Pathway to Certification
From Students to Diplomates: Detailed Pathway to Certification
Graduate from a CPME accredited 4-year podiatric college
Focus on gaining a high GPA
Consider extra-curricular activities
Research residency programs to find the best fit for you
Complete a CPME accredited 3-year minimum residency program
Practice with the ABFAS In-training Examination (ITE). Candidates will be able to use their passing ITE score for qualification purposes upon payment of a qualification fee.
Log cases in PRR and meet MAV diversity requirements
Successfully Complete Board Qualification Examinations
- Foot Surgery Didactic
- NEW Foot Surgery CBPS
- RRA Surgery Didactic (if pursuing)
- NEW RRA Surgery CBPS (if pursuing)
Submit the following to ABFAS:
- Residency Completion Certificate
- Active, unrestricted, state podiatric medical license
- Proof of surgical hospital privileges
Once Qualified, pay the ABFAS Annual Fee
Candidates should log all cases in PLS for which they are the surgeon of record, post-residency until the passing of Case Review.
Successfully Complete Board Certification Examinations
- Foot Surgery Case Review
- RRA Surgery Case Review (if pursuing)
As of September 2020, candidates will need to pass the NEW CBPS exam if they have not yet already passed the old Part II CBPS examination.
Submit the following to ABFAS:
- Active, unrestricted, state podiatric medical license
- Proof of surgical hospital privileges
Once Certified, pay the ABFAS Annual Fee
Candidates should log all cases in PLS for which they are the surgeon of record, post-residency until the passing of Case Review.
Complete the LEAD program requirements during each ten-year cycle.
- Participate in LEAD.
- Meet the MDT p-value standard.
- Obtain 100 CMEs each five-year period.
- Be surgically active.
- Submit proof of surgical hospital privileges.
- Pay the ABFAS annual fee.
- Participate in LEAD.
- Obtain 100 CMEs each five-year period.
- Submit proof of surgical hospital privileges.
- Pay the ABFAS annual fee.
Time-limited Certification Requirements:
Lifetime Certification Requirements:
Your First Steps in the ABFAS Certification Process
Each Fall, ABFAS administers In-training Examinations (ITEs) to assess the progress of training and education at podiatric surgical residency programs approved by CPME. These exams assess residents’ strengths and weaknesses and identify subject areas that may require more study.
Residents taking the ABFAS ITEs gain experience with the multiple‐choice didactic computer adaptive test (CAT) and the computer‐based patient simulation (CBPS) examinations. Residents should see increasingly higher scores as they progress through their residency program. The experience and knowledge gained through the ITEs are invaluable as residents prepare for ABFAS Board Qualification and Board Certification examinations.
Starting in Fall 2020, final-year residents may use a passing score on any individual ITE exam for Board Qualification purposes upon payment of a $300 board qualification fee for each passed exam.