Feature | ABMS Denies House of Cardiology's Application to Create New CV Board
The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) 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 T. 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.
Visit CVBoard.org to read the ABCVM statement, access recent FAQs and more.
Learn more about the CMP to meet current maintenance of certification requirements at ACC.org/CMP.
Read a JACC Leadership Page, from Kuvin, Biga, Kramer and Edward T.A. Fry, MD, MACC.
"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 then-ACC President Cathleen Biga, MSN, MACC, and then-Vice President Christopher M. Kramer, MD, FACC, in a letter to ACC members. "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," he said. In the meantime, Kuvin adds that those participating in maintenance of certification (MOC) through the ABIM, should continue to do so using the Collaborative Maintenance Pathway (CMP), Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) or the 10-year exam to fulfill requirements.
Why a New CV Board?
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 ABCVM was officially created and a 15-member Board of Directors was named to guide the Board through the formal ABMS application process that included formal submission of an application, an open public comment period and a final decision.
Why ABMS?
While there are other certifying bodies, ABMS is the largest and oldest. It is comprised of 24 medical specialty boards, including the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), under which cardiology currently sits as a related subspecialty. In recent years, cardiologists have become united in the need for an independent Board of Cardiovascular Medicine, separate from ABIM.
Keywords: Cardiology Magazine, ACC Publications, Clinical Competence, Certification
