What Is a Longitudinal Assessment?

A longitudinal assessment is designed to assess an individual’s knowledge over time. Answering groups of questions every three months allows the assessment to be continuous, identify knowledge gaps, promote educational opportunities, and allow for remediation.

Using ABPCL to Meet the CC Assessment Requirement

Diplomates should:

• Design their assessment to best fit their knowledge and practice.
  • A custom assessment can be created from over 30 Practice Areas. The ABPath CertLink® Practice Areas and the topics covered in each can be viewed here.
• Complete the assigned ABPCL questions each quarter.
• Use any resources available to them while answering a question other than talking to another person.
• Read the critique after answering a question.
• Agree to maintain a fair and secure assessment process.

How Do I Access ABPCL?

New Diplomates- Diplomates will be automatically registered in ABPCL after successful completion of ABPath Primary and/or Subspecialty certification exams as a part of their enrollment in the CC Program. Look for emails in December of the year of your certification for how to get started the following January. After you begin participating, ABPCL can be accessed by logging in through the ABPath homepage or by logging in directly at abpath.mycertlink.org.

Non-Time-Limited Diplomates (Lifetime certificate holders)– Diplomates who were certified prior to 2006 may participate in ABPCL with no jeopardy to their certification. Registration is free for Lifetime certificate holders. Please email certlink@abpath.org to get started.

How Does ABPCL Work?

• Between fifteen and twenty-five questions are assigned every three months.
• Questions may be answered at any time during a quarter. All questions do not have to be completed at the same time.
• Any resource may be used to answer a question except speaking with another person.
• Each question has a five-minute time limit and must be answered once started.
• Immediate feedback is given after answering a question including a critique explaining the answer choices.
• A second attempt is offered after answering a question incorrectly. ABPath encourages the use of the second attempt after reading the critique provided. This works as part of ABPCL’s built-in feedback and knowledge reinforcement methods. This second attempt is for educational purposes only and does not change the original answer.

For complete information please see the ABPCL Requirements page.

Claiming CME Credits for ABPCL Participation

If you are participating in ABPath CertLink® (ABPCL), you can claim up to 5 CME credits for successful participation. The credits may be claimed from February to December during the year following your participation through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) in collaboration with the American Board of Pathology (ABPath). You do not have to be a member of ASCP to claim these credits. 

Click here to claim CME for ABPCL participation in 2022 through March 31, 2024.

Credit is 1.25 hours per completed quarter, which is defined as attempting all questions assigned by ABPCL for that quarter. There is a $19 processing fee payable to ASCP to receive your CME credits.  Make sure your colleagues who also answered ABPCL questions last year know to claim their credit!

How to Claim Your CME Credits:
1. Click one of the links above to the ABPath CertLink® CME Credit Redemption product page on the ASCP website.

2. Add this product to your cart and complete your purchase, logging in when prompted. Your ASCP account will automatically award the correct number of credits based on the previous year's ABPCL participation.

*NOTE: If you have an existing ASCP account, log in when prompted. If you are not an ASCP member, do not have an ASCP account or do not know your login information, please select ‘Forgot Username/Password’ and follow the prompts to receive a password re-set link via email. This will ensure your ABPCL credits are awarded properly. You can also contact ASCP Customer Service for further assistance, during regular business hours.

3. You may also choose to have your credits automatically appear in your ABPath PATHway account which would be included in the $19 processing fee. To have credits claimed through ASCP transferred electronically to ABPath via the Accrediting Council for Continuing Medical Education Program and Activity Reporting System (ACCME PARS):

1. When logged in to www.ascp.org, navigate to your Dashboard by clicking ‘Dashboard’ in the top menu of any page.
2. Click the ‘Profile & Settings’ menu item.
3. From the Profiles & Settings popup, click the ‘Privacy’ tab.
4. Under ‘ABPath Preferences’, check the ‘Allow my transcript information to be sent to ACCME’ checkbox.
5. Click ‘Save’.

*NOTE: Please allow 1 month for transcript data to be transferred. 

If you have any questions about the ABPCL program, please email certlink@abpath.org.

ABPCL CME Information and Disclosure to Learners

Can I participate in ABPCL if I do not have to maintain my certifications?

Yes! ABPath encourages diplomates who hold lifetime certifications (Non-Time-Limited Diplomates) to answer ABPCL questions. Lifetime diplomates are also able to claim CME credit for their participation.

Non-Time-Limited Diplomates who are interested in participating in ABPCL should email ABPath at certlink@abpath.org.

ABPCL Practice Areas & Topics

ABPCL Practice Areas & Topics

ABPCL Questions

ABPath CertLink (ABPCL) questions are submitted by Volunteer Item Writers who are diplomates of the ABPath. Each question (item) is carefully reviewed by a medical editor and a second subject matter expert for accuracy. The ABPath CEO finalizes and approves each item before it is admitted for use in ABPCL.