Unfortunately, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has denied the request to create the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine as a new, independent board for cardiology.
The decision ignores the evolution of cardiovascular medicine into its own distinct medical specialty, separate from the field of internal medicine, requiring its own set of knowledge, skills, and competencies to sustain professional excellence and effectively care for cardiovascular patients. In addition, it does not acknowledge fundamental change in how clinicians learn information and demonstrate skills throughout their careers.
We feel strongly that the ABCVM met all the criteria required for a new Board, including aligning with the rigorous, recently updated ABMS “Standards for Continuing Certification.” These standards promote integrated, specialty-specific programs that further a diplomate’s continuous professional development and emphasize improvements in health care quality, safety, value, and competency, rather than a focus on punitive examinations. In addition, the ABCVM application met the expected financial metrics for establishing a new, independent Board with tremendous professional support within the “house of cardiology”, and beyond.
ABCVM Board of Directors is reviewing options for next steps. In the meantime, we expect that ABMS will listen to the feedback and comments from the cardiovascular community.
We are overdue on rethinking the current approach to assessment and maintenance of competency and look forward to continuing to find new ways to ensure continuous cardiovascular clinical competence in a manner that meets the best interests of cardiovascular physicians and patients, alike.
Those participating in maintenance of certification (MOC) through the American Board of Internal Medicine, should continue to do so using the Collaborative Maintenance Pathway (CMP), Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) or the 10-year exam to fulfill requirements.
The field of cardiology has evolved as its own distinct specialty, separate from internal medicine. The House of Cardiology felt strongly that having a separate and distinct certifying Board was necessary for sustaining professional excellence and effectively caring for cardiovascular patients. In 2024, the proposed American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine was officially created and a 15-member Board of Directors was named to guide the Board through the application process.
The American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the Heart Failure Society of America, the Heart Rhythm Society and The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions were behind the effort to create a new, independent American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine under the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).
There is a formal application process for reviewing and evaluating applications for approval of new ABMS medical specialty boards, that includes formal submission of an application, an open public comment period and a final decision. The ABMS issued the final decision denying the application for the ABCVM in February 2025.
