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ABMS Officially Recognizes Health Care Administration, Leadership, and Management As a Subspecialty

May 17, 2023 Media Contact: Alyson Maloney, 215-568-4000

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) officially approved Health Care Administration, Leadership, and Management (HALM) as a subspecialty at its February 2023 Board of Directors Meeting. The American Board of Anesthesiology, American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM), American Board of Family Medicine, and American Board of Preventive Medicine co-sponsored the application for the subspecialty certificate, allowing physicians certified by 13 the 24 ABMS Member Boards to apply for the new certificate.

"We are pleased to recognize physicians and medical specialists with the expertise and comprehensive knowledge necessary to lead health care organizations in ensuring delivery of the highest quality care to their patients," stated ABMS President and Chief Executive Officer Richard E. Hawkins, MD. "The establishment of the HALM subspeciality is in direct response to requests from both the physician and medical specialists’ community as well as health care systems alike."

The HALM subspecialty encompasses and integrates experience from clinical medicine and health systems science, including quality improvement, patient safety, health care economics, public health, communication, informatics, and other related disciplines into a singular subspecialty certificate. Diplomates will be required to complete HALM training in an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited fellowship program as well as successfully pass a certification examination.

In addition to the four co-sponsoring Member Boards, there are currently nine other boards whose diplomates will be eligible to apply for this subspecialty certificate through ABEM

  • American Board of Allergy and Immunology
  • American Board of Dermatology
  • American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
  • American Board of Pathology
  • American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
  • American Board of Radiology
  • American Board of Surgery

The first HALM exam is scheduled to be administered in 2024. Information regarding eligibility requirements may be found on the ABEM website.


About the ABMS

Established in 1933, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) is responsible for the creation of standards overseeing physician certification in the United States. Dedicated to improving the quality of care to the patients, families and communities they serve, the 24 ABMS Member Boards develop educational and professional standards and programs of assessment to certify physicians and medical specialists. More than 940,000 physicians and medical specialists are certified by one or more of the ABMS Member Boards in one or more of 40 specialties and 89 subspecialties. For more information about ABMS, visit abms.org or call (312) 436-2600.

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