The AABIP has re-opened a Practice Pathway for Board Certification for a select group of physicians who were eligible prior to closure of the previous practice pathway on December 31, 2016 (see below criteria). Based on concerns from AABIP members who missed the original Practice Pathway window which closed after 2016, this pathway has been re-opened for only 2 years (2023 and 2024). To maintain consistency in certification processes, the same certification criteria will be used from the original Practice Pathway with minor modification to reflect new date requirements. 

• Only individuals with an MD/DO or equivalent degree are eligible for the Interventional Pulmonology Board Certification examinations.
• Applicants should have completed training in Pulmonary Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, or Thoracic Surgery from an accredited program in the United States or Canada and should have completed fellowship by the end of 2016. This includes Interventional Pulmonology Fellowship graduates who completed training by the end of 2016 who chose not to take the Interventional Pulmonology Board Examination.
• Applicants must hold a current, active, license to practice medicine in at least one jurisdiction in the United States, its territories, or Canada.
• Licenses that have been revoked, suspended, surrendered, or not renewed in order to terminate or settle disciplinary proceedings do not qualify as meeting the requirements for medical licensure, and all such licenses must be reported for review and consideration.
• All Applicants must have an attestation signed by themselves AND another individual that can attest to their clinical competence, procedural competence, professionalism, moral and ethical practices.  The verifying individual needs to be an MD/DO or equivalent, but does not have to be practicing interventional pulmonology (it could be a colleague, mentor, section chief, division chief, or department chair).  The attestation should also confirm that a substantial component (33% or more) of the applicant’s professional activity both now and prior to 2016, whether clinical, educational, research, or administrative, takes place within the field of IP. For the attestation of IP practice prior to 2016, a separate letter of attestation from a prior verifying individual is required if the applicant’s practice setting has changed since 2016.
• A procedure log must be submitted by all clinical practice pathway applicants.  The minimum procedure requirements are listed in Table 1. These procedures must have occurred within the two years prior to the date of the Attestation.
• Applicants must submit descriptions, including pictures if available, of at least 10 therapeutic rigid or flexible bronchoscopy cases to relieve central airway obstruction (e.g., stent, cryotherapy, cryocanalization, balloon dilatation, laser, argon plasma coagulation, electrocautery, photodynamic therapy, or brachytherapy)  from the past 2 years prior to the date of the attestation.
• Applicants will be required to meet procedural requirements in at least 2 of the 3 core procedure groups (Table 1): Core procedure groups are: Complex large airway disease; Advanced diagnostic bronchoscopy; and Pleural disease management). 

1. The numbers of procedures listed are considered a threshold number for competency. The AABIP recognizes that some trainees will be proficient after relatively few procedures, but that the average trainee just out of pulmonary or thoracic fellowship will likely become proficient only after a threshold is met.  Additionally, the trainee should not consider their training complete simply by accruing a certain number of procedures. Fellowship directors have the primary responsibility of ensuring competency sufficient to sit for the boards.
2. If the trainee is seeking rigid bronchoscopy training, 50 procedures of the 100 must be done with a rigid bronchoscope.
3. Thoracoscopy is optional, however if training is desired it is recommended that at least 20 procedures be performed.
4. Miscellaneous procedures such as percutaneous tracheostomy, PEG, and others are optional for fellowship training. If taught, each program director has the responsibility of ensuring that the trainee is competent.
5. Evaluation and management of patients is as important as procedures. Therefore, the AABIP requires a minimum number of outpatient or inpatient encounters dedicated to some aspect of interventional pulmonology.

1. Complete the online 2024 IP Board application form:
1. Required Documents
1. Medical School Diploma
2. General Pulmonary or Thoracic Surgery Board Certification
3. State Medical License
4. Fellowship Certificates of Training (IP Fellowship Certificate of Training, only when applicable). 
5. Curriculum Vitae
6. Attestation signed by applicant AND another individual that can attest to their clinical competence, procedural competence, professionalism, moral and ethical practices. The verifying individual needs to be an MD/DO or equivalent, but does not have to be practicing interventional pulmonology (it could be a colleague, mentor, section chief, division chief, or department chair). The attestation should also confirm that a substantial component (33% or more) of the applicant’s professional activity both now and prior to 2016, whether clinical, educational, research, or administrative, takes place within the field of IP. For the attestation of IP practice prior to 2016, a separate letter of attestation from a prior verifying individual is required if the applicant’s practice setting has changed since 2016.
7. A procedure log must be submitted by all clinical practice pathway applicants. The minimum procedure requirements are listed in Table 1. These procedures must have occurred within the two years prior to the date of the Attestation.
8. Applicants must submit separate descriptions, including pictures if available, of at least 10 therapeutic bronchoscopy cases from the past 2 years prior to the date of the attestation
9. Applicants will be required to meet procedural requirements in at least 2 of the 3 core procedure groups (see Table 1): Core procedure groups are: Complex large airway disease; Advanced diagnostic bronchoscopy; and Pleural disease management).
10. Proof of Consultation Experience in the field of interventional pulmonology (at least 200) in the past 2 years: any combination of inpatient and outpatient encounters.
11. Proof of attendance (at least 25) of multidisciplinary patient management conferences or other didactic conferences in the past 2 years: any combination of tumor board, multidisciplinary clinics, transplant selection committee meetings, etc.
2. Application and Exam Fee: $1900

Apply Now for Practice Pathway

Applicants needing to submit for their 2nd attempt, please email [email protected] for special instructions. 

Study materials 

1. IP Board Blue Print
2. 2023 Update in IP and CAQ / IP Board Review Course (click here for more information)