General Questions:

• For the year of initial certification: do activities that took place in the months prior to certification count toward recertification? 

  • Yes. Casework, professional development, and service performed during the calendar year of, but prior to, certification should be counted for recertification. 

• Where can I find the projected recertification timeline chart?

  • The recertification timeline chart is located on the ABFA website, under the Resources tab.  

• Help! I’ve forgotten what Cycle I’m assigned to.  

  • Email the Recertification chair. 

• Are recertification procedures for Analysts the same as for Diplomates?

  • Yes. The minimum requirements for casework, professional development, service, and knowledge of ASB Standards are the same. However, casework criteria for Analysts will be based on participation rather than primary authorship. 

 

Regarding Casework:

• Can reports co-authored with students be used toward recertification?

  • Yes. Diplomates would simply clarify their involvement in the case in the appropriate columns. 

• Can consultations (e.g., field recoveries) that do not require official reports be used toward recertification?  

  • Yes. Diplomates should indicate in the appropriate columns that no report was generated as well as their particular involvement in the case. 

• Can human / nonhuman assessments count toward casework for certification?

  • Yes. However, such cases are limited to 4 cases / recertification cycle.

• Can bioarchaeological reports count toward casework?

  • No. Reports on known archaeological materials (e.g., requests from State Archaeologists, museums, HRM firms, educational or religious organizations, etc.) cannot count toward casework.

• My Coroner/Medical Examiner asked me to evaluate skeletal remains and I determined them to be pre/historic with no medicolegal significance.  Can this report count toward recertification?

  • Yes. Any request for human skeletal analysis that originates with a Coroner / Medical Examiner can count toward recertification, regardless of the determined outcome.

• My current position is supervisory and does not allow for direct involvement in casework. What are my options for meeting the casework minimum?

  • Sworn testimony can be used to meet the casework minimum requirements. 

  • Peer review of another Forensic Anthropologist’s case report can be used to meet the casework minimum requirements.

 

• How do I get more opportunities for peer review?

  • The ABFA Outreach Committee facilitates communication between requests for peer review and those who would like to conduct peer reviews. Email the Outreach Committee chair to be placed on the list for notification of peer review requests. 

  • Diplomates are encouraged to develop peer review relationships within and  among their professional networks.

• Can a peer review of a case report completed by a FA who is not ABFA certified count toward recertification?

  • Yes. 

 

Regarding Professional Development (PD):

• Does attendance at Diplomate Discussions count toward the PD requirement?

  • Yes.  Make sure to record the name and date of the specific Diplomate Discussion on your form.

• Do I need to enroll in Continuing Education (CE) credit hours to claim PD for a workshop?

  • No. 

• Can journal reading count toward PD?

  • Yes. Journal reading is limited to 5 hours / recertification cycle.

• My agency sponsors training / continuing education activities throughout the year. Can these count toward the PD requirement?

  • Yes. However, training not directly related to forensic anthropology will require a statement of relevance and is limited to 5 hours / recertification cycle.

 

Regarding Service:

• Are different “types” of service activity required?

  • No. However, participating in a variety of service activities over the recertification cycle is encouraged.

• How do I record service for:  

  • Mentoring / working with multiple students simultaneously?

    • Mentoring that involves substantial individual interactions (e.g., internships, advising undergraduate or graduate research) would count as a single service activity per student. 

    • Otherwise, working with multiple students simultaneously as an instructor or field supervisor would count as a single “type” of activity per academic period, and not on the number of students. 

  • Teaching multiple university/college courses in one academic period?

    • Each course would count as a single service activity. 

  • Serving on multiple relevant committees each year?

    • Each committee would count as a single service activity.

  • Conducting research?

    • Each research project would count as a single service activity regardless of how much time was devoted to the project (i.e., multi-year projects would count as a single service activity).

  • Multiple conference presentations?

    • Each conference presentation would count as a single service activity.

  • Publications?

    • Each “type” of publication (e.g., author of a book, book chapter, or peer-reviewed journal article, or the Editor of an edited volume) would count as a single service activity.

 

• Engagement through Social Media?

  • Engagement via social media that involves substantial instructional content or interaction (e.g., hosting podcasts, instructional videos, or webinars related to FA) would count as a single service activity per episode/video/webinar. 

  • Other types of engagement via social media (e.g. blogs, vlog, TikToks, X Instagram, etc.) would count as a single collective service activity, and not on the number of individual posts.

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