Developing, Administering, and Scoring the Healthcare Ethics Consultant Certification Examination

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Medical Ethics
• Professional Certification

Background:

• The practice of health care ethics consultation has evolved significantly.
• Professionalization and standardization are key developments in the field.
• Advocacy and criticism surround the establishment of formal certification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the development, administration, and scoring of the inaugural Healthcare Ethics Consultant Certification Examination.
• To provide a transparent account of the commission's efforts in creating a psychometrically sound and reliable assessment.
• To contextualize the historical development and future outlook of professional certification in health care ethics.

Main Methods:

• Formation of the Healthcare Ethics Consultant Certification Commission by the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities.
• Development of examination content, standards, and policies for candidate assessment.
• Implementation of a deliberative, fair, and data-driven process for exam creation and scoring.

Main Results:

• 138 candidates successfully took the inaugural Healthcare Ethics Consultant Certification Examination in November 2018.
• The commission successfully developed and administered a certification process.
• The examination was designed to be psychometrically sound, reliable, and secure.

Conclusions:

• The inaugural certification examination represents a major threshold in health care ethics consultation.
• The commission's transparent process aimed to ensure a valid and fair assessment of qualifications.
• The future outlook for health care ethics consultant certification is shaped by this foundational achievement.