By Randall K. Roenigk, MD*
The American Board of Dermatology is streamlining the Continuing Certification Program to better support board-certified dermatologists while upholding the highest standards in dermatologic care. The changes will go into effect in January 2026.
These changes align the ABD’s Continuing Certification Program with the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) updated requirements. We have worked diligently to ensure that continuing certification is relevant to current dermatological practice – and is worth your time and effort.
The new plan will have only four components.
Most continuing certification requirements will be met through CertLink participation which is now required of all diplomates.
The other requirements have not changed: one Practice Improvement activity every five years, a valid medical license, and an unchanged, all-inclusive annual fee of $150.
CertLink Passing Standard Set
Until now, CertLink has been a pilot program. While you have been reviewing and learning from your 13 questions per quarter, the ABD has been fine-tuning the program and accumulating sufficient data to confidently (and psychometrically) set a passing standard.
Drum roll please… The passing score for CertLink is 73 percent correct after 4 years.
Starting in 2026, your cumulative performance will be measured after four years. Based on performance during the pilot, we are confident that more than 99 percent of diplomates who participate in three of four quarters each year will meet the passing score when your cumulative performance is measured.
You may still opt to take a sabbatical during one quarter each year. If you answer questions in all four quarters, your lowest quarterly score will not count toward your cumulative performance.
And if you do meet the passing standard by the end of the fourth year, you will get a CertLink “holiday” in Year 5.
What Happens If You Don’t Meet the Standard?
If you are not meeting the CertLink passing standard by the end of your fourth year, you must take a Catch-Up Exam in the fifth year. This exam will be a modified version of CertLink – you will have one week to answer all 150 questions. You will still have 10 minutes to answer each question, but you will not get a second chance if your answer is wrong. Like CertLink, the Catch-Up Exam is open book. However, none of the Catch-Up Exam questions will be based on journal articles.
What’s Next?
Over the next few months, we will share more information about this evolution of ABD’s Continuing Certification Program. We will contact you by email when new details are available. Stay tuned!
Meanwhile, check out these FAQs about Continuing Certification in 2026 and Beyond.
We Appreciate Your Feedback
We promise to keep listening to you and doing all we can to ensure that continuing certification is relevant, and that the process is as administratively simple as possible.
We invite you to contact us at Communications@abderm.org with your suggestions.
*About the Author
Dr. Roenigk is the Executive Director of the American Board of Dermatology. In addition, he is a consultant (full-time faculty) and former chair of the Department of Dermatology and Division of Dermatologic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. A professor of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, he also holds the Robert H. Kieckhefer Professorship in Dermatology at the Mayo Foundation.
The American Board of Dermatology is streamlining the Continuing Certification Program to better support board-certified dermatologists while upholding the highest standards in dermatologic care. The changes will go into effect in January 2026.
