Exam Registration Form
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a specialist in hospice and palliative care?
The following definition has been developed by the prior board of hospice and palliative medicine and adopted by the sponsoring boards:
Definition: An internist, family medicine practitioner, radiation oncologist, radiologist, etc. with special knowledge and skills to prevent and relieve the suffering experienced by patients with life-limiting illnesses.
This specialist works with an interdisciplinary hospice or palliative care team to maximize quality of life while addressing physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of both patient and family throughout the course of the disease, through the dying process, and beyond for the family. This specialist has expertise in the assessment of patients with advanced disease; the relief of distressing symptoms; the coordination of interdisciplinary patient and family-centered care in diverse venues; the use of specialized care systems including hospice; the management of the imminently dying patient; and legal and ethical decision making in end-of-life care.
2. What does this mean to me as a practicing radiation oncologist, diagnostic radiologist or general radiologist with an interest in hospice and palliative care?
If you are practicing in this area of hospice and palliative care and are ABR certified, you are eligible to apply for the ABMS certification in Hospice and Palliative Care. The examination for all candidates, regardless of their primary specialty is the same, but is administered through the American Board of Internal Medicine at multiple locations yet to be determined. There is radiation oncology representation on the examination writing committee.
3. Are all board certified radiation oncologists eligible?
As an ABR certified radiation oncologist you meet the basic eligibility requirements. However, as a subspecialist, it is anticipated that you will be spending a significant portion of time dedicated to Hospice and Palliative Care. The current guidelines state that during this grandfathering period, the candidate should demonstrate at least two years of subspecialty level practice in hospice and palliative medicine (averaging at least 20% of the applicant's time), including at least two years and 100 hours of participation with a hospice or palliative care team and active care of at least 50 terminally ill patients.
4. Do I need to take the examination to get certified?
Yes. You will need to take the examination that is administered through the ABIM. Application registration is available here.
5. How long will the grandfathering period be open?
Currently the grandfathering period will be open for five years (through approximately 2011). During this time ABR certified diplomates may apply for certification without additional training, but must meet the basic eligibility criteria outlined above, and pass the certifying examination.
6. Who will issue the certification?
The primary specialty board of the candidate will issue the subspecialty certificate in Hospice and Palliative Medicine. In the case of radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists and general radiologists the ABR will issue the certificate after obtaining the examination results from the ABIM.
7. What happens after the grandfathering period?
Following the grandfathering phase, which is set for the next five years, candidates will need to do an approved year of training in an ACGME training program in Hospice and Palliative Care following their primary certification in their respective specialty. Radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, and general radiologists in addition to specialists from any of the co-sponsoring boards listed above, will be eligible to apply for these training fellowships.
8. What will the fee for certification be?
The fee has not yet been worked out. The fee will primarily reflect the cost of the written examination. It is anticipated that a proportion of the examination costs being incurred by the ABIM will be passed on to the ABR for diplomates taking the examination and that the ABR will then pass these costs on to the candidate. These details will be worked out over the next year.
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