Retired Physicians

The ABNM approved a new policy for retired diplomates that will be effective in 2022. The ABNM adopted the ABMS definition of retired.

If a physician chooses a retired status, as defined below, the ABNM will report this status to the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The ABMS maintains public and professional databases of all physicians certified by a Member Board. A physician cannot have retired status with one ABMS Member Board, but still be listed as active by another Member Board.  If a physician is certified by more than one ABMS member board, the ABMS will display the physician’s status as retired in the listing of all the physician’s certifying Member Boards.

The ABNM has three status for retired diplomates. 1) Active, 2) Retired – Not Participating in MOC, and 3) Retired – Participating in MOC.

The statuses definitions as follows:

Active

  • Standard MOC Fee
  • No license restrictions in any jurisdiction due to disciplinary actions.
  • Working intermittent, part-time, or full-time in direct, indirect, and/or consultative patient care, overseeing medical laboratories, supervising in a medical field, or any function for which board certification is required.

Retired – Not Participating in MOC

  • No MOC Fee
  • Possession of an active certificate at the time of retirement.
  • No license restrictions at the time of retirement in any jurisdiction due to disciplinary actions.
  • Attestation to no longer being actively engaged in direct, indirect, and/or consultative patient care, overseeing medical laboratories, or supervising in a medical field, or performing any function for which board certification is required.

Retired – Participating in MOC

  • Discounted MOC Fee
  • Possession of an active certificate at the time of retirement.
  • No license restrictions at the time of retirement in any jurisdiction due to disciplinary actions.
  • Attestation to no longer being actively engaged (including intermittent and part-time work) in direct, indirect, and/or consultative patient care, overseeing medical laboratories, or supervising in a medical field, or any function for which board certification is required.