Introduction

The Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) program for Certification of Added Qualifications is developed by a conjoint effort of the American Osteopathic Boards of Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology and Psychiatry, and Rehabilitation Medicine. This program is designed to recognize excellence among physicians who are specialists in HPM. The program will have two components:

A. Satisfactory completion of training.
B. Successful performance on a comprehensive, one-day examination.

Requirement for Licensure

A valid, unrestricted license to practice medicine in a state of the United States is required of all candidates. A photocopy of the medical license in the state of the current practice must be submitted with the application. Candidates with restricted, suspended or revoked license in any jurisdiction at the time of application, will not be admitted to the examination or be certified.

Substantiation of Clinical Competence

The application must contain substantiation of the Diplomate's satisfactory clinical competence in HPM. This substantiation must be provided by the program director in the HPM fellowship or by two references in a supervisory role over the applicant if applying via the Clinical Practice Pathway. One of the references must be by the CEO or Director of the Hospice Unit where the applicant has privileges.

Prerequisites

A. Training Requirement

Candidates must possess a valid certification certificate by their primary AOA Board and have completed a 12 month AOA approved fellowship in HPM which was completed after July 1, 2009.

B. Clinical Practice Pathway

If applying via means of the Clinical Practice Pathway the applicant must meet the following prerequisites:

1. 30 hours of CME in HPM over the preceding 24 months prior to application for examination.
2. Clinical practice for a minimum of two years and be able to demonstrate that a minimum of 25% of practice is in the care of the terminally ill.
3. Have directly participated in the active care of at least 50 terminally ill patients in the preceding three years for who, palliative medicine was the predominant goal of care.
4. Have worked as a physician member of an interdisciplinary clinical care team for at least two years which included a minimum of 100 hours of active participation in team meetings that complied with the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care.
5. Verification by two palliative care medicine authorities that the applicant is an established palliative care provider physician and meets the criteria above(one of the authorities must be the CEO or Director of the Hospice Unit where the physician has privileges).
6. In lieu of number 5, the applicant must have served as a hospice Medical Director in a palliative care practice for one or more years.