ISTM Certificate of Knowledge^TM

Click here to see the list of ISTM Members who have achieved the CTH^® designation.

Upcoming CTH^® Examinations

The 23rd Certificate in Travel Health^TM Examination was offered in-person Sunday, 21 May 2023 in Basel, Georgia, Switzerland. The 24th CTH (R) date will be announced as soon as it is scheduled. ISTM will plan on offering a CTH in-person examination in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America on 11 May 2025 in conjunction with CISTM19.

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ISTM Certificate in Travel Health^TM

As with most healthcare disciplines, the practice of travel medicine is a changing and evolving field. In recognition of the critical need for travel medicine practitioners to maintain and increase their skills and knowledge, the ISTM has developed a continuing professional development program for travel medicine practitioners. The program is structured around a 10-year cycle of professional education, study and involvement in the field of travel medicine. Activities which comprise this program include, but are not limited to: passing an examination, educational programs and products, writing, editing and reviewing publications, teaching, research, clinical work and other professional development in which travel medicine practitioners participate.

The first step of this process is passing the CTH^® examination. Beginning with the CTH^® Certificates awarded in 2011, there is a mandatory maintenance process every ten (10) years to keep the certificate active. There are two avenues for maintaining an active CTH^® - either accruing a specific number of credits through the professional development activities in which most travel medicine professionals already participate or retaking and passing the CTH^® examination. Since the program became effective in 2011, travel medicine professionals who were awarded certificates prior to 2011 are encouraged to consider participating on a voluntary and not mandatory basis.

The ISTM Travel Medicine Continuing Professional Development Program will provide greater confidence to the public and patients we treat, and enable the CTH^® holders demonstrate to compliance authorities that the credential is relevant. Additionally, these activities will enhance and elevate the practice of travel medicine around the world.

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ISTM Travel Medicine Review and Update Course

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ISTM Certificate in Travel Health^TM Renewal Program

To Register to renew, click here.

Program Overview

To maintain their CTH^® credential, candidates who received their certificate beginning in 2011 must complete required activities and apply for renewal every 10 years. Renewal may be accomplished through participating in continuing professional development (CPD) activities directly relating to topics identified in the CTH^® Body of Knowledge OR retesting (i.e., taking and passing the CTH^® examination).

Candidates seeking renewal through CPD activities are required to accumulate 200 CPD points within the 10-year renewal period. At least 80 of the 200 points must be earned during the last 5 years of the renewal period. One hundred and forty (140) of the 200 points must be earned through participation in a minimum of three continuing education events defined as face to face, educational events and/or distance learning events.

Acceptable professional development activities include:

• participating in continuing education events;
• teaching, lecturing, speaking, and mentoring;
• publishing, including authoring, peer-reviewing, and serving on editorial boards;
• direct travel medicine patient care and clinical activities;
• committee/volunteer activities;
• clinical supervision of healthcare professionals, students or trainees;
• peer practice review/travel medicine practice audits; and
• serving as a travel medicine consultant.

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Professional Development Activities and Point Allocations

All professional development activities must be focused on travel medicine topics as identified in the most current ISTM Body of Knowledge.

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Professional Development Activities Descriptions

All professional development activities must be focused on travel medicine topics as identified in the most current ISTM Body of Knowledge.

Continuing Education Events

Instructor-Led Events

Description: Instructor-led continuing education events are those in which the participants have the opportunity to ask questions of the presenter(s). For purposes of this program, International Events are defined as: Events in which at least two and a minimum of 30% of the faculty must be from a different country than the country in which the event is being held and/or events which are held in a country other than one's home country.

Examples: Face-to-face conferences; courses; academic coursework leading to a certificate, diploma or degree; lectures; short courses, and/or distance learning activities (including online and telephonic events). Travel medicine sessions from events and coursework not primarily focused on travel medicine are acceptable. Educational events sponsored by pharmaceutical companies in which all scientific content is developed independently of any influence from the pharmaceutical companies, are eligible. There are no specific criteria for the providers of academic coursework; all academic institution programs are accepted.

Documentation: Written documentation required includes the event agenda including the name of the event provider, date, location, topics and speakers, (or a copy of the program) and a certificate from the provider acknowledging the number of hours completed, if provided.

Teaching and Mentoring Activities

Description: Lecturing, speaking, clinical supervision, mentoring, university lecturing, internal teaching, grand rounds and presenting posters on travel medicine topics and focused on travel medicine issues. Grand Rounds are defined as: The presentation of medical problems, review of a topic related to travel medicine and/or discussion of the treatment of a patient or patients to an audience consisting of healthcare professionals.

Examples: Conferences, congresses, short courses, interactive distance learning activities (including online and telephonic events), and scientific posters authored and presented at an educational event.

Clinical supervision of health care professionals and/or students and trainees focused on travel medicine issues.

Documentation: Written documentation required includes the abstract title, all authors, event title, provider information and date(s) of presentation (or a copy of the program).

Written documentation for clinical supervision and mentoring includes date(s) of meetings, and length of meeting(s), and also a confirming letter or email from clinic administration or management.

Publishing Activities

Description: Serving as editor, on an editorial board and/or contributing as authors and reviewers to print and electronic publications on travel medicine topics as indicated in the Body of Knowledge.

Examples: Serving as editor or on the editorial board of a publication; serving as a reviewer of a publication; authoring articles, letters to the editor, book chapters, and websites.

Documentation: For Editor and Editorial Board service written documentation required includes the journal title, publisher, and year(s) of service.

For Publication Authoring service written documentation required includes the full reference: all authors, publication title, publication date, topic, journal volume, page number(s) of the article and publisher.

For Medical Textbook Authoring service written documentation required includes the full reference: all authors, title of publication, and title of chapter, publication date and publisher.

For Website Authoring service of organizational and institutional websites written documentation required may either include an electronic file containing the publication and a screen shot of the website or a confirming letter or email message from an organizational officer attesting to this professional activity. Work on individual clinic and practitioner websites is not applicable.  

Clinical Activities

Description: Providing travel medicine patient care, pre-travel, during travel or post-travel.

Examples: Travel medicine patient care as part of a clinical practice, and paid or unpaid volunteer health care provided abroad. Providing recommendations to another provider for an individual patient.

Documentation: Written documentation required includes a small spreadsheet or description regarding patient care activities including the date of activity(ies), or the number of hours per week and total number of weeks claimed and this information needs to be confirmed in writing by a letter or email message by the clinic supervisor, administrator or manager. 

Volunteer Activities

Description: Committee and society activities on topics directly relating to topics identified in the most current body of knowledge. Volunteer health care provided abroad is included in clinical activities.

Examples: Chair, Officer or Committee Member

Documentation: Written documentation required includes the name of the organization, committee/project name, volunteer title, and dates of service.

Review and Auditing Activities

Description: Peer practice review and travel medicine audits.

Examples: Providing practice reviews to professionals and conducting travel medicine audits. Quality assurance reviews.

Documentation: Written documentation required includes the date(s) of the activity(ies) and type of the activity(ies).

Consultant Activities

Description: Serving as a travel medicine consultant.

Examples: Expert Witness, governmental and supragovernmental advisory committees (national, regional, local, international), WHO consulting activities and WHO teleconferences, or additional NGO and non-profit advisory committees

Documentation: Written document required includes a brief description of the role, the activity, the date(s), number of hour(s) and the type of organization for which the role was performed.

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Renewal Processes

• Applications for CTH Renewal are due 1 August in the year that the 10 year renewal is required. Applicants will be sent notification on renewal status by 6 January of the year immediately following.  
• Renewal applications confirming the completion of the required number of the professional development activities must be submitted in English to the ISTM Secretariat by 1 August in the renewal year through the online process.
• ISTM will perform a detailed audit of a minority of professional development based renewal applications being audited. To avoid a delayed audit, all individuals submitting renewal applications are strongly encouraged to collect evidence and documentation of all professional development points claimed as they complete their point application tracker. (For examples of acceptable documentation, see descriptions under each category of professional development, such as Continuing Education events, Teaching and Mentoring activities, etc.).

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About the Program

• When Will the Next Examination be Administered?
• What is the ISTM Certificate of Knowledge^TM?
• What are the Purposes of the Program?
• ISTM CTH^© Renewal Program Sample Scenarios
• Why has the ISTM developed a Travel Medicine Continuing Professional Development Program?
• How does one renew their certificate?
• I received by CTH^© Certificate before the 2011 examination, will I have to participate?
• Who is Eligible to Take the Exam?
• What Topics are Covered on the Exam?
• How Do I Prepare for the Exam?
• How Can I Get More Information?

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Body of Knowledge

• Introduction
• Why do we need a Body of Knowledge?
• What is a Body of Knowledge?
• How was the Body of Knowledge developed?
• Body of Knowledge for the Practice of Travel Medicine
• Conclusion