This article is only available in the PDF format. Download the PDF to view the article, as well as its associated figures and tables.
Sir.—At its annual meeting in November 1985, the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) established a policy of time-limited certification. This new policy will become effective for those individuals who are certified in general pediatrics after April 30, 1988. By this action, the ABP provides assurance to the public that pediatricians certified after this date have been and will continue to be evaluated periodically by the ABP. Anyone certified prior to this date will not be affected by this new policy; however, those who choose to do so may achieve certification renewal on a voluntary basis.
The duration of the original certificate issued after April 30, 1988, will be seven years. Individuals will begin the certification renewal process at the beginning of the sixth year, thus allowing two years to complete the process.
The ABP is developing the details of the program, which will be published when completed. An examination of knowledge