Critical Care Medicine Board Meeting Summary | Spring 2026
The Critical Care Medicine Board held its spring meeting on April 30, 2026, including a joint session with the Pulmonary Disease Board. Representatives from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the Association of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Program Directors (APCCMPD), the College of Health Care Professions (CHCP) and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) joined for a portion of the meeting*.
ABIM and the Critical Care Medicine Board gratefully acknowledge the service of Kimberly Bird, MD, Angel O. Coz Yataco, MD, and chair Laura E. Evans, MD, MSc, whose terms on the Specialty Board ended June 30, 2026. Dr. Bird and Dr. Coz Yataco first joined the Specialty Board in 2020. Dr. Evans joined as a member in 2014 and served two terms as chair starting in 2020. She also served as chair of the ABIM Council (2024 – 2026) and joined the Board of Directors in July.
Kimberly Bird, MD, began her term as chair of the Critical Care Medicine Board on July 1, 2026.
The following is a summary of the spring meeting. Visit the ABIM Blog for reports of prior meetings.
Joint Session with the Pulmonary Disease Board
ABIM Leadership Update*
Furman S. McDonald, MD, MPH, President and CEO of ABIM and the ABIM Foundation, discussed progress on ABIM’s strategic initiatives, including:
- Customized learning plans via collaboration with the American College of Physicians (ACP) that launched in February. A new feature in ACP’s Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program (MKSAP) allows subscribers to import their most recent ABIM internal medicine assessment results directly into their account, which will suggest learning tools to build a tailored plan.
- Enhancing early career physician engagement through an interactive online community platform, tailored resources for residency programs and the creation of an Early Career Committee, which will begin meeting in July.
- Progress of the Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) Special Consideration Pathway pilot for International Medical Graduates (IMGs), which has received more than 160 applicants to date. ABIM is using the pilot to test a model for board eligibility using a CBME framework, while removing barriers for physicians who meet the same standards as peers who completed accredited internal medicine training.
- The recently expanded blueprint review process, which involves a schedule of plans for updating blueprints in every specialty over the next several years. Practicing physicians in each specialty will continue to be invited to participate in updating each blueprint to reflect current practice.
- Recent communications about the importance of exam integrity and, in particular, the appropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools on the Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA®).
In conversation, Dr. McDonald also explained more about how ABIM is exploring new technologies and how they may be leveraged in the future assessment of competencies beyond medical knowledge. Any new technologies will require lengthy, robust study before consideration in the assessment of practicing physicians.
The group also discussed ABIM’s work to expand communications to strengthen the public understanding of the importance of board certification, the growing body of evidence for its value and impact, and patient outcomes. ABIM publishes research on its website and Dr. McDonald noted that the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) is also active in this area.
Developing Quality Agendas in Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine*
As a next step in the development of a discipline-specific Quality Agenda, the Specialty Boards engaged in breakout discussions to further refine the aims, drivers and relevant society strategies agreed upon by the Specialty Boards and specialty society colleagues. The Quality Agenda is one of the standards for continuing certification issued by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) for all Member Boards in 2021. This standard requires that Member Boards “facilitate the process for developing an agenda for improving the quality of care in their specialties.” (ABMS Standards for Continuing Certification, p. 15: Requirements for Member Boards, 18. Quality Agenda.)
Participants identified themes such as disparities in access to care, insurance coverage and geographic barriers, as well as the value of collaboration among specialty societies. Participants also discussed the importance of clinician engagement in operational decision-making, use of existing treatment guidelines and data-driven identification of care gaps.
Review the complete Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine Quality Agenda.
Physicians Engaging in Improving Health and Health Care*
ABMS Standard 19 (ABMS Standards for Continuing Certification, p. 16) focuses on increasing the proportion of physicians engaged in improving health and health care, including quality improvement and patient safety. It requires ongoing reporting, increased participation and collaboration to ease engagement and reporting burdens. ABIM is not reintroducing a requirement for individual diplomates to participate in quality improvement activities. Instead, ABIM will look to increase engagement in and recognition of quality improvement activities through existing pathways. In addition, ABIM will develop and implement new opportunities to recognize and reward diplomate engagement in quality improvement under the expanded definition.
The conversation emphasized the need for clear definitions, practical reporting mechanisms and alignment with the activities that physicians and programs already perform. Participants were informed that post-meeting surveys would seek feedback from Specialty Boards, Advisory Committees and society partners on eligible quality improvement activities and on existing reportable activities that ABIM might include in its measurement.
Procedural Requirements for Initial Certification in Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease
In April, ABIM—on behalf of the Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease Boards—issued a public call for comment on a proposal to revise the procedural requirements for initial certification in the two specialties. Staff reviewed responses and feedback from partner medical societies to determine next steps.
Following the meeting, the Specialty Board finalized the list of recommended procedural requirements. The new procedural requirements will go into effect for fellows beginning their training July 1, 2027, and after. ABIM will now work on communicating the new standards to initial certification candidates and training programs.
View the new procedural requirements for initial certification in
critical care medicine and pulmonary disease.
Oversight of Training in Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease
Erica N. Johnson, MD, FACP, FIDSA, Senior Vice President for Academic and Medical Affairs, and Michael Melfe, Director, Academic Affairs, presented data on the oversight of training in Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease. Participants reviewed initial certification eligibility data, match data, board eligibility data and outcomes related to Special Consideration Pathways and any applicable Advancing Innovation in Residency Education (AIRE) programs. Participants discussed strong match performance and increasing applicant interest in pulmonary and critical care medicine in the last five years.
Oversight of Assessments in Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease*
A large part of the purview of the Specialty Boards is oversight of the assessments. Each year, they examine data from assessments in each discipline. Members received population-level information, assessment participation updates and performance data to support informed decision-making and future assessment strategies.
Participants discussed certification patterns across Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease, including overlap among diplomates holding multiple certificates. They reviewed themes related to assessment fairness, item quality, topic relevance and the importance of keeping resources and references current in rapidly evolving fields. Participants recommended that comments submitted by physicians receive appropriate acknowledgment and explored opportunities to share with physicians more clearly how their comments are reviewed and used.
End of the Joint Session
The Critical Care Medicine Board continued its meeting as follows.
Candidates for the Critical Care Medicine Approval Committees
Specialty Boards are responsible for selecting incoming members and chairs of the Approval Committees in advance of new terms that begin in July of each year and as seats become vacant for other reasons. Following a review of the candidate materials and a candidate interview, the Specialty Board appointed Danai Khemasuwan, MD, and Dante Suffredini, MD, to the Critical Care Medicine LKA Approval Committee, and Betty Tran, MD, to the Critical Care Medicine Traditional, 10-Year MOC Exam Approval Committee.
Read about all new governance appointments as of July 1, 2026.
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*Indicates society representatives were present for discussion of this agenda topic.
