| ConCert Examination Requirements and Process | |
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Requirements
Registration and Scheduling Process
Taking the ConCert Examination
Notification of Results
Next Steps
LLSA Test Availability
Requirements
Status with ABEM
Only diplomates and former diplomates attempting to regain certification through the EMCC program may register to take a ConCert examination.
Medical Licensure Requirements
Participants in the EMCC process must continuously hold a current, active, valid, unrestricted, and unqualified license to practice medicine in at least one jurisdiction in the United States, its territories, or Canada and in each jurisdiction in which they practice. All of a physician’s medical licenses must comply with ABEM’s Policy on Medical Licensure.
If a physician’s medical licensure is found not to comply with ABEM’s Policy on Medical Licensure, ABEM will investigate the details. During this investigation and until the Board renders a final decision, the physician can take the ConCert examination.
LLSA Test Equivalent Requirements for Diplomates
To take a particular year’s ConCert examination, diplomates must complete a specific number of LLSA test equivalents. An LLSA test equivalent is defined as an LLSA test that the physician takes and passes, or a ConCert examination that the physician takes instead of an LLSA test but does not pass. View the Policy on Required EMCC Activity for more detail.
Diplomates may check their current eligibility requirements and status at any time through EMCC Online. From the EMCC Personal Page, select the Quick Link button, “Check EMCC Status.”
Failure of Diplomates to Meet LLSA Participation Requirements.
If a physician does not complete the number of LLSA test equivalents required for a specific ConCert examination, the physician may not register for the examination.
If the physician fails to meet the LLSA test participation requirements and therefore cannot take the ConCert examination by the time his or her certificate expires, it will not be possible to maintain or regain certification through the EMCC program. However, the physician may apply to take one or both initial certification examinations according to the following requirements:
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If the physician missed one required LLSA test equivalent prior to the expiration of his or her certification, he or she must take and pass the qualifying examination, formerly known as the written certification examination, by the end of the third year after his or her certification expires. Within the three years, the physician is required to take and pass an LLSA test in each of the years that he or she does not take the qualifying examination.
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If the physician missed two or more required LLSA test equivalents prior to his or her certification expiration, he or she must take and pass both the qualifying examination and the oral certification examination to regain certification.
Physicians may begin the process of taking initial certification examinations as soon as it is certain that they cannot complete enough LLSA test equivalents to take the ConCert examination to maintain certification.
Test Requirements for Former Diplomates
ABEM provides options for former diplomates to regain certification. Former diplomates who do not meet the requirements for regaining certification through the EMCC program may attempt to regain certification by taking the initial certification examinations. These options are described in the Policy on Regaining Certification.
Time-limited Opportunity for Former Diplomates Whose Certificates Expired in or Before 2003
All former diplomates whose certificates expired anytime in or before 2003 had a one-time, time-limited opportunity starting in 2004 to attempt to regain certification through the EMCC program. Former diplomates who began this one-time opportunity in 2004 and met their requirements for 2004 and 2005 must take and pass the 2006 ConCert examination to regain certification. If these physicians do not take and pass the 2006 ConCert examination, the opportunity will close and they must pass both the qualifying and the oral certification examinations to regain certification.
Former diplomates whose certificates expired in or before 2003 who did not begin this one-time opportunity in 2004 must take and pass both the qualifying and the oral certification examinations to regain certification.
Time-limited Opportunity for Former Diplomates Whose Certificates Expired in or Before 2003
All former diplomates whose certificates expired anytime in or before 2003 had a one-time, time-limited opportunity starting in 2004 to attempt to regain certification through the EMCC program. Former diplomates who began this one-time opportunity in 2004 and met their requirements for 2004 and 2005 must take and pass the 2006 ConCert examination to regain certification. If these physicians do not take and pass the 2006 ConCert examination, the opportunity will close and they must pass both the qualifying and the oral certification examinations to regain certification.
Former diplomates whose certificates expired in or before 2003 who did not begin this one-time opportunity in 2004 must take and pass both the qualifying and the oral certification examinations to regain certification.
Time-limited Opportunity for Former Diplomates Whose Certificates Expired in or after 2004
Former diplomates whose certificates expired in or after 2004 have a time-limited opportunity to regain certification through the EMCC program.
Former diplomates whose certificates expired in 2004 must have begun this opportunity in 2005. They have through 2007 in which to pass a ConCert examination to regain certification. If they do not take the ConCert examination in 2006, they must take and pass an LLSA test in 2006 to keep open their option to take the ConCert examination in 2007.
Former diplomates whose certificates expired in 2005 must begin this opportunity in 2006. They have through 2008 in which to pass a ConCert examination to regain certification. If they do not take the ConCert examination in 2006, they must take and pass an LLSA test in 2006 to continue the process of regaining certification through EMCC in 2007.
Former diplomates may attempt to regain certification through the time-limited opportunity only if they met the LLSA requirements to be eligible to take the ConCert examination in the year their certificates expired. If they missed one required LLSA test, they must take the qualifying examination to regain certification. If they missed two or more required LLSA tests, they must take the qualifying and oral certification examinations to regain certification.
Registration and Scheduling Process
Physicians who meet the LLSA test and medical licensure requirements may register for the ConCert examination starting in May of each year. Physicians will register using EMCC Online. View Important EMCC Dates for specific registration periods and examination administration period each year.
There are five steps in the registration process:
- Select the ConCert examination.
- Update medical license information and affirm that your medical license(s) comply with ABEM’s Policy on Medical Licensure.
- Verify that your contact information is correct.
- Pay for the examination. The payment step involves entering appropriate credit card information and obtaining immediate approval, or selecting the option of paying by mail. View the Policy on Fees for more information about ConCert examination fees.
- Review billing information to make sure it is correct.
When ConCert registration is complete, EMCC Online will display the necessary information for scheduling an appointment to take the examination with Pearson VUE testing centers. Physicians should then phone Pearson VUE using the telephone number provided to them at the end of registration to schedule their specific examination place, day and time. View information about Pearson VUE.
Pearson VUE will only schedule physicians who have registered with ABEM and whom ABEM has authorized to schedule with Pearson VUE. Physicians receive their choice of test site and appointment date and time on a first-come-first-served basis. Not every testing center has every day or time available during the testing window. Physicians who wish to schedule on a specific day or at a specific place are encouraged to schedule early, since seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Taking the ConCert Examination
The ConCert examination is a half day, secure, proctored examination based in part on the content of previous years’ LLSA tests. It is administered on computers in Pearson VUE professional testing centers.
Each year the ConCert examination is administered over 6 consecutive days in over 200 Pearson VUE testing centers around the United States, providing physicians with a variety of scheduling options. Not every testing center has every day or time available during the testing window. Physicians who wish to schedule on a specific day or at a specific place are encouraged to schedule early, since seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
On the first day of the ConCert administration each year, all physicians registered for the examination will be blocked from taking the LLSA tests that are online at the time. Access to those LLSA tests will not be reinstated except for physicians who take but do not pass the ConCert examination.
Physicians are expected to appear on time for their ConCert examination appointments. The assigned seat may become unavailable if the physician appears more than 30 minutes after the appointment time.
Upon arrival at the Pearson VUE testing center, a physician must be prepared to show his or her government issued picture identification. A physician’s guests may not remain within the testing center while the physician is taking the ConCert examination.
Physicians may take health-related items that they will need, such as eyeglasses and hearing aids. Visually impaired candidates may use magnifying visual aids.
Physicians may not take any items other than those listed above into the examination room. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to, food and beverages, computers and electronic information storage system devices; hand-held, pocket and laptop computers, and any similar devices; watches, cell phones, PDAs, beepers, pagers, cameras, tape or CD players or recorders, calculators and timepieces with calculators; coats, backpacks, briefcases, purses, wallets, and “fanny” packs; notepaper, pens, books, luggage, study materials, and this Examination Information for Candidates book. Prohibited electronic items are not permitted in the testing room even if turned off. Physicians will be provided with erasable notepads.
Pearson VUE testing centers are equipped with lockers for storing personal items during the examination appointment.
Notification of Results
Physicians who take the ConCert examination will be notified in writing of examination results within 90 days of the last day of the examination administration. ABEM will post on its website, www.abem.org, the date on which results are mailed.
To ensure that they receive their results, physicians must maintain up-to-date address information using EMCC Online.
To ensure the confidentiality of examination results, all information will be sent to candidates in written form. Results will not be provided via telephone, fax, or email.
Next Steps
Physicians who pass the ConCert examination will be certified for a period of ten years. If they anticipate maintaining certification beyond the ten years, they must take and pass the required number of LLSA test equivalents for the ConCert examination in the year in which they want to take it. Only LLSA tests dated after the year in which the physician passed the ConCert examination or oral certification examination can count toward a future certification.
Physicians who do not pass the ConCert examination have three years in which to regain certification through the EMCC program. Specific test or examination activity is required each year. See the Policy on Regaining Certification for more detail.
Diplomates and former diplomates can see their individual requirements, options, and status by signing in to EMCC Online and selecting the Check EMCC Status button.
LLSA Test Availability
Each LLSA test remains online for three years after it is posted. Once registered, a physician has three opportunities to pass, as long as the test is still available to that physician. If necessary, a physician may register again and pay the test fee for an additional three opportunities to pass.
A physician may register for an LLSA test any time that the test is available to that physician. Once the physician has registered for the test, the registration remains in effect until the physician has passed the test or it is no longer available to that physician. The test is no longer available if
- the physician has failed the test three times, although the physician may re-register for the test,
- the three years the test is available online have passed,
- the physician has passed the ConCert or oral certification examination in or after the year the LLSA test was posted, or
- the physician has not met his or her specific EMCC requirements.
If a physician passes an LLSA test, it is possible to view the test results, but it is not possible to take the test again.
Revised 3/27/07