How to Apply for an ABWM Exam

For First-Time Applicants

Please read through the entirety of the guide below before proceeding (steps 1 – 5).

Step 1 of 5

Determine your Eligibility. If you are not sure which application to complete, please click here to view the Certification Eligibility Page.

Please note that applying for the Candidate program is not a prerequisite for applying for full Board certification. Both pathways require sitting for the exact same examination, the only difference is the experience requirement. For a complete definition of how ABWM defines three years of wound care experience, please click here. If you are still unsure about which pathway you are currently eligible for, please reach out to us at info@abwmcertified.org before proceeding with an application.

Once you have determined which certification you are eligible for, download and review the Applicant Handbook for the appropriate ABWM certification. Applicants for the CWCA® Candidate, CWS® Candidate and CWSP® Candidate program can also refer to the handbooks below.

If you wish to sit for an exam outside of the United States, please reach out to the ABWM via email at info@abwmcertified.org to pay the appropriate International Testing Fee. An additional fee is required based on your geographic location in the USA and Canada, or outside these countries.

Step 2 of 5

Complete Your Application Online. Once you have determined which certification you would like to apply for under step 1, you can create an account via Certemy (ABWM uses the Certemy platform to administer our applications) and complete your application online. Applications in your online account will time out after a period of 1 year so please do not enroll in the application until you are ready to apply. Click on the relevant link below to get started.

Certification Applications (Applicants with 3+ Years of Wound Care Experience):

Candidate Program Applications (Applicants with 0-2 Years of Wound Care Experience):

*Your Email Address to Use
It is preferable and strongly suggested that applicants use a personal email address, as opposed to a business email address. Corporate firewalls, policies, and spam filters may limit the email one receives at a business email address. Also, should your employment situation change in the future, your certification will stay linked to you via a personal email. (NOTE: Applicants, Associates and Diplomates are able to change their email address within the certification platform, however a best practice is to start with a personal email address.)

*Verification Email
An initial verification email is sent from the certification platform to your email, and IT MAY GO TO YOUR PROMOTIONS OR SPAM FOLDER. Please check there if you start the process and do not receive a verification email. The email will come from “support@abwm.certemy.email” which you may wish to whitelist or add to your contacts prior to starting the application process.

Upon approval, you will be able to schedule your examination at a local testing center for any time in the following 90 days, based on availability. Your three-month eligibility window will begin immediately upon application approval. Do not submit your application until you are prepared for your three-month eligibility window to begin. Window extensions will not be granted.

Step 3 of 5

Wait For Your Application to be Approved. Once your application to sit for the certification examination has been approved, you will receive an email notification directly from our testing company, Pearson VUE, within 3-5 business days. The notification will include information on how to schedule your exam.

Step 4 of 5

Schedule Your Exam via Pearson VUE. Once you have received your approval notifications, you may schedule your exam for any time in the following 90 days, based on availability at your local testing center. Applicants will not receive a refund and may have to apply for a new exam authorization with ABWM if exam changes are made within 48 hours of their appointment. Please note that a no show for a scheduled exam will result in the loss of application fees as we are charged for the open seat.

For more information about selecting the date, time, and location of your exam, please view the Exam Scheduling page.
To view available test centers, visit PearsonVUE.com/ABWM and log in to your account or click “Find a test center” on the right sidebar.

Step 5 of 5

Get your Exam Results. Upon completing the exam, a score report will be generated immediately. Applicants can also access score reports by logging in to their Pearson VUE accounts.

If you pass the exam, you will be considered either an Associate or a Diplomate of the ABWM. You will be issued a certificate bearing the seal of the American Board of Wound Management with your name inscribed. You will receive a Welcome Packet from ABWM approximately two to four weeks after passing the exam. The Welcome Packet will include: a letter congratulating you on your accomplishment, an immediate press release, and an employer advocacy letter. ABWM will also send a pin and patch for you to proudly display your new designation. Associates and Diplomates of the ABWM will be required to renew their certification annually by paying a $175 renewal fee, and by completing six hours of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in order to maintain their certification. Associates and Diplomates of the ABWM will be required to recertify after ten years by sitting for the appropriate examination again.
If you do not pass the exam and would like to re-test, please submit a CWCA, CWS or CWSP Re-Test Application online. Applicants who wish to retake an exam must wait 30 days after their previous exam date before their new three-month eligibility window begins. Applicants may submit a Re-Test Application prior to the end of the 30-day waiting period; the new three-month eligibility window will start 30 days after their previous exam date. Applicants who wish to re-test more than three times will need to provide documentation of 20 CEUs in wound care for each exam attempt. Applicants may submit a Re-Test Application to retake an exam for up to 2 years from their original exam date. Click here for more information about Re-Testing and to access the application links.

For 10-Year Recertifying Applicants

Step 1

Create or log-in to your account and complete your application online. Click on the relevant link below to get started:

Candidates who fail to recertify 10 years after their initial certification will have their Associate or Diplomate status revoked, and will no longer be permitted to use their credential. For more information regarding recertification, please view the Renewal & Recertification Handbook.

Step 2

Submit your application online.

Your application must be received a minimum of 15 business days prior to your desired exam date. Upon approval, you will be able to schedule your examination at a local testing center for any time in the following 90 days, based on availability. Your three-month eligibility window will begin immediately upon application approval. Do not submit your application until you are prepared for your three-month eligibility window to begin. Window extensions will not be granted.

10 Year Recertification candidates must meet the following criteria:

Complete the online application with all fields filled in.
Provide payment for the required application fee.

Step 3

Once your application to sit for the certification examination has been approved, you will receive an email notification directly from our testing company, Pearson VUE. The notification will include information on how to schedule your exam.

Step 4

Once you have received your approval notifications, you may schedule your exam for any time in the following 90 days, based on availability at your local testing center. Candidates will not receive a refund and may have to apply for a new exam authorization with ABWM if exam changes are made within 48 hours of their appointment. Please note that a no show for a scheduled exam will result in the loss of application fees as we are charged for the open seat.

For more information about selecting the date, time, and location of your exam, please view the Exam Scheduling page.
To view available test centers, visit PearsonVUE.com/ABWM and log in to your account or click “Find a test center” on the right sidebar.

Step 5

Upon completing the exam, a score report will be generated immediately. Candidates can also access score reports by logging in to their Pearson VUE accounts.

If you pass the exam, you will maintain either your Associate or Diplomate status. You will be issued a certificate bearing the seal of the American Board of Wound Management with your name inscribed. You will receive a Recertification Welcome Packet from ABWM approximately two to four weeks after passing the exam. The Welcome Packet will include: a letter congratulating you on your accomplishment, an immediate press release, and an employer advocacy letter. ABWM will also send a pin and patch for you to proudly display your maintained designation. Associates and Diplomates of the ABWM will be required to renew their certification annually by paying a $175 renewal fee, and by completing six hours of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in order to maintain their certification. Associates and Diplomates of the ABWM will be required to recertify after ten years by sitting for the appropriate examination again.
If you do not pass the exam and would like to re-test, please submit a CWCA, CWS or CWSP Re-Test Application online. Candidates who wish to retake an exam must wait 30 days after their previous exam date before their new three-month eligibility window begins. Candidates may submit a Re-Test Application prior to the end of the 30-day waiting period; the new three-month eligibility window will start 30 days after their previous exam date. Candidates who wish to re-test more than three times will need to provide documentation of 20 CEUs in wound care for each exam attempt. Candidates may submit a Re-Test Application to retake an exam for up to 2 years from their original exam date. Click here for more information about Re-Testing and to access the application links.