Initial Certification Procedural Information

Printable PDF: Initial-Certification-Procedural-Information (pdf)

Documentation for certification to be submitted to TAGME for review will include:

• Global and clinical specialty monitored assessment tools that are required to be completed in a timed, proctored setting approved by TAGME.
• Work Effort Tool to be submitted via email to the specialty contact on or before required deadline.

Accepted monitored assessment settings are:

• National Clinical Specialty Association Meeting
• Regional sites as offered by TAGME (Spring or Fall Open Assessment Sites)
  

REQUIREMENTS AND FEE STRUCTURE

Application dates:

March 1 - May 31 : for assessment sites between September 1 - December 31

September 1 - November 30: for assessment sites between January 1 - June 30

Reimbursement Policy:

• $50.00 non-refundable fee
• Requests for reimbursement must be postmarked 31 days prior to the scheduled date of the monitored assessment; all fees will be forfeited for requests postmarked after the deadline.
  

Each ACGME accredited clinical specialty that holds permanent membership on the TAGME Board of Directors meets the standards of the National Board with regards to the assessment tools. When your clinical specialty is approved to offer certification you may submit application materials for certification.

Procedural Information:

1) Submit completed Application Materials with appropriate payment.
2) Receive notification via email that you have met the criteria for certification and your registration accepted.
3) Receive the Work Effort Tool via email.
4) Submit your Work Effort Tool to your specialty contact, via mail on or before the required deadline. Failure to submit your Work Effort Tool by the required deadline will result in suspension of your registration for the monitored assessment.
5) Bring your resource documents to the monitored assessment site.
6) At the monitored assessment site, instructions will be given for collection of materials.

Initial Application - Requirements: submission of

1) Application materials
2) A personal check, money order, or institution check, payable to TAGME to cover application and assessment fees as indicated.

Certification Assessment Tools: submission of

1) Global and Specialty Monitored Assessment Tools completed in a timed, monitored setting
2) Work Effort Tool submitted via email on or before the required deadline

Secondary/Additional Specialty/Subspecialty Certification:

1) Application materials
2) A personal check, money order, or institution check, payable to TAGME to cover application and assessment fees as indicated.

Certification Assessment Tools: submission of

1) Specialty/Subspecialty Monitored Assessment Tool completed in a timed, monitored setting
2) Work Effort Tool submitted via email on or before the required deadline
3) The Global Monitored Assessment Tool need not be repeated.

Applications Coordinator for TAGME
University Hospital Case Medical Center
Department of Orthopaedics
11100 Euclid Avenue - HH 5043
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
Email: applications@tagme.org

1.) Notification Letters
The President of the Board notifies candidates in writing of the results of their certification assessment materials within 8-10 weeks of the monitored assessment.

2.) Certificates
Successful candidates receive their certificates approximately one month after the notification letters are mailed. It is the candidates' responsibility to notify the Board office, via email, if he or she does not receive a certificate.

3.) Duration of Certification
Certification is valid for five years including the year of certification. All TAGME time-limited certificates, regardless of their exact dates of issuance, are considered to expire five years later on December 31. To keep your certification current, you will need to recertify every five years. Refer to the TAGME website for information on Maintenance of Certification, at http://www.tagme.org .

Unsuccessful Completion

The Certification Assessment Tools are designed for successful completion. In the event of an unsuccessful completion, you will have one year to retake the assessment tool (s) at no additional cost. During that year you will have up to two additional opportunities to successfully complete the certification assessment tool (s):

Example 1:

1st attempt: 2009 Spring Specialty Meeting
2nd opportunity: 2009 Fall Open Assessment
3rd opportunity: 2010 Spring Specialty Meeting or Open Assessment

Example 2:

1st attempt: 2009 Fall Open Assessment
2nd opportunity: 2010 Spring Specialty Meeting or Spring Open Assessment
3rd opportunity: 2010 Fall Open Assessment

For questions or additional information, please refer to www.tagme.org , and/or Email: applications@tagme.org .

• Documentation substantiating the disability must be submitted with the application materials.

• A letter diagnosing the applicant's disability and identifying one or more major life activities that the disability substantially limits. The letter should particularly describe the ways in which the disability substantially limits the identified major life activities. The letter must be written by a licensed professional qualified to evaluate the disability, printed on the certified examiner's letterhead, with the examiner's credentials, address and telephone number given in the letterhead or title, and the examiner must sign it.
• • Specific recommended accommodations with a rationale for why each accommodation is needed should be included. A description of any functional limitations associated with the disability is important to TAGME's evaluation of the request.

• The applicant will be notified of the decision within 10 business days following receipt of the application materials.
  

Printable PDF: Initial-Certification-Procedural-Information (pdf)