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Group One vs Group Two CME for ABOM: the 60-credit rule, explained

Verified against abom.org · July 15, 2026 · applies to the 2026 and 2027 exam cycles

The CME prerequisite trips up more ABOM candidates than any exam question. The rule sounds simple — 60 obesity-related CME credits — but the details determine whether your application is accepted:

The three rules that matter

  1. 60 total credits on the topic of obesity (AMA PRA Category 1, AOA Category 1-A, or Mainpro-M1), earned after July 1, 2024for the 2027 exam — that's the 36-month window before the application deadline. Credits from before that date do not count, no matter how relevant.
  2. At least 30 must be Group One credits— CME from one of ABOM's five designated partners (there is no cap on Group One; all 60 can come from partners).
  3. At most 30 may be Group Two credits— CME from any other accredited provider, and the course title must include the word "obesity." A bariatric-surgery course without "obesity" in the title doesn't qualify.

The five Group One partners

  • The Obesity Society / ObesityWeek®
  • Obesity Medicine Association (OMA)
  • Harvard Blackburn Course in Obesity Medicine
  • Columbia / Weill Cornell Obesity Course
  • Pennington Bray Obesity Symposium

This is the complete current list — CME from any other provider is at best Group Two, even if it's excellent obesity education.

Heads up: the whole system changes in 2028

ABOM has announced that from the 2028 cycle, Group One/Group Two is replaced by "Core Obesity Medicine" credits from Primary Educational Partner (PEP) organizations: at least 45 of 60 credits must be Core, and the earning window shrinks from 36 to 24 months (credits earned after July 1, 2026). The PEP organization list has not been published yet. Practical implication: 2027 is the last cycle under the current, more flexible rules— if you're close to eligible, 2027 is the cheaper, easier year to do it.

Not sure where your credits stand? Run the free eligibility & CME gap calculator — it classifies each activity as Group One or Group Two and shows exactly what's left before the 2027 deadline.

Sources: ABOM CME Certification Pathway requirements and ABOM's 2028 CME update announcement (abom.org), accessed July 15, 2026.