Application FAQ’s

1. When can I apply for the CC exam? All applicants must submit an on-line application for the CC exam. The application is available online at the ABNM website (www.abnm.org) starting early April and will be closed at midnight (EST) May 31st the ABNM no longer has paper exam applications.
2. Can I submit an application after the May 31 deadline? Yes, you can submit an application to the CC exam from June 1–30, but a late fee of $500 will be assessed. NO APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED AFTER JUNE 30.
3. How often is the CC exam given? Once a year, usually during the first full week in October.

1. What do I need to do before I apply for the CC Exam? You must be participating in the ABNM CC program to be eligible to take the CC Exam. Participation in CC includes the following:
2. CC and My Profile
   1. All Diplomates, who are board, certified by the ABNM (regardless of the status of your certification) have a profile on the ABNM website (www.abnm.org).
   2. You must be up-to date with Part 1, Part 2, and Part 4 of your CC profile.
3. All CC fees must be paid before your CC Exam application will be accepted.
4. To access your profile, go to https://www.abnm.org/signin. Note: Do not create a profile/account. Enter your email address in the space provided and your password. If you cannot remember your password, click “Forgot Password?”. Follow the instructions on the screen to receive a password reset.
5. My certificate has expired, am I still eligible to take the CC Exam? If your certificate expired within the last 5 years, you will be eligible to take the CC exam. If your certificate expired greater than 5 years, you must take the Certification Exam and pass the exam before your certificate will be reinstated.
6. My certificate does not expire until next year; will I be able to take the exam before it expires? You may take the CC exam at any time. The ABNM recommends that diplomates take the CC exam two years prior to when their certificate expires to allow the diplomate to retake the exam if necessary. If they pass the CC exam, the expiration date on their new certificate will be 10 years after the expiration date of their old certificate so that there is no penalty for taking the exam up to two years before required.
7. Do I need to be currently practicing nuclear medicine to take the CC exam? No.

1. How much does the exam cost? There is no additional fee to sit the CC Exam. A late fee of $500 will be added to the exam fee from July 16-July 31. Applications will be rejected if all fees are not paid by July 31.

1. What is the medical license requirement? In the online application, list all of the currently valid unrestricted state or provincial medical licenses that you have. Do not send documentation unless asked to do so by the ABNM.
2. Are licenses other than US or Canadian licenses accepted? If you practice medicine exclusively in another country, your license will be accepted.
3. I have/or had restrictions on my medical license. Will I still be eligible to take the CC exam? The ABNM receives reports of disciplinary actions taken by state medical licensing boards. Any certificate issued by the Board is subject to revocation should the Board determine that a physician who has received a certificate was in some respect not properly qualified to receive or retain it. Diplomates have an obligation to notify the Board within 60 days of all disciplinary actions taken by medical licensing boards and to inform the Board when such actions expire or are otherwise removed. Individuals who have not made this disclosure shall be required to explain why they have failed to do so. Any certificate revoked by the Board must be returned to the Board.

1. How will I know the status of my application? During the application period you will be receiving emails regarding missing/received documents/fees due.
2. Can I call the ABNM office to inquire about my application status? Application status information is not released over the phone by the ABNM to ensure confidentiality during the process.
3. Why is my application status “Not Submitted”? You must complete every page of the application and click the “submit application” button or it will not be reviewed. APPLICATIONS CANNOT BE REVIEWED UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED.
4. What happens when I submit by application? The ABNM will notify you of any missing documents. When all documents are received, the ABNM reviews your application. Then you will receive an email notification if your application has been accepted or rejected. This process can take several weeks depending on when your application is complete.
5. What does the “Under Review” status mean? The ABNM is reviewing the pages of your application and waiting for documents to be received.
6. What does the “Action Needed” status mean? The ABNM has not received documents or material pertinent to the review of your application. You will receive an email when a page needs your attention.
7. How soon will I know my application has been accepted or rejected? Once your application is submitted it will be reviewed. You will then receive an email notifying you that your application has been ACCEPTED or REJECTED. This process can take several weeks and is dependent on when the application is complete. THE SOONER YOUR DOCUMENTS ARE RECEIVED; THE SOONER REVIEW OF YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE REVIEWED.
8. Once I have been notified my application has been accepted, what happens next? Registration letters are sent to all candidates. This letter will list detailed instructions on how to register for the exam (including choosing your exam day and location) and will list your registration number (Candidate ID number).

1. How do I withdraw my application? You should contact the ABNM in writing requesting your application be withdrawn from consideration. An email request is preferred.

1. What resources are available for me to study for the exam? The ABNM has a study guide with a list of key articles and a few sample questions listed on our website. You can contact the Society for Nuclear Medicine (SNM) for additional resources. You should also complete the tutorial for the computer-based exam on the Measurement Research Associates website: http://www.measurementresearch.com/testing/tutorial.shtml.
2. What other options will help me prepare for the exam? Each January the ABNM offers diplomates the opportunity to take an In-training exam (ITE) in which trainees of the Nuclear Medicine programs participate. ITE enrollment schedule and fee information is available on the ABNM website in September, or you can contact the ABNM office.

1. Once the exam is complete, how soon will I receive the results? The exam results letters are mailed to candidates 2 months after exam week.
2. Do I receive a certificate when I pass the exam? Yes, a certificate noting your accomplishment will be mailed with your results letter.
3. What happens to my status if I fail the exam? If you have a time-limited certificate that has not yet expired, there will be no change in your status. If you have a time-limited certificate that has expired, you will not be listed as being certified by the American Board of Nuclear Medicine until you pass the exam.
4. If you have a lifetime certificate, you will still be listed as being certified by the American Board of Nuclear Medicine, but your profile will state “Not Required” to meet annual CC milestones.

You are not eligible to enroll in CertLink® and must pass the CC exam to maintain your status as an ABNM certified physician. The deadline to submit your on-line application is MAY 31st.

Taking the exam, a year or two before your certificate expires gives you multiple opportunities to pass the CC exam in the unlikely event that you do not pass the exam on your first attempt.

When you pass the CC exam, a new certificate will be issued for 10 years, commencing on the expiration date of your current certificate therefore there is no penalty for taking the CC exam early.

Once you pass the CC Exam, in January, you will be automatically enrolled in CertLink® a longitudinal assessment program, developed for ABMS Member Boards. The program will periodically deliver nuclear medicine questions with detailed explanations and references directly to ABNM diplomates as an alternative to the CC exam.

If you do not pass the CC exam prior to the certificate’s expiration date, you will remain eligible to take the CC exam but will no longer be listed as an ABNM certified physician.

The option to have your certificate re-issued when you pass the CC Exam will be available for only 5 years following expiration of the original certificate, after which a candidate will be required to take the initial certification exam.

Your time-limited ABNM certification has expired and are no longer certified by the ABNM.

You are not eligible to enroll in CertLink®.

You may still take the CC exam and re-certify, if you are participating in CC and meet the other eligibility requirements, including having an unrestricted medical license in all jurisdictions where you are licensed to practice medicine.

The option to have your certificate re-issued when you pass the CC Exam will be available for only 5 years following expiration of the original certificate, after which a candidate will be required to take the initial certification exam.

Please see “ABNM Continuing Certification Policy,” and “ABNM Policy on Licensure Standards for Certification and Continuing Certification,” available at www.abnm.org.

If you pass the CC exam your ABNM certificate will be re-instated for another ten years from the date that your certificate expired.

Once you pass the CC Exam, in January, you will be automatically enrolled in CertLink®, a longitudinal assessment program, developed for ABMS Member Boards. The program will periodically deliver nuclear medicine questions with detailed explanations and references directly to ABNM diplomates as an alternative to the CC exam.

The deadline to submit your on-line application for the CC exam is MAY 31st.

You continue to be ABNM certified and are eligible to enroll in CertLink®.

To be listed as participating in the ABNM’s Continuing Certification (CC) program, you must take the CC exam or participate in CertLink® and meet all other CC eligibility requirements.

Diplomates who are participating in CC are now publicly listed on the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) website (www.certificationmatters.org).