The National Headache Foundation (NHF) is proud to announce the class of health care
practitioners who have successfully passed the exam for the Certificate of Added Qualification in
Headache Medicine (AQH). The AQH was originally created in 2000 to recognize physicians
with an advanced level of experience in headache medicine. In 2005, board certification in
headache medicine was established by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties
(UCNS), and the AQH program became dormant.
Currently, there is no viable pathway for the majority of clinicians to achieve scholarly
recognition for excellence in headache management. In 2012, the Board of the NHF recognized
the growing number of allied health care practitioners along with primary care physicians, who
had gained experience in the diagnosis and treatment of headaches. They also determined, as a
service to those experiencing headaches, that the NHF-endorsed AQH should be reinstated.
The goals are to establish the standards for headache practice and assist those with
headaches in locating clinicians who could provide optimal headache-related health care. After
establishing the requirements for AQH, the physician members of the NHF Board developed a
competency examination for eligible candidates. An exam was given during March 2022, and
the following health care practitioner has been awarded the AQH in headache medicine:
So Hee Kim, DNP, ARNP, AQH, and Sharon Jung, ARNP, AQH are now eligible to use the
indication of Added Qualification in Headache (AQH) after their name.
About the National Headache Foundation
The National Headache Foundation (NHF) is the premier educational and informational
resource for individuals with headache, their families, physicians, allied health care
professionals, and health policy decision makers. To obtain the name of a Health Care
Provider interested in headache medicine, please visit www.headaches.org or call 1-888-NHF5552.