About Fellow of Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine

Recognition as a Fellow of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine (FUHM) is awarded to individual members of the Society whose professional activities and standing are judged to be worthy of such recognition.  The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) Board of Directors (hereafter designated as the BOD) confers this recognition based upon the criteria and procedures set forth in this policy document.

Candidates considered eligible for the FUHM award will be members of the Society in good standing who have devoted significant time and effort to the practice or advancement of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine (UHM), achieved the highest level of expertise in their field, and demonstrate professional and ethical standards consistent with the aims and expectations of the UHMS.

As such, FUHM recognition is an honor awarded to an individual: it is not a right or a qualification, but an acknowledgment of achievement and of the high standards of expertise, practice and contribution to the field of UHM.  Once awarded, FUHM status is not automatically retained, but is contingent upon the continued good standing of the individual and membership in the UHMS.  Consequently, the BOD may rescind FUHM recognition in accordance with the procedures listed herewith.

Although FUHM recognition is not an academic qualification or specialty certification, FUHM designees may utilize their award to demonstrate advanced achievement and expertise in Hyperbaric and/or Diving Medicine through, for instance, display of their FUHM award certificate, use of appropriate post-nominals, and inclusion of information regarding their award in CVs, résumés and analogous documents.

The FUHM award process is initiated once an individual is nominated by a current FUHM Member, a Fellow Committee Member (FC) or a Board of Directors Member (BOD). Nominees subsequently wishing to pursue formal recognition as a FUHM must submit formal application to the FC requesting consideration as a FUHM candidate.  In order to be eligible for consideration in any given year, the candidate’s application must be satisfactorily lodged by the 1st of January of the year preceding requested award.  All requirements must be met and the completed application (whether a new application or one constituting an update to an existing application previously deferred) must be on file with the UHMS by this date.  Applicants complying with the terms of this deadline will be considered for FUHM award at the Annual Scientific Meeting that next follows a given submission deadline.

The FC, appointed by the President of the UHMS, will initially consider FUHM applications to determine whether the requirements for FUHM recognition have been satisfied. Until FUHM application requirements are fully met, the FC may defer an individual’s application or request provision of additional supportive documents at its discretion. Subsequently, the FC will prepare a brief and make recommendations regarding each applicant for consideration by the BOD.

The BOD makes the final decision regarding the applicant’s eligibility for award of FUHM recognition.

The BOD may, at any time, modify any portion of these requirements for awarding FUHM recognition.

Confidentiality   All FUHM nominations, application documents, and other information related to applications will be treated as confidential. Except as required by law, the UHMS and its employees and officers will not disclose any of this information to anyone other than the applicant and, as required, those individuals directly involved in the evaluation of the FUHM application.