AOA Certificate of Added Qualification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine

In 2007 the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists approved a Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) in hospice and palliative medicine. The American Osteopathic HPM Conjoint Examination Committee administers the HPM subspecialty certification exam and Osteopathic Continuous Certification requirements. The following boards participate in the HPM Conjoint Committee:

Since 2008, member board of ABMS and AOA have certified a growing number of physicians in the specialty-level practice of hospice and palliative medicine.

If you're a midcareer physician interested in certification but ineligible for certification through ABMS or AOA, learn more about hospice medical director certification through the Hospice Medical Director Certification Board (HMDCB).

This is only general information. It is important to contact your applicable primary certification board for detailed requirements.

Eligibility for Initial Certification

Osteopathic physicians wishing to obtain their CAQ in HPM must

be a graduate of COCA-accredited college of osteopathic medicine
provide substantiation of satisfactory clinical competence in HPM, which must be provided by the program director of the fellowship program where the candidate completed clinical training
hold an active license to practice medicine in a state or territory of the United States
possess a valid certification by their primary AOA board
complete a 12-month ACGME-approved fellowship in HPM.

Exam Information

The AOA examination is a proctored 5-hour examination consisting of multiple-choice questions of the single-best-answer type. You can find the examination schedule, locations, and application information from the AOA Conjoint Committee on HPM.

How to Prepare

AAHPM has developed products, courses, and resources to help you prepare for the exam. Browse the products and choose what is right for you.