About ASBH

Path of Certification

The American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH) is a nonprofit organization of healthcare professionals, teachers, consultants, and others with an interest in clinical and academic bioethics and the health-related humanities.

As the practice of healthcare ethics consultation has grown, the ASBH has identified the need to develop recognized standards to promote professionalism and excellence within the specialty. Certification is a means by which an individual may demonstrate his or her commitment to professionalism and document his or her qualifications, skill, and knowledge in providing consultation services to patients and families, healthcare professionals, and healthcare administrators who seek to resolve uncertainty or conflict regarding value-laden concerns that emerge in health care.

Program History

The HEC-C program is administered by the HCEC Certification Commission (“the Commission”). Formed in 2017, the Commission is a functionally autonomous component of the ASBH. The purpose of the certification program is to promote excellence and professionalism within the practice of healthcare ethics consultation by assessing individual performance against a predetermined standard of knowledge and skill. The Commission establishes eligibility requirements for the HEC-C examination and all other policies for the certification program.