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Requirements

Background
Requirements
Fellowship
Registration

Background

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Certification Program, developed by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA), the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM), the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG), the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR), the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), the American Board of Radiology (ABR), and the American Board of Surgery (ABS), is designed to recognize excellence among physicians who are specialists in the care of seriously ill and dying patients with life-limiting illness.

The field of hospice and palliative medicine is based on expanding scientific knowledge about symptom control when cure is not possible, and on appropriate care during the last months of life. The major competencies of subspecialist-level hospice and palliative medicine fall under the broad patient-centered goals of:

• relieving suffering and improving the quality of life for patients and families living with life-threatening illness
• helping patient and family cope well with loss and engage in effective grieving
• comprehensive interdisciplinary team management of the physical, psychosocial, social and spiritual needs of patients and their families
• managing and coordination of the array of challenging problems associated with end-of-life care, including
• the management of the immediately dying patient
• promoting closure and the possibility of growth at the end of life

The examination is administered to candidates from the ABIM, ABA, ABEM, ABFM, ABOG, ABP, ABPMR, ABPN, ABR, and ABS at the same time in the same testing centers. Participation in the certification program is voluntary. Certification is not required of practitioners in this field, and the certificate does not confer privilege to practice.

Certification Requirements

To achieve sub-certification in hospice and palliative medicine, candidates from the American Board of Radiology must fulfill all of the following requirements:

• Possession of a valid, unrestricted, and unchallenged license to practice medicine
• Valid and current certification by the ABR
• Successful performance on the hospice and palliative medicine examination
  • The written exam is administered through the ABIM, but results are communicated through the ABR and the certificate will be administered from the ABR. There is no oral examination component.
  • Download exam registration form
• Subspecialty level training and/or experience in Hospice and Palliative Care as demonstrated by either:
  
  
  1. TRAINING PATHWAY
     Satisfactory documentation of requisite practice experience or completion of formal training requirements in an ACGME approved Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program (see Fellowship Training)
     
     
  2. PRACTICE PATHWAY
     For the first five years, and the first three examinations (2008, 2010, 2012), ABR diplomates, who have not completed 12 months of formal fellowship training in hospice and palliative medicine, will be eligible to apply for the Hospice and Palliative Medicine by demonstrating clinical competence and subspecialty level experience in Hospice and Palliative Care. This can be accomplished through either of the following:
     
     
     • OPTION 1
       Evidence of at least two years of subspecialty-level practice of hospice and palliative medicine during the last five years prior to application for examination (averaging at least 20% of time) including: at least two years and 100 hours of participation with a hospice or palliative care team**, AND participation in the active care of at least 50 terminally ill patients (25 for pediatrics)
       
       
     • OPTION 2
       Documentation of certification by the current American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

** To qualify, interdisciplinary hospice or palliative care teams must have all of the following characteristics: (a) provide active clinical care, (b) hold regular meetings, (c) have regular membership of a physician, nurse, and at least one other professional from a psychosocial discipline, and (d) operate in a context in which a substantial number of the teamás patients are near the end of life. It is expected that multidisciplinary team members will be appropriately trained and ultimately certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Hospice and Palliative Care Fellowship

The Training Pathway for ABR candidates requires 12 months of satisfactorily completed hospice and palliative medicine fellowship training* which meets the following criteria:

• Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship training undertaken July 1, 2010, and after must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship training taken prior to July 1, 2010, must be conducted within a program affiliated with an ACGME-accredited residency or fellowship program.
• Training experience must be consistent with guidelines established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), or, until formal guidelines are developed by the ACGME, by the guidelines of the Palliative Medicine Review Committee (PMRC) which is closely modeled after ACGMEás Residency Review Committees.
• The ABR requires substantiation by the training program director that the fellowás clinical competence as a hospice and palliative medicine consultant is satisfactory.

Certification Examination

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Certification Examination is a comprehensive one-day computer-based examination of multiple choice questions in the single best answer format. The examination assesses the candidate's knowledge and clinical judgment in aspects of hospice and palliative medicine required to perform at a high level of competence. The ABR is a sponsoring board for the Certification Examination in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, which is administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).

Download the blueprint for this exam.

Examination Registration

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine Certification Examination is administered via computer and will be offered biennially. The next examination will be offered in 2010. Registration for the examination extends from March 1 through May 1 of the year of examination. For ABR candidates, there is a non-refundable late fee of $400.00 for any application submitted between May 2 and June 1. Applications will not be accepted after June 1 of the year of examination.

Download the exam registration form.

The American Board of Radiology
5441 E Williams Boulevard, Suite 200
Tucson AZ 85711
Phone: 520-790-2900
Fax: 790-3200

Recognition of Successful Diplomates

Successful ABR Diplomates are awarded an ABR Subspecialty Certificate in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, valid for ten years.

Maintenance of Certification

To be eligible for renewal of ABR certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, diplomates must hold a valid certificate from the ABR. The process and requirements for MOC will be developed and information will be posted as it becomes available.

 

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