In 2025, the American Board of Medical Specialties denied a proposal to establish an independent American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine.
In a viewpoint published March 11 in JAMA Cardiology, physicians from Seattle-based Swedish Medical Center and the University of Washington compiled a selection of ideas and recommendations to modernize the certification process for interventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists.
Here are three things to know from the viewpoint:
- Currently, certification in interventional cardiology and electrophysiology requires accredited training and a multiple-choice exam. Maintenance of certification includes periodic testing and continuing medical education. Interventional cardiologists must also meet procedural volume requirements, while electrophysiologists do not.
- The authors said the current certification process does not evaluate technique or real-world decision-making because:
- About 40% of interventional cardiologists are not meeting the current case volume threshold.
- Multiple-choice exams are a less holistic method of performance evaluation than residency and fellowship training.
- Board certification may not reflect any deterioration of skill over time and may seem “increasingly irrelevant” for physicians who are already monitored through national registries.
- The authors offered a few alternative methods for certification and evaluation:
- A mix of volume thresholds, case logs and oral examinations
- Registry-based performance measures to assess real-world performance against peers
- Data sharing and collaboration through participation in quality improvement programs
- Oral board examinations with a panel of experts
- Case-based peer review
- Direct observation to assess technical skill
- Simulation technology and AI
Read the full viewpoint here.
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