If you would like to work in emergency management or in public health, you may be interested in finding out if there are certifications required for infectious disease management careers. Professionals who work in this field can work in private healthcare offices, healthcare institutions, prisons, jails, schools and health administration settings all collaborate with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration. They collaborate with these agencies to locate an outbreak, to treat people infected with the disease, and to stop the spread of the infectious disease.
Since this is such a serious role, a certification issued by the American Board of Internal Medicine is required to possess a subspecialty in Infectious Disease Management. To earn the certification and show that you possess clinical competence to follow procedures and act in an ethical manner, you must meet the criteria and pass an exam. Read on, and learn what the general requirements of the certification are, and how to train to pass the examination.
What Agency Certifies Professionals in Internal Medicine?
The American Board of Internal Medicine offers certifications to professionals in 20 different subspecialties including Infectious Disease Management. The certifications are for internists who work in public health and want to prove that they meet the high standards set by the ABIM. If you would like to work in Infectious Disease Management, you will need to become board certified.
What Are the Requirements Before Someone Can Get Certified?
The first requirement to become a certified internist in Infectious Disease is to be previously certified in internal medicine. Once you hold this certification, you must complete an infectious disease fellowship training program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, so that you can become competent and then demonstrate your competence in clinical settings, procedure, and moral behavior. As long as your license is active to practice medicine in your state, you can apply to sit for the Infectious Disease Certification Examination.
How Much Training Do You Need to Satisfy Requirements?
Infectious Disease training courses are designed to teach you how to be competent in patient care procedures, medical knowledge, communications skills, professionalism and how to work in a system-based practice. It will take time to complete this classroom-based and clinical training. According to the requirements of the certification board, you must spend at least 24 months in training. Out of the 24 months, at least 12 of these months must be in a clinical setting. You will need to receive a score of satisfactory or superior so that you can receive full credit. If you do not receive the full credit, you will need to complete training again to meet the requirements.
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If you would like to work in acute care, primary care or even a research setting in Infectious Disease Management, you will need to have a certification. You will need to look for an accredited program that is recognized by the ABIM, and once you locate the program work hard to pass and receive full credit. It may take a minimum of 24 months to pass the training and complete the fellowship, but the advantages outweigh the time spent. Review the certifications required for infectious disease management specialty and change the direction of your profession in medicine.