The American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians (ABIPP) is a Specialty Board providing Board Certification in Interventional Pain Management and Competency Certification in Controlled Substance Management, Competency Certification in Coding, Compliance, and Practice Management and other areas. The eligibility requirements and examination materials for ABIPP certification programs have been developed based on substantial review and analysis of the current state of medical and scientific knowledge of the treatment of pain, as reflected in the medical literature.  The ABIPP Board of Directors, with the assistance and advice of the professionals in relevant fields, has developed certification programs that recognize accepted levels of knowledge and expertise in the profession, with the goal of improved patient care.

Who is eligible for ABIPP certification?

The American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians offers certifications -- good for 10 years after passing the exam -- only to physicians licensed to practice medicine in the United States.  Eligibility requirements for Competency Certification examinations and for Board Certification are different, as explained below. (Scroll down for Board Certification -- Diplomate -- eligibility.)

What is the value of Competency Certification?

Clinicians who study for and pass competency examinations can improve the efficiency of their medical practice to meet federal and state regulations. Certification proves that they have taken the necessary steps to deal with major areas of government scrutiny, which should be helplful if exposed to an audit or investigation by the OIG or DEA.

Who is eligible for ABIPP Competency Certification?

ABIPP requires physicians to have completed an ACGME residency and to have an active license to practice medicine in one of the 50 states. Candidates with institutional license, such as residents, may also appear for the examination. Applicants should have:

1. Completed ACGME approved residency in a primary specialty or is currently a resident enrolled in the ACGME approved residency program.
2. A professional standing satisfactory to ABIPP.

What subjects are covered in Competency Certification?

ABIPP offers competency certification in CODING, COMPLIANCE, AND PRACTICE MANAGEMENT (CCCPM). Advance study guide

The applicant is tested in the following subject areas:         

ABIPP also offers competency certification in CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE MANAGEMENT (CCCSM). Advance study guide

The applicant is tested in the following subject areas:  

What happens after the test?

After satisfactory completion, candidates will receive a certification.  However, these candidates should not use “board certified” as this is only a competency examination.  The certification is valid for 10 years from date of certification. 

All certificates expire 10 years after the results of the certifying examination are announced.

For the competency examination, there is no limit to the number of times candidates may apply for and take the examination.

What is the value of Board Certification?

Promoting the importance of board certification in Interventional Pain Management is one of ABIPP's founding principles. A specialist in Interventional Pain Management is a physician who has achieved, through personal dedication and sacrifice, certification by the American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians. The certification shows he or she has achieved the highest level of achievement in this specialty.

Who is eligible for ABIPP Board (Diplomate) Certification?

CERTIFICATION APPLICATION

ABIPP requires all applicants to be certified in the primary specialty by an ABMS-approved Board and completion of a post-graduate training program accredited by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) that includes identifiable training in pain medicine or interventional pain management.  This identifiable training shall be deemed acceptable unless determined by one or more of the licensing boards to be either:

• Inadequate in scope, content, and duration in that specialty or subspecialty of medicine to protect the public health and safety, or
• Not equivalent in scope and content to the residency training required for board certification by any related American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Board for the specific conditions, disease processes, and surgical procedures within the scope of the ABIPP examination and certification.

Without those qualifications, are there other alternatives?

In lieu of the specialty or subspecialty training required as described above, ABIPP shall require applicants seeking certification to have completed:

• A minimum of 4 years of full time teaching and/or practice in the specialty or subspecialty area of medicine involving interventional pain management and
• A minimum of 200 hours of continuing medical education in the subspecialty of pain medicine and/or interventional pain management, of which 50 hours are devoted to cadaver workshops offered by ASIPP or ISIS.

Physicians applying for certification under this alternative shall be required to have satisfactorily completed an ACGME-accredited residency training program.  This residency shall have provided training in the conditions and disease processesincluded in interventional pain management.

ABIPP also offers alternate pathways for candidates possessing ABMS subspecialty certification in pain medicine awarded by the American Board of Anesthesiology, the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, or the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

What are the specific board certification requirements to be a Diplomate?

At the time of certification by ABIPP, each physician shall be capable of performing independently the entire scope of the practice of interventional pain management and must:

1.           Fulfill the requirements of the continuum of education in interventional pain management as follows:

Completed an ACGME approved fellowship or,

Practiced interventional pain management for 6 years.

2.           Fulfill unrestricted licensure requirements to practice medicine in the United States.

3.           Have a professional standing satisfactory to ABIPP.

4.           Be a diplomate of a primary specialty approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties.

5.          Be certified by ABMS approved pain medicine specialty examination offered by the American Board of Anesthesiology, American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and/or the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

AND

Complete Competency Certification in Coding, Compliance and Practice Management and in Controlled Substance Management (not required if ABIPP Part I – Theoretical Examination is completed.)

OR

6)           Complete ABIPP Part I – Theoretical Examination AND Part II – Practical Examination

In lieu of the qualifications outlined above, a candidate may qualify by meeting the criteria of required training and primary ABMS approved Specialty Board certification.

1.           If a candidate lacks certification by ABMS approved pain medicine specialty examination, a candidate can appear for ABIPP Part I – Theoretical Examination.

2.           If a candidate has completed ABMS-approved pain medicine specialty examination, he or she must successfully complete both competency examinations in controlled substances management and coding, compliance and practice management.

AND

Candidate must complete ABIPP Part II – Practical Examination.

3.           If a candidate has successfully completed the Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP) examination and been certified by an ABMS primary board, but not by an ABMS subspecialty of pain medicine, this candidate may appear for ABIPP Part I – Theoretical Examination.

What subjects are covered in the Board Certification examinations?

The DIPLOMATE EXAMINATION in Interventional Pain Management is composed of two parts:

PART 1 -- THEORETICAL EXAMINATION in Interventional Pain Management is composed of the following areas:

PART II -- PRACTICAL EXAMINATION

The practical examination will be as per Fellowship of Interventional Pain Practice, administered by the World Institute of Pain's section of Interventional Pain Practice; or a developed curriculum and examination will be announced.

 
How is a passing score determined?

The passing score for the diplomate certification examination in interventional pain management is determined by a national panel of experts, representing the field of interventional pain management.  Experts individually review each examination question and then judge what percentage of minimally competent interventional pain management physicians would answer the question correctly.  The passing score is based on an expected level of knowledge; it is not related to the distribution of scores obtained during a particular administration.  In any given year, a candidate has the same chance of passing the examination, regardless of whether the group taking the examination at that time tends to have high scores or low scores.  Each candidate is measured against a standard of knowledge, not against the performance of other individuals taking the examination. All the assumptions have been tested statistically.

How and when are scores reported?

Approximately 6 weeks after the administration of the examination, ABIPP will mail examination results.  For the security of candidates, results are sent by mail only and are not released by a telephone, mail, or by electronic communication devices.
 
Passing candidates will receive a letter, notifying them that they passed the examination.  The examination is designed to assess knowledge associated with the minimum professional competency and is not intended to distinguish among scores above the passing point.  Therefore, no numeric scores will be reported for passing candidates.  The candidates will also receive a diagnostic report showing subject areas of strength and subject areas needing improvement and the questions missed.
 
Failing candidates will receive notice of their scores and a diagnostic report showing subject areas needing improvement. 
 
All answer sheets will be destroyed one year after administration of the examination.

How many times may an applicant take the Diplomate examination?

• There is no limit to the number of times candidates may apply for and take the written examination.
• For oral and practical examination, a candidate should complete it within 3 attempts.  A failure to do so will require a candidate to appear for written examination again.
• After passing the written examination, the candidate will start the cycle over.
• During reapplication, a candidate’s activity must be evaluated by ABIPP before being approved to take the examination again.
• Re-certification requirements are the same as certification requirements. 

DIPLOMATE CERTIFICATION

Candidates will receive a certificate of board certification in interventional pain management by the American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians as Diplomate of the American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians (DABIPP), as long as they remain certified for 10 years. 
 
These candidates certified by the examination are qualified to advertise as “board certified.”

RE-CERTIFICATION

All certificates expire 10 years after the results of the certifying examination are announced.
 
Re-certification after 10 years is similar to the certification process.

What are ABIPP's goals and objectives?
1)         Maintain highest standards of practice of interventional pain management by fostering education and training in interventional pain management, including interventional techniques, alone or in conjunction with other modalities of treatment.
 
2)         Establish and maintain criteria for the designation of board certified interventional pain physicians and others receiving competency certification.
 
3)         Establish and conduct those processes by which the Board may judge whether a physician who voluntarily applies should be issued a certificate indicating that the required standards for certification or re-certification in an ABIPP designated discipline of interventional pain management have been met. 
 
4)         Serve the public, medical profession, board of medical licensure, federation of licensure boards, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), health care facilities and organizations, and medical schools by providing the names of physicians and others certified by the Board.
 
5)         Establish criteria to be approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties and each board of medical licensure in all states.
 
6)         Develop the criteria to inform the Accreditation Counsel for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) concerning the training required of individuals seeking certification related to residency training programs