ABFM Adolescent Medicine

Initial certification requires passing the Adolescent Medicine one-day exam, which is offered every other year in even numbered years. Continued certification is maintained through the longitudinal assessment, MOCA-Peds. As of 2023, Diplomates transition to MOCA-Peds in the year their 10-year exam requirement is due, and the one-day exam is not offered to physicians seeking continued certification.

You must complete a minimum of 24 months of full-time training in an ACGME-accredited Adolescent Medicine fellowship training program and submit verification of completion documentation. You must also continuously maintain your family medicine certification and submit an online application with associated fees before sitting for the one-day exam.

The source does not state a fixed validity period. Instead, your first MOCA-Peds cycle begins in the sixth year after gaining initial certification, and you can expect a new five-year cycle thereafter. To continue the CAQ you must maintain family medicine certification, submit an application with fees, pay annual CAQ certification fees, and pass the longitudinal assessment.

The source does not publish a retake policy or a limit on attempts. Because the one-day exam is offered only every other year in even numbered years, a failed attempt likely means waiting for the next administration. Confirm eligibility and retake logistics through your MyABFM Portfolio or by contacting [email protected] before planning a repeat attempt.

The content splits evenly across physical, psychological, and social characteristics of adolescents. Begin with the domain furthest from your daily practice, then integrate all three through combined cases, since real adolescent visits rarely separate them. Reserve the final weeks for mixed-topic practice and review of preventive care and confidentiality-related decision points rather than re-reading a single domain.

Two patterns dominate: over-studying one comfortable domain, usually the physical/medical one, while under-preparing psychological and social content; and memorizing isolated facts instead of practicing applied decisions. A third is misreading questions that hinge on consent, confidentiality, or developmental stage. Distribute review time evenly and rehearse how you would act, not just what you know.

Your first cycle of the Adolescent Medicine longitudinal assessment, MOCA-Peds, begins in the sixth year after gaining initial certification. Going forward, you can expect to begin a new cycle every five years to maintain your Adolescent Medicine certification. Plan continuing education activity with that cycle start in mind rather than front-loading it immediately after the exam.

You must continuously maintain family medicine certification, submit an online application with associated fees, and achieve a passing score on the one-day exam or MOCA-Peds. After passing the one-day exam, MOCA-Peds begins in the sixth year after regaining certification. If you enroll in MOCA-Peds while not certified, you will not regain certification until you complete the assessment with a passing score, a minimum of three years.

Access the online application for the exam under "Added Qualifications" in your MyABFM Portfolio. For additional information, contact [email protected]. Eligibility questions are best resolved before you pay fees or schedule, since CAQ board eligibility rules are handled separately from the exam content itself.