Special  Accommodations and Appeals 

​Application Approval Process Including Appeals

For pencil-and-paper exams, candidates should initiate a request for reasonable accommodation with their registration at least fifteen (30) days prior to the scheduled exam date.

For computer-based exams, candidates should register for and initiate a request for reasonable accommodation at least thirty (30) days before the desired examination date.

Requests for accommodations on ABCM exams are reviewed by qualified professionals who possess at least an MD, NP, PA, or RN degree in a field related to the diagnosis, treatment, and/or accommodation of disabilities and have experience evaluating requests for testing accommodations.

ABCM strives to make decisions on applications for accommodation within ten (10) business days of receiving the request along with all requested necessary supporting documentation. ABCM will notify candidates with one of three answers: 
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1. Application approved in full
2. Application denied in full
3. Application denied in part
   
   

If a candidate is not approved in full for the requested testing accommodation(s), the candidate will receive both a written and email notification that explains the decision.

If the denial is due to insufficient documentation, the notice will identify the required information that was not provided and additional documentation that might result in approval of a request.

Within seven (7) days of receiving a written notification of a full or partial denial, the candidate may submit an appeal of the denied portion of the request (with or without additional documentation) for review by an independent, outside reviewer. Within ten (10) business days of receipt of such an appeal (barring unusual circumstances), ABCM will notify the candidate whether the appealed accommodation request is approved in full, denied in full, or denied in part. If a candidate’s appealed accommodation request is not approved in full, the written and email notification of denial will explain the basis for the denial.

Any appeal will consider only the requested accommodation(s) that were denied. An appeal will have no effect on any accommodation that ABCM has already approved for a candidate for a particular exam. Independent, outside reviewers shall be qualified professionals such as. licensed physicians, psychologists, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or otherwise properly credentialed, and possess expertise in the disability for which modifications or accommodations are sought.
ABCM encourages all examinees who request accommodation to do so as far as possible in advance of their desired test date, but no less than forty-five (30) days before the desired test date.

This allows ABCM time to communicate with a candidate if any documentation is missing or questions arise about a request and gives the candidate time to obtain and provide any missing documentation. It also increases the likelihood that a candidate will have an opportunity to appeal the denial of any requested accommodation and get a decision on that appeal in advance of the desired test date.

Once a decision has been reached regarding a request for accommodations, notification will be sent both by email and letter in the mail describing any accommodations ABCM approved of and any instructions needed to access specific accommodations for live pencil-and-paper exam sites, or online.
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Send Appeal notices by Email: Title your email Accommodations Appeal when requesting an appeal of a denial for special accommodations and state your case in the body of your email. Send to needinfo@abcmcertification.com for a response. 
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