Recertification in internal medicine: A program of continuous professional development

In 2000, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) introduced a second-generation recertification process that builds on the current knowledge-centered program by adding assessments of clinical and communication skills, clinical performance, and medical outcomes. The three-part process, called a program of continuous professional development, includes innovative self-evaluation exercises, documentation of essential knowledge, and confirmation of satisfactory qualifications and professional and community good standing. The program introduces the principles of continuous quality improvement; deemphasizes the summary nature of the traditional secure examination; and is designed to be a more continuous, less saltatory process for maintaining clinical competence. With the continuous professional development program, ABIM believes that it has taken a substantial step toward creating a recertification process that meets its goal of being "valuable, doable, tolerable, and affordable" while maintaining the high standards expected of an accountable profession.