Health Care Administration, Leadership, and Management (HALM) integrates expertise from medicine, health systems science, quality improvement, patient safety, business, public health, communication, computer science, economics, law, and other disciplines in a singular subspecialty certification. HALM-certified physicians are expected to contribute effectively to the future health care environment with an in-depth understanding of the ways by which executive leadership and their governance effect change in these complex health systems.
The American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA), the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM), and ABEM are co-sponsors of HALM certification. ABEM is responsible for examination development, administration, scoring, and analysis. Each sponsoring board is responsible for reviewing and approving its respective candidates’ applications and notifying them of their examination results.
Each sponsoring board appoints members to the HALM Exam Committee. The primary functions of the Exam Committee are to develop examinations and a continuing certification process in HALM, and review and approve the applications of physicians of their own boards. The Exam Committee will be overseen by an Advisory Committee.
Health Care Administration, Leadership, and Management FAQs
Eligibility
Physicians seeking to take the certification examination in HALM must:
- Be certified by an ABMS member board
- Meet the requirements of one of the eligibility pathways as specified in the eligibility criteria
- Complete and submit the application to ABEM (application not yet available)
- Actively participate in the continuing certification process of their primary certification board
- Fulfill the Policy on Medical Licensure
- Comply with the Policy on Board Eligibility for Subspecialties
Examples of administrative positions that would be considered as active practice of HALM
Exam Process
The HALM Certification Examination is offered every other year in even-numbered years through Pearson Vue’s online, remote proctored system. The first exam will be administered in late 2024.
Apply
Physicians can now apply for HALM. All physicians certified through an ABMS member board are able to apply through ABEM (except those certified through ABA, ABPM, and ABFM which have their own applications).
Application Form
Sign Up to Get HALM Certification Updates
Register
Physicians with approved applications will be notified in September about how to register for the examination and schedule an exam via Pearson VUE online testing.
Taking the Exam
Additional information about the HALM Certification Exam will be posted when it becomes available.
Content Specifications
The Core Content of HALM Medicine (Core Content) is the basis for all HALM examination exams. The 2023 Core Content defines the content for the initial certification examination for HALM.
Core Content of HALM Medicine [Word]
Core Content of HALM Medicine [PDF]
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Exam Question Distribution (±5%)
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Business of Health Care (1.0)
The Business of Health Care
(includes 1.4 through 1.12 and 1.14 through 1.25)
Finance and Accounting Principles
(includes 1.1 through 1.3, and 1.13)
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9%
8%
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Care Innovation, Health Equity, and Population Health (2.0)
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10%
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Governance (3.0)
Governance, Organizational Structure, and Advocacy
(includes all line items in section 3.0)
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8%
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Health Care Policy, Law, and Advocacy (4.0)
Health Care Policy, Law, and Regulation
(includes all line items in section 4.0)
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11%
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Health Information Technology (5.0)
Health Care Technology and Information Management
(includes all line items in section 5.0)
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9%
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Human Resource Management and Workforce Development (6.0)
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10%
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Leadership in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement (7.0)
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14%
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Organizational Leadership and Communication Skills (8.0)
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13%
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Professionalism and Ethics (9.0)
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8%
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Results
ABEM sends candidates that are not applying through a co-sponsoring board the results of their examination in writing within 90 days of the date of the examination.