Infectious Disease Board Meeting Summary | Fall 2025
The Infectious Disease Board held its fall meeting on September 26, 2025. Representatives from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) joined for a portion of the meeting*.
The following is a summary of the fall meeting. Visit the ABIM Blog for reports of prior meetings.
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:
- Enhancements to the Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA®), such as the possibility of expanded eligibility, developing focused versions in some specialties that will launch in 2026, and exploring additional focused versions in other specialties for the future
- Advancing and expanding ABIM’s research strategy with the appointment of Eric J. Warm, MD, MACP, as the inaugural Vice President of Research Strategy
- Supporting early career physicians and international medical graduates (IMGs) with the needs-based certification exam fee assistance program and the competency-based medical education (CBME) pilot for IMGs
- Recognizing ABIM Board Certified physicians at key milestones, such as attaining more than 30 years of certification, and an end-of-year wrap-up for LKA participants
- Advancing innovation in assessment through new technology and society collaboration
Erin Bonura, MD, MCR, FIDSA, Chair of the Infectious Disease Board, expressed enthusiasm surrounding the Needs-Based Certification Exam Fee Assistance Pilot and asked about the program’s scale and the number of physicians anticipated to benefit. Dr. McDonald explained that the application period was underway, with communications targeted toward residency program directors. More than 800 applicants awarded the assistance were notified following this meeting in November.
Andrew Spieldenner, Ph.D., inquired about the recent $100,000 H-1B visa fee and its implications for ABIM physicians. Dr. McDonald clarified that the fee effectively precludes training institutions from using H-1B visas for training, with a limited impact on clinical faculty and perhaps more impact on scientists in the research community. Jorgelina T. de Sanctis, MD, FACP, FIDSA, asked about ABIM’s position on J-1 visas, and Dr. McDonald emphasized strong support for retaining “duration of status” rather than a fixed four-year limit to prevent potential disruption to physicians in training. ABIM submitted a letter to the Department of Homeland Security in September regarding proposed changes for J-1 visa holders.
Diplomate Professional Profile*
The Infectious Disease Board reviewed the status of ABIM’s Diplomate Professional Profile (DPP), a survey that ABIM Board Certified physicians are asked to complete every five years via the Physician Portal. Data gathered from the DPP will inform exam blueprint updates and help ABIM understand what physicians are doing in practice and practice trends.
ABIM staff asked for suggestions from the Specialty Board and society guests about modifications to the DPP that would add to the value of the information collected through completion of the survey. Dr. Bonura emphasized the importance of workforce questions for IDSA, particularly related to the distribution of infectious disease specialists. Raghavendra Tirupathi Govindaraju, MD, highlighted the need for data on practice in underserved areas, and Dr. Bonura recommended capturing telemedicine reach. Elisa I. Choi, MD, MACP, FIDSA, FAMWA, suggested including data on the proportion of time devoted to clinical versus administrative or public health work, including roles in industry. Dr. Bonura further proposed improved tracking of physicians’ visa types or statuses to illuminate workforce challenges. She also recommended including a question related to participation in antibiotic stewardship. Dr. Spieldenner noted that data on retirement rates and practice trends could support advocacy efforts, particularly around HIV and rural health disparities.
Health Equity Update*
ABIM remains firmly committed to advancing health equity, as reflected in a joint statement by the ABIM Board of Directors and the ABIM Foundation Board of Trustees dated June 2025. ABIM continues to work in the areas outlined in the Equity Statement: developing health equity content for assessments, ensuring that assessments are fair, and researching to advance assessment strategies. ABIM also maintains collaborations with medical specialty societies working to advance health equity. During this session, staff highlighted both the progress achieved and the challenges that remain in ABIM’s ongoing health equity efforts.
Society Updates*
Rachel Shnekendorf, Senior Director of Education at IDSA, said the organization planned to release guidance on immunocompromised patients. (Guidelines for COVID-19 and RSV and flu vaccines respectively were since published on IDSA’s website.) Erica N. Johnson, MD, FACP, FIDSA, Senior Vice President for Academic and Medical Affairs at ABIM, referenced Maryland’s legislative updates which ensure that all insurance providers in Maryland continue to cover the cost of all vaccines as recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as of December 31, 2024, as an example of how individual states are responding to the changing federal guidance. A Specialty Board member highlighted concerns from the HIV community and gender-diverse patients regarding access to preventive services. Laura L. Sessums, JD, MD, Chief Medical Officer at ABIM, and others discussed steep federal budget cuts affecting vaccination programs and HIV funding. Members agreed that advocacy for vaccine integrity and equitable access to care must remain central to the discipline’s priorities.
Nutrition in Assessment*
The Specialty Board discussed the role of nutrition in patient care and assessment, emphasizing the importance of basing decisions to expand nutrition content in ABIM exams on sound scientific principles. Currently, the nutritional content in assessments varies across specialties.
Members of the Specialty Board urged greater focus on prevention of both acute and chronic conditions through nutritional interventions and emphasized the significance of gut health and the microbiome in overall patient well-being. Dr. Bonura noted the clinical importance of research on the gut microbiome, particularly in the context of antibiotic use. Members generally supported exploring nutrition as an area of integration into training and assessment frameworks, while underscoring ABIM’s responsibility to remain grounded in evidence-based science.
Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) Special Consideration Pilot for IMGs*
Dr. Johnson provided an update on the CBME pilot pathway for exceptionally qualified IMGs, which formally launched this fall, with communications directed toward residency and fellowship program directors to inform eligible candidates. Specialty Board members reiterated the importance of supporting international graduates, particularly in light of visa challenges, and suggested continued monitoring of candidate demographics and practice locations.
Advancing Quality of Care in Infectious Disease*
Specialty Board members engaged in small-group discussions to identify opportunities for advancing quality of care in infectious disease. Themes included the need to improve care coordination, strengthen data collection on workforce capacity, and address ongoing disparities in HIV prevention and treatment. Members emphasized the role of ABIM in supporting continuous improvement through both assessment innovation and engagement with society partners. Notes from these discussions will inform a quality agenda to be shared with the American Board of Medical Specialties.
Society representatives departed at this point in the meeting.
LKA Learning Study
Rebecca S. Lipner, Ph.D., Chief Assessment Science Officer, and Bradley Gray, Ph.D., Principal Health Services Researcher at ABIM, shared results from a study of LKA participants. They reported that 95% of physicians indicated they learned from the LKA, and 73% reported changes or intended changes in patient care as a result. The study also found that physicians who performed less well were more motivated to study further. Specialty Board members responded positively to these findings, with Dr. Bonura noting that the results reinforced the value of LKA as both a summative assessment and a way to receive actionable feedback to help physicians learn more.
Learn More
Subscribe to the ABIM Blog to stay on top of the latest news.
Get Involved
Apply to openings on ABIM Governance and the Item-Writing Task Forces and be part of shaping the future of ABIM’s assessments. Join the Community Insights Network to share feedback with ABIM through focus groups, surveys, user testing, and more as we develop and refine our programs together.
*Indicates that society representatives were present for discussion on this agenda topic.
