Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine

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Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine involves the prevention of injury and illness from exposure to environments with increased ambient pressure (such as in diving or hyperbaric chamber exposure), and the therapeutic use of high-environmental pressure and the delivery of oxygen under high pressure to treat disease. The scope of the subspecialty emphasizes the occupational, environmental, safety, and clinical aspects of diving, hyperbaric chamber operations, compressed air work, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

ABEM- and the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine (AOBEM)-certified physicians attain subspecialty certification in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine by meeting the eligibility criteria, fulfilling credential requirements, and passing the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Certification Examination.

The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) develops and administers the subspecialty certification examination in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine. ABEM is responsible for credentialing its candidates and notifying them of their examination results.

Related Information

Eligibility

Emergency physicians seeking to take the certification examination in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicinemust:

  1. Be certified by ABEM or the AOBEM
  2. Successfully complete an ACGME-accredited, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine fellowship of at least two years as specified in the eligibility criteria
  3. Complete and submit the application to ABEM
  4. Actively participate in ABEM's continuing certification process or the AOBEM Osteopathic Continuous Certification Program
  5. Fulfill the ABEM Policy on Medical Licensure
  6. Comply with the ABEM Policy on Board Eligibility for Subspecialty Certification

Exam Process

The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Certification Examination is offered once each year.

Apply

ABEM- and AOBEM-certified physicians complete and submit the current year’s application, available from ABEM.

Complete applications include:

  • Signed, and notarized current-year certification application form
  • Application fee in U.S. funds

The application fee covers the cost of processing the application only and cannot be refunded.

A final review of an application will be completed when all information is received. Applications that are incomplete will be closed in January of the following year. Physicians with closed applications must submit new applications if they wish to apply. They must meet all requirements in place at the time the new application is submitted.

ABEM mails notification regarding whether the physicians application has been approved.

Register

Physicians with approved applications will receive information about how to register for the exam and schedule a seat at a Prometric test center.

Exam Content Specifications

A reference guide and exam content outline are available on the ABPM website.

Results

ABEM sends candidates the results of their examination in writing. Results are also posted on candidates ABEM Personal Page.