The American Board of Podiatric Medicine International is an independent nonprofit organization providing board certification to podiatrists outside the United States who have been educated and trained at a high standard acceptable to the Board. The Board's primary duty is to serve healthcare providers and their regulatory bodies and institutions, and to protect the public by creating and administering a psychometrically-validated, comprehensive examination process in podiatric medicine.
The Board of Directors of the ABPM International is comprised of a diverse group of podiatry subject matter experts from the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, and the United States.
Board certification, and the attainment of Diplomate status, indicates that a podiatrist has been judged by their peers to have demonstrated a superior fund of knowledge and competence in podiatric medicine. Board certification provides assurance to the public and other health professionals that the highest level of achievement has been attained by the practitioner in the specialty area.
Podiatrists seek board certification because they desire to indicate to the public competence beyond the minimum mandatory regulatory standards set by their country. Board certification demonstrates to health systems, health payors (insurances), and governments that the podiatrist is well-educated and has a devotion to lifelong learning, suggesting better outcomes for the patients under their care.
Certification is considered to be an earned privilege for those podiatric physicians who have achieved certain levels of skill and ability based upon completion of specific advanced training and clinical experience and examination. Those individual podiatric physicians who are certified are recognized for their achievement and enhanced capabilities.
Attainment of Board Certification from the American Board of Podiatric Medicine International enables Diplomates to apply for Membership and Fellowship in Podiatric Medicine with the prestigious Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG). Board Certification allows the Diplomate to bypass the preceptorship stage. The Board and the RCPSG established an eligibility pathway for ABPMi Diplomates in 2022. Membership and Fellowship with the Royal College is subject to the procedures and requirements of membership, including the payment of annual dues to the RCPSG.
Eligibility to sit for the exam is limited to podiatrists who have completed at least a bachelor-level education in the UK and Ireland, Canada, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Greece, and Malta.
The Examination comprises 125 multiple choice questions from various domains of what a podiatrist should know to be a superior practitioner. The exam follows the blueprint established by the Board of Directors.
The next exam will be administered by the Board’s PearsonVue testing partner from January 13 to February 13, 2024 by the secure and validated method of online proctoring in which an examinee can sit for the exam on their own computer while being observed by a remote proctor. The cost of the exam is $350 and annual dues are subsequently assessed at $200, payable to ABPMi, beginning in 2025.
The ABPM International was established as an independent international podiatric certification organization by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine in 2019. ABPM still provides some material support for the International Exam. The ABPM provides board certification for graduates of US-based podiatry schools who procure the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree and complete an approved, post-graduate residency program, and pass a comprehensive examination in podiatric medicine. The ABPM has been producing board certification exams for U.S. trained and educated podiatrists since 1978. Certification by the ABPMi does not convey any practice rights or privileges in the United States.
