Be Recognized for Your Knowledge in Headache Medicine

AQH Certification recognizes your knowledge and experience in caring for the most prevalent neurological disease in the world.

Demonstrate your headache experience in the classification, diagnosis, treatment and management of primary headaches, secondary headaches, and painful lesions of the cranial nerves and other facial pain.

To be eligible for the AQH examination, a candidate must be a licensed healthcare practitioner with prescriptive authority who has experience in independently evaluating and managing headache patients.

Benefits of Advanced Qualification in Headache Medicine© (AQH) Certification

Validation

Recognition as a health care provider capable of providing quality care for people living with migraine disease and headache disorders.

Recognition

Provider Finder Listing on www.headaches.org, where patients search to locate certified headache providers near them.

Dedication

Demonstrates your dedication and commitment to the latest developments in headache medicine

Credibility

Increased credibility of headache medicine experience, when seeking justification of treatment necessity during reviews with public and private payers.

Earning Your AQH©

video-cover-AQH

Prepare for the AQH©

Those interested in taking the Advanced Qualification in Headache Medicine© (AQH) exam can prepare by reviewing the following resources (this list is not all-inclusive and should be considered as a starting point):

  • American Headache Society
  • AQH Review Guide
    • Link will be provided to accepted applicants
    • This is more like a checklist – highlighting selected topics that are addressed in the examination
    • Links to publication and online resources
    • Not meant to be a comprehensive guide, just a navigation checklist tool
    • It highlights all of the resources listed in the bullet points above

New Candidate Eligibility

Eligible candidates are licensed healthcare providers with prescriptive authority, independently evaluating and managing headache patients.

Each candidate must provide documentation of the following criteria regarding license, continuing education, and experience for each of the following four (4) areas with the application:

  1. License: Copy of current license.
  2. CV: Copy of current CV
  3. Professional Colleague Letter (on letterhead)-verifying experience in at least one of the following options:
    • A minimum of 25% of the time in independent direct diagnosis, treatment and management of headache in the last 36 months prior to application, or
    • Completion of an accredited Neurology residency (MD or DO), and manages headache patients, or
    • Completion of an accredited headache fellowship, or
    • At least one or more years of experience at either a headache center or Veterans Affairs (VA) Headache Center of Excellence (HCoE).
  4. Continuing Education: Completion of at least 50 hours, over the last 36 months prior to application, of AMA PRA Category 1 CME focusing on headache medicine, prior to application. (Ideally 20 CME are in the last year).

Apply for the AQH©

AQH is Back!  

Advanced Qualification in Headache Medicine
Fall 2025 Online Application

  • Live:  Monday, August 18th at 8:00amCT.
  • Closes: Friday, September 19th at 5:00pmCT.   

Link: https://headaches.org/aqh-new-applicant/

#1:  Complete Application

#2:  Upload Required Documentation

#3:  Pay Examination Fee of $875.00

Advanced Qualification in Headache Medicine
Fall 2025 Certification Timeline

Step 1: Explore Further & Collect Documentation – July 25 – August 17

Step 2: Submit Application Online – August 18 – September 19

Step 3: Application Status & Schedule Examination – September 22 – October 15

Step 4: Take the Examination – November 3 – November 24

For questions please contact us at: [email protected]

Keep Up to Date on AQH Certification Information

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Maintenance of Existing Certification

To begin the renewal process, you will need to have the following ready:

  1. Completed Online Renewal Application – click on button below and enter all required information into the sections provided .
  2. Continuing Education: At least 50 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 CME focused on headache medicine within the past 36 months (or 75 hours within the past 60 months) –please gather all CME certificates, and scan into a pdf for uploading.
  3. Valid Medical License: upload a current copy of your license
  4. Renewal Fee: $250.00 (pay securely online after submitting your application)

Review process:

  1. Review by AQH team to ensure the application is complete and all eligibility requirements are met.
  2. The team will contact to correct any areas of deficiency (if needed).
  3. Receipt of an email notification confirming renewal application approval or denial.
  4. When approved, a new certificate will be included in the notification email.
Begin Application

Option 2:

New Application and Re-examination

For questions about either option please contact us at: [email protected]

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