The American Board of Medical Specialties has denied the application put forth by the ACC, American Heart Association (AHA), the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA), the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) to create a new, independent American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine (ABCVM).

"We are deeply disappointed with the American Board of Medical Specialties' decision not to approve the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine as a new, independent board for cardiology," said ABCVM Chair Jeffrey Kuvin, MD. "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' and garnering widespread support from the cardiovascular community."

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. It also does not acknowledge fundamental change in how clinicians learn information and demonstrate skills throughout their careers.

"Our quest for the creation of this new, independent Board, in collaboration with the AHA, HFSA, HRS and SCAI, has been several years in the making and in direct response to repeated calls from members for a new approach to assessment and maintenance of competency," said ACC President Cathleen Biga, MSN, FACC, and Vice President Christopher M. Kramer, MD, FACC. "We recognize and share in the deep disappointment this decision brings. While it is a setback … this important work remains at the heart of ACC's Strategic Plan and we are committed to forging a path forward that prioritizes continuous learning and the needs of our members."

According to Kuvin, the ABCVM Board of Directors is reviewing options for next steps. "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."

Read the ABCVM statement.