
CLICK HERE to register and learn more
BOSTON COURSE IN OBESITY MEDICINE (2023 Info Coming Soon)
Info coming soon
GROUP TWO CME RESOURCES
Applicants may complete up to 30 GROUP TWO CME credits. GROUP TWO credits are not required. GROUP TWO credits are available as an OPTION for those who wish to complete CME credits outside of ABOM’s Primary Obesity Medicine CME partners.
GROUP TWO credits include any AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from sponsors outside of those designated as ABOM’s Primary Obesity Medicine CME partners. GROUP TWO credits must include the word “obesity” in the course title. Please note: ABOM does not accept CME credits from Medical Reference Tools that do not include activity-specific post-completion assessments.
The organizations listed below offer a variety of options that qualify for GROUP TWO credit. This is not an exhaustive list and ABOM will accept other CME credits offered by organizations not listed below as long as they meet the GROUP TWO requirement.
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS
Obesity Management Learning Series (3 CME credits; Free to ACP Members): Topics include lifestyle modification, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery
ENDOCRINE SOCIETY
Project ECHO: Approaches to Long-Term Weight Loss and Obesity Care: (Up to 12 CME credits) Open to all clinicians, this program seeks to educate primary care providers, care teams, and non-obesity specialists in best practices in obesity care and management. With many therapeutic and pharmacological options available, clinicians need additional resources to stay up-to-date in obesity management. (Expires December 31, 2023)
Analyzing the Pathophysiology of Obesity and its Impact on Individuals (Up to 7 CME credits): This six-part course explores the pathophysiology of body weight regulation along with the upstream factors that contribute to energy balance and influence weight management strategies. Individual modules address social determinants of obesity, lifestyle interventions, pharmacotherapy, surgical approaches, and strategies for long-term weight management. Throughout the modules, expert faculty cover the heterogeneity of disease, variability in treatment response, chronic disease management, and the impact of a patient’s context. (Expires December 31, 2022)
AACE
Nutrition and Obesity Strategies for Endocrinologists (Up to 5.75 CME credits)
Lectures Included
- Disease State Network Year-in-Review: Nutrition and Obesity – Monica Agarwal, MD, MEHP, FACE; Reshmi Srinath, MD
- Precision Nutrition: Are We There Yet? – Zhaoping Li, MD, PhD
- Diabetes Diets: A Roundtable Discussion
- One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Pharmacotherapy, Endoscopic Devices and Metabolic Surgery for the Management of Obesity
- A Blind Spot: Weight Bias and Health Disparities in Obesity Care – Scott Kahan, MD, MPH, FTOS
Upon completion of the activity, participants should be able to:
- Assess recent research and clinical trials of dietary patterns, lifestyle interventions, bariatric/metabolic surgery and weight management medications
- Develop an integrative individualized approach to help our patients with metabolic disease
- Summarize the safety and efficacy of intermittent fasting diets, including time-restricted feeding, in the management of T2DM
- Identify the magnitude and importance of weight bias in healthcare settings and several strategies for mitigating weight bias in clinical practice.
- Review the impact of endoscopic manipulation of the gastrointestinal tract on appetite and estimate expected weight loss outcomes of currently available drugs and those on the horizon
(Expires 7/21/2023)
Click here to learn more
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS
Childhood Obesity in Primary Care: A Series of Educational Modules: The Childhood Obesity in Primary Care modules were developed by the AAP Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight with input and guidance from the Section on Obesity. These modules and slides can be used for continuing medical education (CME), resident education and professional presentations.
AMERICAN GASTROENTEROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
Obesity in GI Care series: Podcasts and On-Demand Education covering topics such as Coding and Reimbursement; Updates on Devices; Updates on Medications and more.
University of Minnesota Advanced Therapies for Pediatric Obesity (ATPO) Conference (Feb. 22-24) (Up to 10 CME Credits)
Hybrid meeting (virtual, live, and in-person options) to be held February 22-24.
CLICK HERE to Register and Learn More
Additional information:
The Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine (CPOM) sponsors the annual Advanced Therapies for Pediatric Obesity (ATPO) Conference.
This conference delivers state-of-the-art educational content covering all aspects of pediatric obesity clinical management, including pathophysiology, complications, stigma, lifestyle therapy, and pharmacotherapy.
ACTIVITY PURPOSE/STATEMENT OF NEED
Youth with severe obesity are often unable to lose a clinically-meaningful amount of weight with lifestyle modification alone. Pharmacological therapies are emerging as a recognized adjunctive strategy to address this otherwise recalcitrant disease, yet no guidelines currently exist for the responsible clinical use of obesity pharmacotherapy in the pediatric patient.
INTENDED AUDIENCE
Health care providers, researchers, and others interested in the clinical management of pediatric obesity.
FORMAT
Case studies, lectures, and group discussion. This course is planned and hosted by the University of Minnesota Department of Pediatrics. For more information please contact the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine, cpom@umn.edu or 612-626-2349.
OTHER
Vindico Obesity CME (Must meet obesity-specific guidelines related to GROUP TWO CME)
Medscape Obesity CME (Must meet obesity-specific guideline related to GROUP TWO CME)
Pri-Med (Must meet obesity-specific guidelines related to GROUP TWO CME)
Important Information Regarding Acceptable CME:
ABOM applicants seeking certification through the CME Pathway are required to meet minimum continuing medical education (CME) credit hour requirements on the topic of obesity as set forth in the current ABOM Policies & Procedures. All CME credit hours submitted to the ABOM are subject to review. The ABOM will not accept CME credit hours on topics outside the field of obesity medicine. The ABOM has sole discretion regarding whether a CME credit hour will be accepted for the CME Pathway. The ABOM CME requirement is intended to direct self-study in an in-depth and comprehensive manner that prepares applicants to become ABOM Diplomates but does not guarantee an applicant’s success.
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