Application Form “Specialist in Metabolic Medicine” [download Word dokument]

Exercising its duties and objectives in order to safeguard and continuously improve the care for adult patients suffering from inborn metabolic diseases, the ASIM Board has established criteria, according to which physicians are certified as specialists having qualified in the care for adult patients suffering from inborn errors of metabolism. Upon fulfillment of these criteria, a certificate will be issued by the ASIM Board.

A. These criteria, as well as the specified qualification requirements, shall

1. safeguard and continuously improve the care for adult patients suffering from inborn metabolic diseases
2. represent a curriculum, according to which physicians can obtain a special qualification in the new discipline “Inborn Errors of Metabolism”.
3. designate physicians as experts by the the ASIM who have special competence and knowledge in treating these patients, often necessitating cost-intensive therapies.
4. designate physicians who have special competence and knowledge in treating these patients and who are qualified and proficient in establishing independent Internal Medicine treatment centres in order to ensure medical care of these patients appropriate to their age.
5. contribute to facilitate defining treatment centres that, under the guidance of a qualified physician and in interdisciplinary cooperation with paediatric facilities, specialized metabolic laboratories and nutrition and food scientists/dieticians competent in these diseases, treat a minimum of 200 patients suffering from different inborn errors of metabolism per year.
6. designate physicians who, according to the presented criteria, are authorized to instruct, train and supervise colleagues in this specialist field.

B. The ASIM certificate is a non-official denotation. In order to obtain the certificate and to prove a special qualification and knowledge in this medical field, the following requirements of the Curriculum ASIM must be met:

1. The applicant must be a physician for Internal Medicine according to the “regulation for postgraduate training” valid until 2004, or, according to the “regulation for postgraduate training” valid until 2005, a medical specialist for Internal Medicine and General Medicine or a medical specialist for Internal Medicine and a specialty (Angiology, Endocrinology and Diabetology, Gastroenterology, Hematology and Oncology, Cardiology, Nephrology, Pneumology, Rheumatology). Physicians from other medical fields can be admitted on request.
2. Proof of the documentation of a minimum of 200 treated patients, in inpatient as well as outpatient care within a minimum period of two years. The supervision by a supervisor nominated by ASIM must be ensured (enclosure A)¹. The treatment of at least one inborn disease from the field of amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, fatty acid oxidation disorders/carnitine transporter deficiency and lysosomal storage diseases must be documented. A minimum of 50 treatments as case reports must be submitted. The demanded minimum of two years’ practice can be carried out within the postgraduate training time for the degree of Internal Medicine or Internal Medicine / General Medicine.
3. Proof of a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education by taking part in meetings and workshops acknowledged by ASIM (enclosure B).
4. Attending 40 hours in a specialized metabolic laboratory.
5. Attending 40 hours with a nutrition and food scientists/dieticians specialised in this area.
6. A Membership with the ASIM is essential for the acknowledgement and the issuance of the certificate.

Applicants are requested to download the application form from the ASIM homepage or to demand it from the ASIM office.

The application form has to be filled in carefully and completely. The necessary proofs (uncertified copy) must be submitted to the ASIM office. After viewing, the ASIM Board decides on the approval and the issue of the certificate. An objection against the notification can be raised within four weeks. It is not subject to legal recourse.

C. Supervisors according to #A6 and #B2 must be members of the ASIM and are nominated by the ASIM board, when qualified. Informal applications for the approval as supervisor are to be addressed to the ASIM board.

The stipulation to acknowledge the advanced training to become a specialist for inborn errors of metabolism in adulthood according to the Curriculum ASIM has been agreed to by the members at their 1st annual meeting on 16th April 2007. At the end of two years, it shall be reviewed.

sgd.

Enclosure A: Supervisors acknowledged by the ASIM (as of 16th April 2007)

• Prof. Dr. E. Mönch
• Prof. Dr. U. Wendel
• Dr. E. Mengel
• Prof. Dr. M. Merkel
• Dr. M. Schwarz

Enclosure B: Meetings and workshops acknowledged by the ASIM (as of 10th March 2007)

• workshops and meetings held by the ASIM
• workshops and meetings held by the APS
• workshops and meetings held by the SSIEM

¹The Supervisor need not work at the same treatment centre as the applicant