American Board of Neurophysiologic Monitoring

ABNM Written Examination for Recertification — Application

Ver. 5.5 — Oct 2025

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Completed forms are submitted by email with your application packet to eforms@ptcny.com.

Application Instructions

These instructions have been abstracted from the ABNM Policy and Procedure Manual (Section XII, Recertification) and will serve as a guide for your application process. The instructions reference the Policy and Procedure Manual. You are required to read the ABNM Policy and Procedure Manual Section XII in its entirety to fully understand and complete the application process.

Upon successful completion of both the ABNM Part I-Written examination and the ABNM Part II-Oral examination, the candidate will be Board Certified for a period of ten years.

ABNM Diplomates may apply for recertification within two years prior to the expiration of their certification period by having fulfilled the CME requirements and completing an application for recertification. Note that ABNM Diplomates must take and pass the recertification examination while being in good standing as an ABNM Diplomate at the time of the Recertification examination. Current ABNM Diplomates who apply to sit an ABNM recertification examination that is scheduled on a future date after their ABNM certification has expired will not be eligible to sit the recertification examination. Any certification granted under this process will be for a period of ten additional years beyond the initial certification period.

The Recertification Process

  1. Retaking a written examination consisting of general questions on topics within specialties chosen by the ABNM.
  2. Effective January 20, 2019, there are no non-approved areas for CME credits other than the IONM or Clinical Neurophysiology areas listed in Items 6, 7 and 8 below (as per Section XII of the ABNM Policy and Procedure Manual).
  3. Documentation of a minimum of 50 Continuing Medical Education (CME) Credits in the completed “ABNM Record of CME in IONM & Clinical Neurophysiology.”
  4. CME credits must be obtained during the five-year period prior to the month and year of the recertification examination being applied for. CME credits obtained prior to the specified five-year period will not be accepted.
  5. CME credits may be obtained at any time during this five-year period but must total 50.
  6. Approved courses for IONM CME credits. At least 40 of the 50 required CME credits must be in Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM), i.e., an approved IONM course. Approved CME courses in IONM include all IONM courses provided by IONM Societies, specifically the ASNM, ACNS and ISIN. Other approved CME courses in IONM include all IONM courses provided by academic programs or private companies and institutions that provide validated CME-level IONM courses. At this time, the ABNM has approved IONM courses provided by Specialty Care and UPMC. Other IONM courses may be submitted to the ABNM for consideration to be listed as an approved ABNM CME activity.
  7. Non-approved courses for IONM CME credits. At most, 10 of the 50 required CME credits may be obtained from other courses that are not IONM courses, per se, but do include some IONM content. Candidates are required to include a copy of the course program or syllabus with the application that must include the title and presenter of the IONM CME activity and the name of the CME provider. The CME certificate must be annotated to clearly document the total number of CME hours that were specifically related to IONM content, as distinct from all other non-IONM CME content.
  8. The ABNM will accept up to 5 CME credits awarded for review of IOM papers in peer reviewed non-open-access journals. Proof of the paper topic must be provided along with the CME certificate. The ABNM has the discretion to determine if the journal is reputable enough to allow these CMEs to be used for recertification. The sponsor for these credits will be the journal.
  9. Non-approved courses for Clinical Neurophysiology CME credits. At most, 10 of the 50 required CME credits may be obtained from courses in other areas of Clinical Neurophysiology, specifically EEG and/or EMG. Approved CME courses in Clinical Neurophysiology include all Clinical Neurophysiology courses provided by the ASNM, ACNS, ISIN and IFCN. Clinical Neurophysiology CME credits obtained as part fulfillment of other courses may also be considered, provided they include the title and presenter of the CME activity and the name of the CME provider. The CME certificate must be annotated to clearly document the total number of CME hours related to Clinical Neurophysiology EEG and/or EMG content, as distinct from all other non-Clinical-Neurophysiology EEG/EMG CME content.
  10. Copies of CME certificates must be provided for all 50 required CME credits, documenting the number of credit hours obtained by the applicant as distinct from the number of available credit hours. Transcripts of CME credits provided by the issuing institution may be submitted if certificates are not available.
  11. CMEs must be awarded by approved educational institutions in the USA, or the national equivalent of the AMA for non-US-based educational institutions.
  12. Non-CME educational credits such as ASET, ASHA, etc. will only be accepted from non-Doctoral level ABNM Diplomates.
  13. Acceptance or denial of all CME credits submitted with a Recertification application is at the discretion of the ABNM and may not be appealed.
  14. Submission of the Recertification examination fee of $850.

The ABNM Recertification written exam contains 250 questions. The passing score is 70% (175 correct answers of the 250 questions). The Recertification examination is administered at the same dates and locations as the current ABNM Part I-Written examination.

Application materials include: Application form, Application Instructions, and CME Record.

Payment: $850, payable to PTC by credit card only.

Application materials and fees should be emailed to PTC at eforms@ptcny.com.

Professional Testing Corporation (PTC)

Tel: (212) 356-0660

Website: www.ptcny.com

ABNM Record of Continuing Medical Education in IONM & Clinical Neurophysiology

Each practitioner submitting an application for the ABNM recertification examination must submit proof of 50 CME/CE hours in IONM or IONM & Clinical Neurophysiology. Documentation submitted should include CME/CE activities completed within 5 years to the month and date of the examination being applied for.

All 50 credits must be in the specialty of IONM or IONM and/or Clinical Neurophysiology. At least 40 of the 50 required CME credits must be in Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM) — see Item 6 above. At most 10 of the 50 required CME credits may be obtained from other courses that include some IONM content — see Item 7 above. At most 10 of the 50 required CME credits may be obtained from courses in other areas of Clinical Neurophysiology (EEG and/or EMG) — see Item 8 above.

To provide documentation and proof of your CME/CE activities:

  1. List the courses you have taken, the date of completion, and the source/sponsor of CME/CE credit hours received. Attach as many sheets as required.
  2. Submit copies of certificates or letters received, or transcripts of CME credits issued by the sponsor, for each CME/CE activity. Ensure the copy shows the course name, course dates, location of the course, and the number of CME/CE hours received (not the number of CME/CE hours available).
  3. Submit a detailed letter of justification for non-approved courses for IONM and/or Clinical Neurophysiology CME credits, as per Items 7 and/or 8 above.

Table fields (Month / Year of Recertification Examination applied for): CME/CE Course or Activity Name | Date(s) (mm/yyyy) | Sponsor | # Credits Received. Total Number of CME/CE Credits (must total 50 or more). Typed or Printed Name / Date.