Candidates with Disabilities

The ABPath will provide applicants/candidates who have documented disabilities reasonable accommodations in the administration of its examinations, including auxiliary aids and services, where appropriate.

Such accommodations must not fundamentally alter the measurement of the skills or knowledge the examination is intended to test or result in an undue burden.

The ADA defines an individual with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits that person in one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such impairment. “Major life activities” include functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working. A “qualified” individual with a disability is one who meets the requirements to take the examination and with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of a pathologist.

Applicants/candidates requesting accommodation due to a disability must submit an Examination Accommodations Request Form and provide documentation of the disability and the appropriateness of the requested accommodation for the documented disability.

Applicants/candidates who provide documentation that they have received, in the administration of the USMLE examination, the same type of accommodations as they request for the ABPath certification examination are not required to submit additional documentation with the Request Form.

Applicants/candidates who have not received an accommodation on the USMLE examination must submit the information required in the request form. Such documentation must include a professionally recognized diagnosis of the disability and medical records or other documentation of the diagnosis of the disability by a qualified healthcare professional.

If an applicant/candidate is given accommodation on an examination given by the ABPath, he/she will automatically receive the same accommodation on any subsequent ABPath examinations.

Applicants/candidates requesting accommodation must identify the type of accommodation requested.

The ABPath will determine the type of accommodation to be made for a candidate with a verified disability.

Accommodations that fundamentally alter the measurement of skills or knowledge the examination is intended to test will not be offered.

Initial applicants and repeat candidates who are submitting their first request must submit the request form for accommodation and documentation no later than the application deadline.

Applicants/candidates denied a request for accommodation may appeal the denial in accordance with ABPath’s appeals procedure.