What is the ABPNS certification exam?
This is a voluntary credentialing exam that is an indication of expertise in nutrition and its application to clinical practice.
Why should I take the examination?
ABPNS certification will be a benchmark for assuring mastery of knowledge and training by Physician Nutrition Specialists®. It will help to distinguish physicians who are truly specialists in nutrition and will assist the public in choosing a Physician Nutrition Specialist®. It will assist health professionals and organizations to assess the competence of individual Physician Nutrition Specialists®.
ABPNS board certification can be invaluable in terms of establishing a trust with patients and the doctors who refer them.
When speaking publicly about nutritional management, ABPNS board certification can add to your credibility.
In addressing this question with regard to the American Board of Internal Medicine, Harry Kimball, M.D., ABIM President, said it "boils down to pride in ourselves, our profession, and a willingness to be accountable and transparent”.
How long is ABPNS certification valid?
ABPNS certification is valid for 10 years, at which time recertification will be necessary in order to remain valid.
What if I decide not to take the exam?
Failure to take the exam will not prevent you from practicing nutrition as a specialty. However, you will not have the ABPNS certification that will serve as the benchmark for assuring competence in the practice of nutrition.
For what sort of physician is the ABPNS credential most appropriate?
ABPNS certification is intended for physicians who have broad interests in nutrition, generally including both preventive and therapeutic aspects. The ABPNS examination covers all the topic areas in the ABPNS Curriculum Guide for Physician Nutrition Specialists, in the broad categories of nutrient metabolism and requirements; nutritional changes through the life cycle; nutritional aspects of health promotion and prevention and therapy of specific diseases including obesity; malnutrition; and enteral and parenteral nutrition support. The weights assigned to these topic areas on the examination are approximately:
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General aspects of nutrition
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15%
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Nutrients
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20%
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Nutritional status assessment
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10%
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Obesity and related disorders
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20%
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Disease-specific nutrition
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25%
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Enteral & parenteral nutrition support
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10%
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Is ABPNS part of the ABMS?
There is no accreditation mechanism for nutrition fellowships. During the development of the ABPNS, consultation with representatives of ABMS boards concluded that it is not possible for ABPNS to become an ABMS member board. Therefore, ABPNS is independent.
What is ABMS certification?
ABMS is the umbrella for all major medical specialty boards. More details can be found at their website, http://www.abms.org/ . The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), a not-for-profit organization comprising 24 medical specialty boards, is the pre-eminent entity overseeing physician certification in the United States. For more than 70 years, ABMS’ mission has been to maintain and improve the quality of medical care by assisting its Member Boards in developing and implementing educational and professional standards to evaluate and certify physician specialists. Through its coordination of Member Board activities, ABMS also serves as a unique healthcare industry influencer, bringing focus to issues involving specialization and certification in medicine. ABMS is recognized by the key healthcare accreditation organizations as a primary equivalent source of board certification data on medical specialists for credentialing purposes.
Why is ABPNS not part of the ABMS or other credentialing organization?
The ABPNS is aware that the discipline of clinical nutrition could gain greater credibility and visibility if its credential were recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties or one of its member boards, perhaps as a Certificate of Added Qualification. In its earliest discussions, the Intersociety Professional Nutrition Education Consortium received significant input from the President of the American Board of Internal Medicine, a Senior Vice President of the American Board of Pediatrics, and a former Chair of the American Board of Gastroenterology on this issue. Recognition by the ABMS or its member boards would require that a minimum of 200, and perhaps more, physicians take the ABPNS exam each year. That appears unlikely. In addition, such recognition would preclude the combination of nutrition training with related fellowship programs (e.g., gastroenterology or endocrinology) because time in training can be credited toward eligibility for only one ABMS board certification. For these reasons, the Board has no current plans to pursue ABMS recognition.
What about other Nutrition Board Examinations currently in existence, such as the American Board of Nutrition?
The American Board of Nutrition has discontinued its certification examination and in order to recognize the ABPNS Examination as the most appropriate certification examination for Physician Nutrition Specialist®. Physicians currently credentialed through the American Board of Nutrition may obtain ABPNS certification without taking the ABPNS examination.
For physicians whose interests are focused only on enteral and parenteral nutrition support, the Certified Nutrition Support Physician examination offered by the National Board of Nutrition Support Certification may be an appropriate alternative to ABPNS certification.
What are the criteria for taking the ABPNS certification exam?
- All candidates for certification and recertification must be licensed to practice medicine in the country in which they reside (note that ABPNS certification is not creditable toward licensure to practice medicine in the United States).
- They must be certified by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties or the equivalent in other countries.
- Completion of at least 6 months (1000 hours) of mentored clinical nutrition experience and formal instruction in inpatient and outpatient settings must also be documented. This may be obtained in a fellowship in clinical nutrition or as part of training in a related subspecialty such as adult or pediatric gastroenterology, endocrinology, critical care, nephrology, cardiology, or others.
I am a foreign medical graduate. Will ABPNS certification help me obtain a license to practice medicine in the U.S.?
No. The ABPNS credential is not creditable toward the requirements for licensure to practice medicine in the U.S.
Will there be any reference materials to review?
A list of general references, sample questions, and a topic outline are provided in the ABPNS Handbook for Candidates. The American Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists (ABPNS) Curriculum Guide for Training Physician Nutrition Specialist® contains an extensive list of suggested resources.
How will I receive my exam results?
Exam results will be mailed to you. They are not provided by phone, fax, or email.
Will I receive a certificate?
Certificates are mailed to individuals who pass the ABPNS exam. They are mailed from the Professional Testing Corporation (New York; 212-356-0660). There will probably be a delay due to the end-of-year holidays.
I have a question about the training requirement. On the ABPNS Website, 6 months (or 1000 hours) is mentioned, but in a different location the requirement appears to be 1/2 days for a year or daily for 6 months (or is this referring to outpatient setting only)? Can you clarify for me?
The 1 day or 1/2 day options are intended to illustrate how to accomplish the 1000 hours - they're all intended to be equivalent.
Is PNS a title after MD?
ABPNS does not endorse the use of acronyms such as PNS, BCPNS, DABPNS, or others by its diplomates. ABPNS owns the copyright only to the fully spelled-out term Physician Nutrition Specialist®. Another organization already owns the copyright to the acronym PNS®, and ABPNS did not seek to copyright other acronyms. Initials commonly used by physicians, such as FACP, FACS, FRCP, etc., originate from status as a fellow of a restricted society, and not from board certification, such as by an ABMS board. To our knowledge, other ABMS boards do not use or endorse the use of acronyms by their diplomates, so neither do we encourage it. ABPNS diplomates who choose to append acronyms to their names do so at their own discretion. You may wish to hang your certificate where your patients can see it. You can also put your certification on your CV.
What is the pass rate of the examination in years past?
The pass rate has generally been 70-75%.
Is CME credit available for taking the ABPNS exam?
No, CME credit is not available.
I am interested in the examination for nutrition boards and what to use as a study guide. Can you advise me?
Recommended study resources are listed in the Curriculum Guide for Physician Nutrition Specialists on the ABPNS Website. The General Resources link lists some good general study sources. The Handbook and Application for Candidates, which provides a more limited list, can also be found on the website.
Do I need to memorize equations for the exam?
Common equations that are part of ordinary and routine nutritional care may be tested. However, you do not need to memorize complex equations such as the Harris-Benedict equations.
Do the test items provide normal ranges for the micronutrients? Do we need to memorize?
It’s not necessary to memorize normal values, especially for micronutrients. The test items provide normal ranges, where needed.
Are there any schools that you would recommend going to to learn about Nutrition? I want to be a Nutritionist.
If you are an MD, you will find a list of programs for nutrition fellowships on the ABPNS website. Click on the left side bar item Physician Nutrition Specialist and then click on the listing Clinical Nutrition Fellowship Programs. This will give you a listing of Clinical Nutrition Fellowship Programs. ABPNS is an organization that governs a board exam for physicians only.
I just took my internal medicine boards. However, I'm still not clear whether I would need to complete the 1000 hours of inpatient and outpatient nutrition, as I was previously a registered dietitian and already completed a year-long clinical nutrition internship. Does that qualify me to sit for the exam in 2006 or would I need to complete a nutrition fellowship?
The 1000 hours or 6 months of mentored clinical nutrition refers to "medical nutrition" performed as an MD. While valuable training, involvement in clinical nutrition as an RD does not fulfill ABPNS eligibility requirements.
I am currently doing my residency and I am interested in pursuing clinical nutrition. Hence I would like to take the ABPNS examination to assess my own competence in this field. Am I eligible for this exam?
As you have not completed your residency at this time, you are not eligible to take the exam this year. You will be eligible AFTER you complete your residency, become board-certified in your primary specialty, and complete 1000 hours or 6 months of mentored clinical nutrition experience.
My understanding from having gone through the ABPNS website is that candidates need to have mentored nutrition experience for 6 months to be eligible to take the exam. Being part of a university hospital program I can actually obtain that kind of experience from the dieticians both inpatient and outpatient during my residency. I would like to know if that experience will be acceptable or not.
ABPNS has reviewed this issue and determined that 6 months of mentored training is to be under the direction of a qualified physician.
I am a physician interested in taking the physician nutrition certification board offered in Nov. Can you give me any additional information about this exam/course preparation?
Our ABPNS website has information about American Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists. The curriculum guide has reference material and the Handbook and Application for Candidates, also available on the website, contains even more information.
Do the sample questions on the exam brochure represent the level of difficulty of the actual exam? It’s very important to know this to know how to appropriately review.
The sample questions in the Handbook for Candidates are intended to convey format rather than level of difficulty. As a subspecialty certification exam, the ABPNS exam is written at a level of difficulty intended to identify expertise in the subspecialty of clinical nutrition. No specific exam preparation materials, including old ABPNS exams, are offered by ABPNS or any other organization at this time. The ABPNS website has a curriculum guide with material that will be helpful to study for the exam.
Our company would like to advertise a job opening to your organization. Do you have a publication or mail list available?
We do not have advertising capabilities (journals, newsletters, etc.) or a mailing list that is available to anyone outside our member societies. A list of our members is available on our website.
I did not participate in a formal clinical nutrition fellowship. However, I have extensive experience in nutrition working with a mentoring physician to satisfy the 1000 hours of clinical training requirement. How do I know if my mentor is likely to be acceptable to the ABPNS?
A mentor must have the following:
- Licensed to practice at site(s) of practice
- ABMS or equivalent certification in a Medical Specialty
And clinical nutrition expertise as demonstrated by at least one of the following:
- ABPNS certification
- Nutrition research and/or clinical publications
- Medical nutrition curriculum development
- Extensive clinical nutrition patient consultation
I want to mentor a trainee to make them eligible for the ABPNS exam. What are the required training elements that must be completed to make them eligible to take the exam?
These details are outlined in the ABPNS Training Standards for Physician Nutrition Specialists®.
I am considering additional training in Clinical Nutrition, but I plan to pursue this training outside of a formal clinical nutrition fellowship program. Can you assure me my mentor will be acceptable to the ABPNS before I start my training?
The ABPNS can determine if your mentor meets the current requirements listed above. Please contact the ABPNS office for further information.
What is ABMS equivalency?
The ABPNS interprets ABMS equivalency to be certification following post-graduate medical training (generally 3 or more years) and successful completion of an examination which leads to national and professional/hospital recognition of qualifications to practice a Medical Specialty in the country of residence.
My practice is located in (foreign country). Am I eligible to take the ABPNS examination?
The ABPNS will certify licensed physicians who meet their training requirements from any country. You must be licensed to practice medicine in your country of residence, have been certified in a primary medical specialty by the ABMS, or its equivalent in your country, and have completed the requisite additional mentored clinical nutrition training to be eligible to take the ABPNS examination.
In my country we do not have formal medical specialty training. What do I need to do to be able to take the ABPNS examination?
The ABPNS examination is for licensed physicians who have completed postgraduate medical training and then completed additional training in clinical nutrition. In order to be able to be eligible to take the ABPNS examination, you would need to satisfy those minimum requirements.
My medical training, including specialty and additional nutrition training, was completed in (foreign country). I now reside in the United States where I am not licensed to practice medicine. Am I eligible to take the ABPNS examination?
The ABPNS certification is intended for practicing licensed physicians. The ABPNS Board recommends that you consider applying to take the examination when you are in a position to practice medicine in your country of residence.
I practice medicine in (foreign country). I successfully completed a Medical Residency in the US, have completed additional nutritional training and I have excellent references. Although I did not sit for the examination in my primary specialty, I would like to take the ABPNS examination to show proficiency in nutrition. Am I eligible to take the examination?
Eligibility requirements for taking the ABPNS examination include completing all the requirements for certification in a primary medical specialty. You would need to be certified in your primary specialty before you can be eligible to apply to take the ABPNS examination.
I earned my medical degree and achieved certification in my primary specialty in (foreign country). I have met the additional training requirements in clinical nutrition. I am now licensed to practice in the US. I am not certified by an ABMS board. Am I eligible to apply to take the ABPNS examination?
Because you have met the training requirements of the ABPNS by being a licensed physician, are certified in a medical specialty and have completed the additional required training in clinical nutrition, the ABPNS would likely determine that you are eligible to take the examination.
Where can I get more information?
Click here for "Handbook for Candidates"