Initial Certification

See Training Requirements for the ABNM Certifying Exam for a complete description of the requirements for physicians trained in the United States or Canada.

Physicians trained outside the United States and Canada may have their training accepted as being equivalent to part of the training required in the United States, which includes the preparatory clinical year, as well as prior training in Nuclear Medicine or Diagnostic Radiology (Request Review of Non-US Education and Training). Physicians must have at least one additional year of Nuclear Medicine training in the United States.

Physicians certified in Nuclear Medicine in a country other than the United States or Canada may be eligible for certification by ABNM without additional training in an ACGME accredited Nuclear Medicine program (Alternate Pathway for physicians certified in the Nuclear Medicine outside the United States and Canada)

A physician must maintain a current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in at least one jurisdiction in the United States, its territories, or Canada. The physician also must have a current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in all jurisdictions where the physician is licensed and must not have a license that is restricted or limited, revoked, or suspended, or voluntarily surrendered or allowed to expire to avoid action(s). (Policy on Licensure)

A copy of every unexpired medical license held by the applicant at the time of the exam must be submitted to the ABNM. Copies must show the expiration date. If a physician has only one medical license that expires before the Certification Exam, the physician must submit a copy of the renewed license before the exam results are released.

A physician without a medical license may be eligible to take the Certification Exam if they have applied for a medical license before the exam date. The results of the exam will not be released until a copy of the medical license is received by the ABNM. The deadline for receipt of all medical licenses is December 31 of the year the Certification Exam is taken, after which time exam results will be null and void.

A physician may be eligible to take the Certification Exam with a restricted (in-training residency or fellowship) medical license if the physician is enrolled in a training program after July 1. A letter is required from the Program Director to confirm enrollment of the resident.

A physician may be eligible to take the Certification Exam with an institutional license (hospital privileges) while the physician is in specialty or subspecialty training. A letter is required from a department chair (or appropriate supervisor) confirming the physician will have hospital privileges while in training.

A candidate may take the certification exam up to 3 times in 7 years. Additional training or work experience will be required if a candidate fails to pass the exam on the third attempt or does not pass the exam within 7 years of completing training:

One additional year of training in an institution with an ACGME accredited Nuclear Medicine program, or other ACGME accredited program that provides the education and training specified in the ACGME Nuclear Medicine program requirements, which includes training that meets US Nuclear Medicine Regulatory Commission requirements to be an authorized user under 10 CFR 35.390 (U.S. Nuclear Medicine Regulatory Commission Training and Experience Requirements)

OR

One additional year (or full-time equivalent) of supervised work experience in the United States which includes training that meets US Nuclear Medicine Regulatory Commission requirements to be an authorized user under 10 CFR 35.390 (U.S. Nuclear Medicine Regulatory Commission Training and Experience Requirements)

The candidate may take the certification exam 3 additional times within 7 years after successfully completing the additional one-year of training or supervised work experience.