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December 08, 2025
2 min read
Key takeaways:
- The policy blocks residents and fellows whose program directors are certified by AOBIM from taking ABIM’s certification exams.
- AOA said the policy “sidelines well-trained, accomplished osteopathic physicians.”
The American Osteopathic Association announced it has filed a lawsuit challenging an American Board of Internal Medicine policy which limits opportunities for internal medicine physicians and residents.
According to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the policy blocks qualified residents and fellows from taking the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) board certification exams “not because of their competence” but due to their program directors being certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine (AOBIM) instead of the ABIM.
An AOA press release said the policy “sidelines well-trained, accomplished osteopathic physicians,” who may be excluded from leadership roles and mentorship opportunities.
“We’re trying to get osteopathic physicians in a position where they can help train the next generation of physicians and instill our osteopathic principles and practices by taking osteopathic boards to fulfill their training,” AOA President Robert G.G. Piccinini, DO, D.FACN, told Healio. “The policy diminishes the osteopathic perspective in graduate medical education.”
He further explained the policy “directly limits the ability for osteopathic board-certified internal medicine physicians to assume the role of program directors,” preventing them from filling a gap in the health care workforce.
According to Piccinini, ABIM “has not clearly articulated a transparent or consistent rationale for this policy.”
“What’s even more confusing is that after the single accreditation system started in 2015, for 7 years, ABIM allowed osteopathic internal medicine program directors who are only certified by the AOBIM to function fully as program directors and to sign the attestation of residents and fellows that they had completed their training, that they were in good standing and that they were able to take the board certification exams,” he said.
AOA made several efforts to eliminate the policy before resorting to legal action, the release said.
“We engaged in substantive and direct discussions with ABIM’s representatives. We sat down and talked to them at different times about … how unfair, unjust and detrimental this policy was,” Piccinini said. “And yet, they still refuse to eliminate this policy.”
The American College of Osteopathic Internists, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, noted in the release that “patients lose access to the physicians they need” when program directors are disregarded for reasons unrelated to competency.
Piccinini said that he hopes “the courts recognize that this is unfair and unlawful, and mandate that the ABIM change their policies … so we can get back to providing quality health care education.”
“We understand this ABIM policy doesn’t improve the patient care we need and is a barrier to health care,” he said. “This has damaged and impaired physicians at a time of rising physician burnout and shortages. We would like ABIM to understand that as well.”
ABIM declined to respond to Healio’s request for comment.
Editor’s note: This is a developing news story. Please check back soon for more details.
For more information:
Robert G.G. Piccinini, DO, D.FACN, can be reached through Ernst Lamothe, AOA public relations, media relations and social media director, at elamothe@osteopathic.org.
Sources/Disclosures
Source:
References:
Disclosures:
Piccinini reports being the president of the AOA.
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