Subspecialty certification in Pediatric Urology began in 2008 for urologists whose practice is at least 75% pediatric urology. Applicants approved by the Board to enter the process of subspecialty certification must be engaged in the active practice of pediatric 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 Lifelong Learning (LLL). 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 LLL process after completing subspecialty certification.

The Pediatric Subspecialty application process can only be completed following unrestricted general certification in urology, and it is mandatory that all application requirements be successfully completed within 6 years of Fellowship training. The timing of the exams and the application deadlines allow for the possibility, if desired, to apply for both the Certifying (Part 2) Examination and the Pediatric Subspecialty Certification Examination within the same calendar year.

The 2023 Pediatric Subspecialty Certification Exam dates are October 9 or 10, 2023

The Pediatric Subspecialty Certification Exam (PSCE) is scheduled annually on two dates in late October at Pearson VUE testing centers nationwide. Applications for the American Board of Urology Pediatric Urology Subspecialty Certification Examination will be available mid-January. Application requirements include a 12 month practice log, current medical license valid through the exam date, documentation of 90 CME credits (including 30 hours pediatric focused Category 1) earned within last three years, and an application fee of $1,845. Completed applications must be submitted to the Board office by April 1. Late applications will be accepted with a $750 late fee from April 1 to April 15. No applications will be accepted after April 15.

Candidates for subspecialty certification must be in the active practice of pediatric urology and have completed at least 24 months in an approved pediatric urology training program. Applicants will be required to provide the Board with an electronic 12 month practice log demonstrating a 75% minimum dedicated to pediatric urology, and/or an adequate number of major pediatric urologic surgery cases, as determined by the Board.

The June 2010 Pediatric Subspecialty Examination was the final opportunity for pediatric urologists lacking completion of an ACGME or RCPS(C) approved pediatric urology residency of at least 24 months in length to achieve pediatric urology subspecialty certification.

2023 Pediatric Subspecialty Handbook

2023 Pediatric Electronic Log Instructions

2023 Pediatric Electronic Log Template

2023 Pediatric CME Instructions

2023 Pediatric Subspecialty Application (via ABU Diplomate Portal)

The final component of subspecialty certification is the examination, which is taken after satisfactory completion of the other process requirements. The examination is scheduled annually on two dates in October. As a proctored, computerized examination, it is administered at over 200 Pearson VUE testing centers located throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The candidate may take the examination on either day, dependent upon site availability.

The four-hour examination consists of approximately 125 multiple choice questions designed to assess knowledge in 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.

Candidates seeking subspecialty certification have 3 opportunities to pass the examination, and must do so within 6 years of fellowship completion. All applications are individually reviewed by the appropriate subspecialty certification committee. Candidates who have “timed out” or failed three attempts at certification are required to complete an additional year in an ACGME accredited fellowship in order to re-enter the process.

Pearson Professional Examination Rules

Pearson VUE ID Policy

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.

Statistical results for the Pediatric Subspecialty Exam can be found here.