Subcertification Exam Eligibility Update

Starting in 2026, the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (ABOHNS) will no longer require candidates for subcertification to wait until achieving primary board certification before applying for and taking the complex pediatric otolaryngology, neurotology, or sleep medicine subspecialty exams.

Previously, candidates were required to complete all requirements of the subcertification, including obtaining ABOHNS primary certification, before becoming eligible to apply for and take the subspecialty exam. Under this old paradigm, the exam was the final step in the process of achieving subcertification, with the exam taken several years after fellowship completion.

With this new paradigm, after completing an ACGME-accredited fellowship and passing the ABOHNS Written Exam, candidates will be eligible to apply for and take a subspecialty exam. For example, an individual who successfully completes fellowship on June 30, 2026, would be eligible for the next administration of the subspecialty exam if they already passed the Written Exam. 

All requirements for achieving subcertification remain unchanged and must be met. These include having ABOHNS primary certification, passing the subspecialty exam, and fulfilling any additional requirements specific to the subcertification. Only the sequence of steps has been modified to allow candidates to take the subspecialty exam earlier, if they qualify and choose to do so. Passing the exam alone does not confer subcertification. 

The eligibility time for obtaining subcertification remains seven years after completion of an ACGME-accredited fellowship. For complex pediatric otolaryngology, these changes described above are applicable to the Training Pathway only.