The American Board of Podiatric Medicine International is an independent 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 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 cannot guarantee competence in practice, but it does indicate that a podiatrist has been judged by his or her 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 in the specialty area.
Podiatrists seek board certification because they desire to indicate to the public competence beyond the mandatory regulatory standards. Board certification demonstrates to hospitals and health payors (insurances) that the podiatrist is well-educated and has a devotion to lifelong learning, suggesting better outcomes for the patients under his or her care.
Initially, eligibility to sit for the exam will be limited to podiatrists who have completed at least a bachelor-level education in the UK and Ireland, Canada, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Malta.
The Examination will be 125 multiple choice questions from various domains of what a podiatrist should know to be a superior practitioner. The exam will follow the blueprint established by the Board of Directors.
The exam will be administered by PearsonVue from 1/30 - 2/15/23 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 proctor. The cost of the exam will be $350 and there will be an annual dues assessed at $200.
The ABPM International was established as an independent organization by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine in 2019 which still provides some material support for the International Exam. The ABPM has been providing 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 certifications exams since 1978. The ABPM certification exam is recognized by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education. This recognition is not conveyed to the ABPM International Exam.
