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Part 1 Certification Requirements
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Part 2 Oral Examination
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Part 3 Clincal Examination
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Formal Recertification Exam (FRCE)
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Table of Specificity

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Verification of Board Certification

Part III Certification Requirements

Download the Part III Instructions (Recommended)

Part III Checklist

• 20 Charts. 8 of the 20 charts must be admitted or transferred.
• Schedules from the previous 6 months
• Charts – Doctor’s Notes (all areas that are handwritten must be typed). Nurses notes, EKG, lab, X-ray report and discharge instructions.
• Charts must be de-identified (no birth date, social security number, hospital name, no medical records number).
• Hospital medical staff letter
• AOA membership letter
• Current medical license
• AOA CME Report (50 hours related to emergency medicine / 12 months)
• $650.00 fee

Instructions to Candidates

The Part III examination of clinical emergency department records consists of the candidate providing the AOBEM with copies of de-identified (no patient personal identification) medical records (“cases”) of emergency patients managed by the candidate. The candidate must submit two sets of 20 cases to the Board. Submission deadline dates for each grading cycle are March 1st and December 1st.

Each case submitted must include:

• Physician chart
• Nurse’s notes
• Results of laboratory testing
• EKGs
• Official radiologist interpretations of imaging studies
• Discharge instructions / receipt to patients
• Cases which are incomplete will not be graded until all materials are submitted, thus delaying the certification process.
• Each complete set (2 binders total) should be in a securely bound format that will allow easy review.
• Each complete set should be clearly indexed and tabbed to coincide with each section.

Charts are reviewed based on the following criteria:

• History
• Physical
• Testing
• Treatment
• Diagnosis
• Disposition / Discharge
• Overall
• Critical Errors
• Twenty (20) legible emergency department records are submitted for peer-review. These records must represent at least five (5) separate dates within the last twelve calendar months from date of submission. These must be patients that have been treated personally by the candidate in the emergency department and should reflect your ability to practice emergency medicine. A copy of the patient emergency department record must accompany dictated charts. At least 8 of the submitted charts must involve patients who were admitted (an appropriate transfer to another institution shall be considered as an “admission”).

No more than 2 charts will be accepted from any one of the following categories, and no charts with the same diagnosis and/or procedure may be submitted:

1. Abdominal and Gastrointestinal Disorders
2. Cardiovascular Disorders
3. Cutaneous Disorders
4. Endocrine, Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders
5. Environmental Disorders
6. Head, Ear, Eye, Nose, Throat Disorders
7. Hematologic Disorders/Immune System Disorders
8. Systemic Infectious Disorders
9. Musculoskeletal Disorders (Non-traumatic)
10. Nervous System Disorders
11. Obstetrics and Disorders of Pregnancy/Gynecology
12. Pediatric Disorders
13. Psychobehavioral Disorders
14. Renal Disorders/Urogenital Disorders
15. Thoracic/Respiratory Disorders
16. Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology
17. Traumatic Disorders
18. Administrative Aspects of Emergency Medicine
19. Disaster Medicine
20. Procedures/Skills

Each chart must be labeled as to category and disposition, for example:

“ABD / GI - Admit”            “ABD / GI - Discharge”

Should a candidate have any questions about the categorization, a copy of the entire Table of Specificity is available at upon request from the AOBEM office and on the AOBEM website.

Clear, concise and complete documentation of all information and data such as History, Physical, EKG, Lab, X-Ray, results of treatments which support the diagnosis and treatment of Emergency Department patients can not be over emphasized.

In addition to the 20 cases the following items must be submitted:

1. A copy of the emergency department attending physician schedule for the previous six (6) calendar months, for emergency department(s) attended by you. Please include a copy in each set.
2. A letter from your hospital(s) Medical Staff Office verifying current (full) privileges at your institution(s) in Emergency Medicine and that you are a member in good standing at your institution. Verification must be on official hospital stationary. Please include a copy in each set.
3. A copy of your current AOA CME activity report and additional CME activity not on the AOA report. Please include a copy in each set. The CME requirement must be submitted as 50 hours of Emergency Medicine CME for every full year following completion of residency. For example if a candidate finishes residency in June, 2009, and submits the Part III examination materials for the December cycle in 2011, the candidate will be required to have 50 hours of Emergency Medicine CME; if submits the Part III examination materials for the March cycle in 2012, the candidate will be required to have 100 hours of Emergency Medicine CME; if less than one year in practice, CME activity will not be required. Please refer to the included document for AOBEM definition of Emergency Medicine CME.
4. A copy of your current license to practice medicine in the state in which you are submitting charts. Please include a copy in each set.
5. Verification of AOA Membership. Contact the AOA at 800-621-1773.
6. $650.00 fee. Make the check payable to AOBEM.

* If you are paying by credit card, please complete the section below and return this page with your charts.

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AOBEM/ Definition of Emergency Medicine CME

1. Osteopathic or Allopathic CME programs in the specialty of Emergency Medicine
2. State Osteopathic CME programs
3. Osteopathic or Allopathic medical teaching in the specialty of Emergency Medicine
4. Standardized life support courses
5. Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine CME programs
6. Bioterrorism and/or disaster medicine courses/CME
7. *Home study/Journal reading/Online CME in the specialty of Emergency Medicine
8. Faculty development programs in the specialty of Emergency Medicine
9. Emergency Medical Services courses/CME
10. Risk Management courses/CME in the specialty of Emergency Medicine
11. Osteopathic or Allopathic CME programs not within the specialty of Emergency Medicine may be submitted with course content/lectures for possible full or partial credit hours at the discretion of AOBEM.

* Limited to 50% of required hours

© 2009 American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine. All Rights Reserved.