The American Board of Internal Medicine announces guidelines for combining training in ACGME accredited programs leading to certification in an internal medicine subspecialty and Geriatric Medicine. ABIM will grant credit for Geriatric Medicine training occurring in combination with a subspecialty of internal medicine consisting of: (1) Eight block months of Geriatric Medicine training (2) the equivalent of three months training in continuing care, such as continuity clinics, that is scheduled as one-half day per week each month for the duration of the combined training, and (3) one month of vacation or other leave. One month of block clinical experience in end-of-life care may be double-counted for certification in both Geriatric Medicine and Medical Oncology. The training required for subspecialty certification following combined training remains unchanged.
An example of 36 months of combined training in Medical Oncology and Geriatric Medicine that provides a focus for an academic career in both disciplines might include the following experiences:
- Eleven months of block clinical training in Medical Oncology
- Seven months of block clinical training in Geriatric Medicine
- One month of end-of-life block experience counting for both disciplines
- 1/2 day per week for 22 months of continuity clinic in Medical Oncology
- 1/2 day per week for 33 months of continuity clinic in Geriatric Medicine
- Fourteen months of combined training in research
- Three months of vacation or other leave
Candidates enrolled in combined Geriatric Medicine and Internal Medicine Subspecialty Programs must complete the entire combined program before being admitted to either the Geriatric Medicine Examination or the ABIM Subspecialty Examination.