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2015 Certificate of Added Qualification in Headache Medicine
The National Headache Foundation is proud to announce the inaugural class of health care practitioners who have successfully passed the exam for the Certificate of Added Qualification in Headache Medicine ( CAQ ). The CAQ was originally created in 2000 to recognize physicians with an advanced level of experience in headache medicine . In 2005 , board certification in headache medicine was established by the United Council for Subspecialties ( UCNS ), and the CAQ program became dormant .
The Board was aware that many health care providers were not receiving acknowledgment for their work and experience in headache medicine . As a service to those experiencing headache , they determined that the NHFendorsed CAQ should be reinstated . The goals are to establish the standards for headache practice and assist those with headaches in locating clinicians who could provide optimal headache-related health care . Board member , Timothy Smith , MD , R . Ph ., has chaired the CAQ committee for the past 4 years , and with other physician members of the Board has established the requirements to receive the CAQ .
Last fall , those physicians who received CAQ prior to 2007 , were asked if they would like to continue their credentialing . Of the original 60 physicians with CAQ , 28 have renewed their CAQ . Those physicians are listed later in this section .
Those eligible for CAQ must be able to evaluate and treat patients independently , and include physicians ( MD or DO ), advanced practice nurses ( NP ), physician assistants ( PA ), dentists , and psychologists . The new requirements for CAQ include a valid license in their discipline , 3-years experience in headache medicine , and successfully passing a 100-question examination . The CAQ is valid for 5 years . To renew CAQ , the clinician must either demonstrate that
he or she has received 60 hours of Continuing Medical Education ( CM ) credits in headache medicine over the previous 5 years , or retake the CAQ exam .
This exam was developed by physician members of the NHF Board as well as thought leaders in headache medicine , including physicians , nurse practitioners , physician assistants , and psychologists . We would like to thank those clinicians who assisted us with development and review of the exam :
José Biller , MD Jo H . Bonner , MD Jan Lewis Brandes , MD Roger K . Cady , MD Wade Cooper , DO Kathleen Farmer , PsyD Alexander Feoktistov , MD , PhD Frederick G . Freitag , DO Leah Green , MD Mark Green , MD Vincent Martin , MD Alexander Mauskop , MD Maureen Moriarty , DNP , ANP-BC Robert A . Nicholson , PhD Lori K . Peters , MS , CRNP Timothy R . Smith , MD , R . Ph ( Committee Chair ) Christina Treppendahl , FNP-BC Ira Turner , MD Lana Tymouch , PA-C
6 HeadWise ® | Volume 5 , Issue 1 • 2015