Practical Radiation Oncology (2011) 1, 45–46
www.practicalradonc.org
Special Article
American Board of Radiology subspecialty certification in hospice and palliative medicine Paul E. Wallner DO a,⁎, David Laszakovits MBA b , Donna Breckenridge MA c a
21st Century Oncology, LLC, Ft. Myers, Florida; Radiation Oncology, American Board of Radiology, Tucson, Arizona Certification Services, American Board of Radiology, Tucson, Arizona c Communications and Editorial Services, American Board of Radiology, Tucson, Arizona b
Received 23 September 2010; revised 6 October 2010; accepted 6 October 2010
During the past several decades, an increasing number of physicians, coming from many specialties in medicine, have devoted some or all of their practice time, effort, and skills to the care of patients experiencing suffering related to life-limiting diseases. These physicians often join forces in multidisciplinary teams with other care providers, working to maximize the quality of remaining life while addressing a wide spectrum of physical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs of the patients, families, and other caregivers. The variety of needs that must be met often relate to diverse care-delivery venues, legal and ethical issues related to end-of-life care, and emotional concerns of the care providers themselves. In 2005, the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (ABHPM), a nonAmerican Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) member board that had been offering a Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) subspecialty certificate, approached the ABMS with a proposal to develop an ABMS-approved subspecialty certificate in HPM. In 2006, the ABMS ultimately approved the creation of an HPM certificate as a subspecialty comprising ten sponsoring ABMS member boards, each of which had demonstrated an interest and involvement in the new subspecialty. These participating Conflicts of interest: None. ⁎ Corresponding author. 5013 Cedar Croft Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814. E-mail address: [email protected] (P.E. Wallner).
ABMS member boards included the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA), American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR), American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), American Board of Surgery (ABS), American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM), American Board of Radiology (ABR), and the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). The first HPM subspecialty certification examination was administered in October 2008. Thereafter, the examination will be offered biannually, in even-numbered years. Examinations will be offered at Pearson VUE Testing Centers throughout the country and will be administered by the ABIM, acting on behalf of the ten sponsoring boards. All candidates will take the same written/computer-based examination regardless of their primary specialty certification. The certification process does not include an oral examination. After successful completion of the examination, a certificate of subspecialization in HPM will be awarded by the individual's primary specialty board. Candidates for HPM certification must apply through their primary certification board, which in the case of radiation oncology and diagnostic radiology would be the ABR. Application information and necessary forms are available on the ABR Web site (http://www.theabr.org/). Early in the development of the subspecialty certificate, a determination was made to grandfather individuals who
1879-8500/$ – see front matter © 2011 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.prro.2010.10.002
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P.E. Wallner et al
met certain qualifying criteria based on experience but who had not completed an Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)−accredited HPM fellowship. This grandfathered period extends from 2008 through 2012 (a similar process within the American Osteopathic Association extends from 2009 through 2013). After this period, all applicants for the HPM certificate will be required to complete an ACGMEaccredited 1-year fellowship prior to sitting for the HPM certification examination. There are currently 72 ACGME-approved fellowship programs in HPM, all under the auspices of family medicine departments (see http://www.acgme.org/adspublic/). Any ABR diplomate with primary certification in radiation oncology or diagnostic radiology is eligible to apply for the subspecialty certification in HPM. Within the ABR, diplomates may become certified in HPM through 2 pathways: a practice pathway and a training pathway. The ABR diplomates who apply through the practice pathway must demonstrate clinical competence
Practical Radiation Oncology: January-March 2011
and subspecialty-level experience in HPM, accomplished by practice in the subspecialty for at least 2 years out of the previous 5-year period (comprising at least 20% of the applicant's practice effort) and at least 100 hours of participation with an HPM team. In addition, they must have participated in the active care of at least 50 terminally ill adult patients or 25 terminally ill pediatric patients. A second practice pathway allows individuals who have actively engaged in the subspecialty and have previous certification from the ABHPM to attain their ABR subspecialty certificate. Individuals applying through the training pathway must present a program description, a copy of their certificate, and a letter from their fellowship program director. At this time, 9 ABR radiation oncology diplomates have applied for the HPM subspecialty certificate. We urge other diplomates with interest and experience in this relatively new subspecialty to apply for certification prior to closure of the 5-year grandfathered period, scheduled for 2013.
www.practicalradonc.org
Special Article
American Board of Radiology subspecialty certification in hospice and palliative medicine Paul E. Wallner DO a,⁎, David Laszakovits MBA b , Donna Breckenridge MA c a
21st Century Oncology, LLC, Ft. Myers, Florida; Radiation Oncology, American Board of Radiology, Tucson, Arizona Certification Services, American Board of Radiology, Tucson, Arizona c Communications and Editorial Services, American Board of Radiology, Tucson, Arizona b
Received 23 September 2010; revised 6 October 2010; accepted 6 October 2010
During the past several decades, an increasing number of physicians, coming from many specialties in medicine, have devoted some or all of their practice time, effort, and skills to the care of patients experiencing suffering related to life-limiting diseases. These physicians often join forces in multidisciplinary teams with other care providers, working to maximize the quality of remaining life while addressing a wide spectrum of physical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs of the patients, families, and other caregivers. The variety of needs that must be met often relate to diverse care-delivery venues, legal and ethical issues related to end-of-life care, and emotional concerns of the care providers themselves. In 2005, the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (ABHPM), a nonAmerican Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) member board that had been offering a Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) subspecialty certificate, approached the ABMS with a proposal to develop an ABMS-approved subspecialty certificate in HPM. In 2006, the ABMS ultimately approved the creation of an HPM certificate as a subspecialty comprising ten sponsoring ABMS member boards, each of which had demonstrated an interest and involvement in the new subspecialty. These participating Conflicts of interest: None. ⁎ Corresponding author. 5013 Cedar Croft Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814. E-mail address: [email protected] (P.E. Wallner).
ABMS member boards included the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA), American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR), American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), American Board of Surgery (ABS), American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM), American Board of Radiology (ABR), and the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). The first HPM subspecialty certification examination was administered in October 2008. Thereafter, the examination will be offered biannually, in even-numbered years. Examinations will be offered at Pearson VUE Testing Centers throughout the country and will be administered by the ABIM, acting on behalf of the ten sponsoring boards. All candidates will take the same written/computer-based examination regardless of their primary specialty certification. The certification process does not include an oral examination. After successful completion of the examination, a certificate of subspecialization in HPM will be awarded by the individual's primary specialty board. Candidates for HPM certification must apply through their primary certification board, which in the case of radiation oncology and diagnostic radiology would be the ABR. Application information and necessary forms are available on the ABR Web site (http://www.theabr.org/). Early in the development of the subspecialty certificate, a determination was made to grandfather individuals who
1879-8500/$ – see front matter © 2011 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.prro.2010.10.002
46
P.E. Wallner et al
met certain qualifying criteria based on experience but who had not completed an Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)−accredited HPM fellowship. This grandfathered period extends from 2008 through 2012 (a similar process within the American Osteopathic Association extends from 2009 through 2013). After this period, all applicants for the HPM certificate will be required to complete an ACGMEaccredited 1-year fellowship prior to sitting for the HPM certification examination. There are currently 72 ACGME-approved fellowship programs in HPM, all under the auspices of family medicine departments (see http://www.acgme.org/adspublic/). Any ABR diplomate with primary certification in radiation oncology or diagnostic radiology is eligible to apply for the subspecialty certification in HPM. Within the ABR, diplomates may become certified in HPM through 2 pathways: a practice pathway and a training pathway. The ABR diplomates who apply through the practice pathway must demonstrate clinical competence
Practical Radiation Oncology: January-March 2011
and subspecialty-level experience in HPM, accomplished by practice in the subspecialty for at least 2 years out of the previous 5-year period (comprising at least 20% of the applicant's practice effort) and at least 100 hours of participation with an HPM team. In addition, they must have participated in the active care of at least 50 terminally ill adult patients or 25 terminally ill pediatric patients. A second practice pathway allows individuals who have actively engaged in the subspecialty and have previous certification from the ABHPM to attain their ABR subspecialty certificate. Individuals applying through the training pathway must present a program description, a copy of their certificate, and a letter from their fellowship program director. At this time, 9 ABR radiation oncology diplomates have applied for the HPM subspecialty certificate. We urge other diplomates with interest and experience in this relatively new subspecialty to apply for certification prior to closure of the 5-year grandfathered period, scheduled for 2013.
