Disaster Medicine Eligibility

Revised September 2008

In order for an applicant to be considered qualified to sit for the American Board of Disaster Medicine (ABODM) written examination, the applicant must:

All Canadian physicians must request and submit a testament statement from each province in which a license is held, verifying that there have been no disciplinary actions against the applicant.

1. Submit a Disaster Medicine application form complete with required application-processing fee, two (2) passport-size photographs taken within the last 90 days, and a notarized signature.
2. Be in conformity with the Code of Ethics of the American Board of Physician Specialties, be known in his/her community as an ethical member of the profession, and be an active specialist in Disaster Medicine.
3. Be a graduate of a recognized college of medicine (confirmed by a copy of an allopathic/osteopathic degree or a letter of verification from the institution where the degree was earned. In the case of foreign medical schools, an English transcription of the document is also required. Graduates of foreign medical schools must also include a copy of their Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) Certificate.
4. Hold a valid and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States, its territories, or Canada and submit copies. License(s) must include date of expiration.
5. Submit a current curriculum vita, which includes medical school experiences and degrees earned, in chronological order.
6. Document fulfillment of the following educational criteria:
   1. Disaster Medicine training program which includes completion OSHA 1910.120 Operator Level C (HAZMAT-C) training or equivalent.
      OR
   2. Military training program which includes completion of Mission-Oriented Protective Posture Level 4 (MOPP-4) training or equivalent.
7. Document fulfillment of achievement relative to one of the following (A, B, or C):
   1. Completion of either an ACGME-accredited PGY-1 program or an AOA-accredited internship; and completion of an ACGME-accredited residency, or an AOA-accredited residency, or a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)-accredited residency.
      OR
   2. Applicants who are currently board certified by the ABPS, or AOA, or ABMS, or RCPSC may apply for candidacy. These applicants mustmeet the following criteria:
      1. Hold current ABPS, or AOA, or ABMS, or RCPSC board certification.
      2. Document completion of any one of the following:
         1. Disaster Medicine fellowship
         2. Hazmat Instructor training
         3. NDLS Instructor training
         4. Instructor training for Disaster Medicine Program which includes OSHA 1910.120 Operator Level qualifications or equivalent.
            OR
   3. Uniformed Services Clause
      1. Completion of U.S. Uniformed Services postgraduate training, including all subsequent service commitments and training as prescribed and defined for career active duty Uniformed Services Medical Officers.
8. Submit documentation of a minimum of 50 hours of postgraduate continuing medical education (CME) in Disaster Medicine or a clinically-related field as set forth by the Credentials Committee of the ABODM and approved by the ABODM. Hours must be approved by the AAPS, or AOA, or AMA, or RCPSC. These hours must be in addition to any educational experience applied to requirement VI above. Such CME must be obtained during the two years preceding the submission of an application. An ABPS CME form must be used.
   OR

   Submit documentation of a minimum of 25 hours of postgraduate CME hours in Disaster Medicine or a clinically-related field as set forth by the Credentials Committee of the ABODM and approved by the ABODM. Hours must be approved by the AAPS, or AOA, or AMA, or RCPSC. These hours must be in addition to any educational experience applied to requirement VI above. Such CME must be obtained during the two years preceding the submission of an application. An ABPS CME form must be used.

9. In addition to the 25 CME hours, another 50 points of credit must be documented by the applicant from among the following choices:
   1. Field Disaster Medicine Deployment
      1. Credit Field Disaster Medicine Deployment Credit will be applied toward the 50-hour requirement according to the following formula:
         1. 8 points credit per deployment day not to exceed 40 points for any single deployment and not to exceed 80 points in any single calendar year.
   2. Scholarly Contribution to the American Academy of Disaster Medicine Credit
      1. Scholarly Contribution Credit will be applied toward the 50-hour requirement according to the following formula:
         1. 6 points credit for each 50-minute presentation in Disaster Medicine given at an AAPS or AADM sponsored CME program.
         2. 3 points credit for each 30-minute presentation in Disaster Medicine given at an AAPS or AADM sponsored CME program.
         3. 8 points credit for each 110-minute workshop given in Disaster Medicine at an AAPS or AADM sponsored CME program.
         4. 8 points credit for published chapter in Disaster Medicine in a book or field manual.
         5. 5 points credit for each scholarly paper published in Disaster Medicine in an AAPS or AADM sponsored journal, or other peer-reviewed journal.
10. Provide three letters of recommendation from Diplomates of an ABPS, or ABMS, or AOA, or RCPSC-recognized board of certification. Letters of recommendation must be dated within the 12 month period prior to the application submission and must include a telephone number where the person writing the letter may be contacted. Letters submitted on plain paper without an address or telephone numbers of the signatory are not acceptable. Applicants should be aware that when providing documentation for the application, the ABODM requires original letters; copies are not acceptable. The ABDOM recommends that the letters be sent to the applicant for inclusion with other application documents.
11. All U.S. physicians must do a self-Query of the National Practitioner Data Bank and submit a sealed (unopened envelope) copy of the report as part of the application process. The report need not be submitted with the application but must be provided in order for the applicant to be approved to take the written examination. For information on performing a self-query of the Bank, go to the website www.npdb-hipdb.hrsa.gov for information.
12. All physicians must allow AAPS to perform a background check, attested by initialing the appropriate line on the application form.
13. All physicians must submit the signed candidate appeal form.
14. Payment of appropriate fees. To view the fee schedule, click here.

To have an application considered by the ABODM Credentials Committee, all application documents must be compiled in a notebook, which is sent to the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS). The ABODM recommends that all applicants retain a copy of all application materials.

Once the above requirements have been fulfilled, the Credentials Committee will recommend the applicant be admitted to sit for the ABODM Certification Written Examination.

A candidate who passes the written examination will then be eligible to take the performance assessment component, which will include patient simulations.

Applicants passing the two examinations and receiving certification, a certificate of board certification issued by this Board shall expire on the 8th anniversary of its effective date.

To learn more about American Journal of Disaster Medicine, click here.