CAQ-HM - CAQ in Hospital Medicine

The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredits the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) to offer Certificates of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in specialty categories to qualifying physician assistants (PAs). Only certified PAs currently certified by the NCCPA with a PA-C designation qualify for CAQs. The Certificates of Added Qualifications in Hospital Medicine

(CAQ-HM) certifies PA-Cs with advanced knowledge in hospital medicine beyond the expectations of entry-level or general practice PA-Cs.

Prerequisites

• Current PA-C certification

• Valid, unrestricted PA-C license in at least one U.S. jurisdiction

• All PA-C licenses must be unrestricted if PA-C has multiple licenses

• Attestation from a physician, senior PA-C or post-graduate program director familiar with the PA-C’s practice and experience

Specialty CME Requirement

• Complete at least 75 credits of Category 1 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits related to hospital medicine practice within six years of applying for the exam

• Earn at least 25 CMEs within two years before the application date

  • CME credits may also be used to maintain PA-C credential

Specialty Experience Requirement

• Complete at least 3,000 hours of PA-C experience in Hospital Medicine within six years of attestation of satisfying the experience requirement

• Provide documentation substantiating their work experience if selected for an audit

Specialty Procedure/Patient Case Requirement

• Provide attestation from a physician, senior/lead PA-C or post-graduate program director in Hospital Medicine familiar with the candidate’s knowledge and experience

  • Attestations must be submitted within 90 days of candidates receiving their CAQ scores

  • Attestation of knowledge and skills must show that the PA-C has completed or understands patient management skills and when and how to perform procedures

The list of knowledge, procedures and skills for the Hospital Medicine CAQ attestation includes:

• Procedures

  • Paracentesis

  • Thoracentesis

  • Chest tube placement

  • Lumbar puncture

  • Ultrasonography

  • Intubation

  • Arthrocentesis

  • Vascular access

  • Cardiac testing

• Principles of system-based practice in hospital medicine: 

  • Care of the hospitalized adult patient, including elderly and vulnerable populations 

  • Communication 

  • Diagnostic decision-making 

  • Drug safety, pharmacoeconomics, and pharmacoepidemiology 

  • Evidence-based medicine 

  • Information management 

  • Leadership 

  • Management practices

Applicants have six years to submit documents, sign the attestation statement and finish all requirements to sit for the CAQ-HM exam. Candidates must submit their $100 registration fee to begin the CAQ process after they satisfy their prerequisites. They pay the $250 test fee when they apply for the exam.

Completion Time: Candidates have 2 hours to complete the CAQ-HM exam, 60 minutes for each 60-question block

Cost:$350 total, including a $100 registration fee and $250 exam fee

Exam Format

The CAQ-HM exam includes 120 multiple-choice questions. The exam blueprint includes:

• Cardiology 18%

• Pulmonology 14% 

• Gastroenterology 11% 

• Endocrinology 5% 

• Nephrology 14% 

• Hematology/Oncology 8% 

• Neurology 8% 

• Psychiatry 3% 

• Infectious Diseases 11% 

• Allergy/Immunology/Rheumatology 3% 

• Perioperative Medical Management 5%

Test Dates

Pearson VUE is NCCPA’s exam administration. Candidates may take the CAQ-CVTS exam during one of two yearly test times that occur once in the Spring and once in the Fall. First-time test takers must create a Pearson VUE web account then choose a testing site after they apply to test.

Certification Steps

• Satisfy all prerequisites

• Submit $100 registration fee to begin CAQ-HM process 

  • Applicants have six years to submit documents, sign the attestation statement, and finish all requirements to sit for the CAQ-HM exam

• Submit application to NCCPA with $250 exam fee

• Provide supporting documents

• Schedule exam within 180 days

• Pass CAQ-HM exam

  • Exam must be taken within 180 days of notification of eligibility or candidate must pay another $250 fee

  • Candidates must continue to meet all the prerequisites

To maintain their CAQ-HM credential, candidates must: 

• Hold a current, valid, unrestricted and unencumbered PA-C certification

• Submit required information for any state licenses or governmental agency privileges

• Pass the CAQ-HM exam within three attempts before the current certification expires

  • Renewal candidates who don’t pass after the third attempt must meet initial eligibility requirements and reapply to test as an initial candidate during the next exam

  • Exams are offered twice yearly at Pearson-VUEtesting sites

  • An online renewal certification examination also available, as of January 2023

• Earn at least 125 credits of Category 1 hospital medicine-based CME within the current 10-year cycle

Renewal Fee: $350 every 10 years

CAQ-certified PAs must earn 125 Category 1 hospital medicine-based CME credits over each 10-year certification period. 

• CME credits also satisfy PA-C certification requirements 

• PAs may submit CME credits before or during their exam application

The NCCPA offers a content blueprint for the CAQ-HM exam, a document explaining what to expect on test day and practice exams. Each practice exam is available for 180-days and costs $50. PAs can only take practice exams once but may repurchase them if they want to take them again.

Related certifications include:

• Physicians Assistant-Certified (PA-C) 

• PA-C Certificate of Added Qualifications in Emergency Medicine (CAQ-EM)

• PA-C Certificate of Added Qualifications in Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery (CAQ-CVTS)

• PA-C Certificate of Added Qualifications in Nephrology (CAQ-Neph)

• PA-C Certificate of Added Qualifications in Orthopaedic Surgery (CAQ-OS)

• PA-C Certificate of Added Qualifications in Pediatrics (CAQ-Peds)

• PA-C Certificate of Added Qualifications in Psychiatry (CAQ-Psy)

• PA-C Certificate of Added Qualifications in Dermatology (CAQ-Derm)

• PA-C Certificate of Added Qualifications in Palliative Medicine and Hospice Care (CAQ-PMHC) (Coming in 2023)