Subspecialty certification in Pediatric Urology began in 2008 for those urologists whose practice is a minimum of 75% pediatric urology. Applicants approved by the Board to enter the process of subspecialty certification must be engaged in the active practice of urology, and must hold a current unrestricted general certificate in urology issued by the American Board of Urology.

All subspecialty certificates are time limited and subject to MOC. When a Diplomate becomes certified in a subspecialty, the Diplomate’s general urology certificate will be extended to coincide with the expiration date of the subspecialty certificate. The Diplomate will enter the MOC process after completing subspecialty certification.

Applications for the 2012 American Board of Urology Pediatric Subspecialty Certification Examination will be mailed to interested pediatric urologists on July 18, 2011.  The application deadline for the June 2012 examination is September 15, 2011 along with an application fee of $2500. A twelve-month log reflecting all office visits, hospital, ambulatory care, and office procedures for each facility where one practices must be submitted by October 1, 2011.  30 hours of pediatric-urology focused CME credits must be documented by December 1, 2011.

All applicants must have completed an ACGME or RCPC(C) approved pediatric urology fellowship of at least twenty-four months in length.

The June 2010 examination was the final opportunity for pediatric urologists who have not completed an ACGME or RCPS(C) approved pediatric urology residency of at least 24 months in length to achieve pediatric urology subspecialty certification (see Information for Applicants for Pediatric Urology Subspecialty Certification Handbook).

To receive an application, individuals must contact the ABU office prior to September 1, 2011 or download the application documents from the ABU website and mail to the Board office by the required deadlines. Contact information for the American Board of Urology is 434/979-0059 or via email to lindsay@abu.org

Applications must be submitted on forms for the current cycle. Prior year forms are given for informational purposes only.

To provide the Board with a notarized copy of a document, take the original document to a notary public. He or she will copy it and notarize the copy as a true copy of the original. Mail the notarized copy to the Board office; faxes or photocopies of documents will not be accepted.

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Handbook for Applicants for Pediatric Subspecialty Certification
Pediatric Subspecialty Certification Application
Practice Breakdown
CME Requirements
Electronic Practice Log Instructions
Practice Log Template
Complications Narratives
Notarization Form

The examination is the final component of subspecialty certification. It is taken after satisfactory completion of the other elements of the process. The examination will be given in June. It is a proctored, computerized examination, administered at over 200 Pearson VUE testing centers located throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

The examination will consist of multiple choice questions designed to assess knowledge of the field of pediatric urology. The exam will include all aspects of pediatric urology, including but not limited to congenital abnormalities, childhood acquired urologic problems such as tumors and trauma, and overlapping problems of adolescence.

The method used to determine a passing score on the Pediatric Subspecialty Certification Examination is based on criterion reference testing. Criterion reference testing uses a benchmark examination to establish a performance which all candidates must meet. Examinations are compared to the benchmark standard and the passing score varies according to the difficulty. The probability of passing remains constant, and the examination process provides a uniform opportunity to pass from one year to the next. In theory, all who take the examination could pass; there is no mandatory failure rate. 

On average, approximately 99% of first-time takers pass the exam.