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Hospital Medicine Eligibility

Revised September 2008

To be eligible for certification in Hospital Medicine through the American Board of Hospital Medicine, the applicant must:

ABPS General Requirements

  1. 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 Hospital Medicine.
  2. 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 translation 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. Canadian medical schools and medical training programs are considered equivalent to U.S. medical schools and medical training programs.
  3. Hold a valid and unrestricted license(s) to practice medicine in the United States, its territories or Canada.
  4. Submit a current curriculum vitae, which includes medical school experiences and degrees earned, in chronological order.

ABHM Specific Requirements

  1. Residency – All applicants must have completed residency training in a program approved by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).  Such training must include substantial and identifiable training in Hospital Medicine as determined by the American Board of Hospital Medicine (ABHM) and approved by the ABPS. The ABPS accepts medical residencies approved by the RCPSC and CFPC, including approved residencies outside Canada. Applicants without a completed residency may also be eligible if they hold current Board Certification granted by an ABMS, AOA, or ABPS board that was granted on or before December 31, 2001.
  2. Board Certification/Fellowship –All applicants must be qualified under one of the following:
    1. Hold current Board Certification in Family Practice, Internal Medicine or Emergency Medicine granted by an ABMS, AOA, ABPS, RCPSC, or CFPC board. Applicants with current board certification in other specialties will be considered on an individual basis.
    2. For Canadian physicians who have not completed residency, you must be board eligible for certification by meeting the practicing physicians eligibility which includes completion of 12 months of postgraduate medical training, full time practice for a minimum number of years, and successful completion of the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part 1 (MCCQEI).  Applicants must provide both the practicing physician eligibility requirements for their specialty and documentation that they have met all the requirements.  These applicants will be considered on an individual basis.
    3. Have completed an ABHM-approved fellowship program.  The following fellowship programs have received ABHM approval:
      1. NMMC Hospital Medicine Fellowship, North Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo, MS – Rajender K. Agarwal, MD, Director – http://www.nmhs.net/
      2. University Hospitalists Fellowship, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Tuscaloosa, AL – A. Robert Sheppard, M.D., Director – http://cchs.ua.edu/fmr/applicants/fellowships/ (This program closed in February 2015, but graduates of this program remain eligible under the Graduate Training Program option)
    4. All other applicants under this option will be considered on an individual basis.
  • Staff Privileges – Verify active staff privileges by means a letter detailing active privileges and the period of service signed by of the Chief of Department, Chief of Staff, or Chair of Credentialing Committee.  This letter must be an original and should be on hospital letterhead.
  • Patient Management – Applicants must provide verification of having admitted and managed a minimum of 50 patients in the last twelve (12) consecutive months and verification that 50% of practice is comprised of hospital medicine patient care.
  • Case Reports –Submit a documented report of a minimum of six (6) hospital medicine cases for which the physician had the lead management role. The case reports must be no older than twelve (12) months from the date the candidate’s application for certification is received by ABPS.   See the “Case Report Requirements” section here for more details.
  • ACLS Certification –All applicants must be ACLS Certified at the time of application and submit copy of current, unexpired card.

Additional Application Requirements:

  1. Submit a Hospital Medicine application form complete with the required application processing fee, two (2) passport-size photographs taken within the last 90 days, and notarized signature.
  2. Sign and submit the ABPS Disclosure and Authorization to obtain Criminal Background Reports form.
  3. Sign and submit the ABPS Examinations Complaints and Appeals Process form.
  4. 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. For information on performing a self-query of the Bank, go to the website www.npdb-hipdb.hrsa.gov. 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.
  5. Provide three (3) Letters of Recommendation from Diplomates of any ABPS, ABMS, AOA, RCPSC, or CFPC Board of Certification. All letters of recommendation must be printed on letterhead, must be dated within the twelve months prior to the submission of the application, and must include an original signature, author contact information for the author, and should indicate the board certification(s) held by the author. Copies are not acceptable. These letters do not need to be mailed directly to ABPS, but can be included with the applicant’s materials and certification application.
  6. Payment of appropriate fees. To view fee schedule, click here.

The ABHM recommends that the applicant keep a copy of all application documents submitted to the ABPS.

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Medical organizations throughout North America understand that our rigorous certification standards prove that ABPS Diplomates are capable of delivering the best patient care possible.

On October 18, 2007, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), calling on our nation, among other initiatives, to “collectively support and facilitate the establishment of a discipline of disaster health”. It is a great testament to the wisdom and foresight of the American Board of Physician Specialties that it immediately set to work and created, within the short span of only one year, an educational blueprint and set of certification examinations, both written and oral, for a new subspecialty of disaster medicine—and it is why I chose to be part this vital initiative and this wonderful organization. This is but one of the many innovative programs initiated by the American Board of Physician Specialties over the years, and why I am proud to support its work on behalf of our nation’s public health.

Art Cooper, MD
Disaster Medicine
When the American Board of Physician Specialties offered to host the American Board of Integrative Medicine, ABPS became a landmark organization working to move medicine into the twenty first century. Certifying physicians who have completed rigorous academic training in Integrative Medicine ensures that the field of Integrative Medicine will continue to develop academically, clinically, and professionally. The leadership of ABPS continues to impress me - they are diligent in constantly innovating to provide certifications for physicians who want to advance their careers and their areas of expertise. I am honored to be a part of this organization.

Ann Marie Chiasson, MD
Integrative Medicine
There are many ways board certification advances a physician career. ABPS Board examination verifies your accuracy, precision, and reflects your mastery of your residency training verifying your expertise. ABPS Board certification demonstrates your level of expertise beyond your practice experience, primary education degrees, and training which are necessary for insurance reimbursement and practice privilege requirements. Attaining your ABPS Board Certification will clarify your purpose, secure your practice growth, and expand into leadership positions. Board certification can serve as an indication of a physician’s commitment to medicine, beyond the minimal standards and competency of training, their measurement to quality of care, and attaining an award for excellence.

Chris Kunis MD
Internal Medicine
When I think historically, advancement in medicine and patient safety and care has been driven by the diversity of people and scientific thought. That’s what I found at the ABPS and more. For over 60 years that is just who we are. I found a physician certifying body that provides a choice and voice to all physicians ensuring that patients are always placed first.

Jerry Allison, MD
Emergency Medicine
When I decided to pursue a full time role as a physician executive it was important to me to obtain additional professional training, education and work experience. Board certification through the ABPS in Administrative Medicine is validation of my efforts and a demonstration of dedication to professional development. We need more physicians to become full time health care executives, knowing there is a board certification option in Administrative Medicine encourages physicians to take the leap from full time clinical practice to healthcare organizational leadership.

Richard Paula, MD
Administrative Medicine
The American Board of Physician Specialties has provided me with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of internal medicine through board certification. As a hospitalist, board certification is an expected credential, and hospitals recognize the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) as one of the three standard credentialling bodies for Internal Medicine. Additionally, the ABPS has helped me develop leadership skills as a Board member and Committee Chairperson. ABPS has also helped me sharpen critical thinking skills as a test question developer and reviewer. The Allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) physicians in the ABPS are lifelong learners and frequently pursue multiple board certifications. I enjoy the camaraderie of my peers in ABPS.

Loren Jay Chassels, DO
Internal Medicine
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