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HOME > Education & Events > Military Environmental Exposures Certifications

Level 1 and Level 2 ​Military Environmental Exposures Certifications

Military Environmental Exposures (MEE) Certifications

The Department of Veterans Affairs Health Outcomes Military Exposures (HOME)/War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) and ACPM are proud to introduce the Military Environmental Exposures Certifications.

Thank you for your commitment to ensuring our Veterans receive ongoing quality healthcare.

Over 40% of Veterans seeking care have concerns about exposure to hazardous materials during military service. These certification programs provide health care professionals with the vital military environmental exposure training needed to both independently assess and treat Veterans who have exposure-related health concerns and answer the various questions Veterans often have about them.

Veteran healthcare services occur in a variety of settings, including VA, community and private healthcare settings. To have a significant impact on their quality of life, health care professionals, including VA, Department of Defense, and those in general health systems across the country, must be equipped with known critical knowledge and skills to effectively identify and treat Veteran exposure-related health concerns.

To support this learning, health care professionals can now receive both Level 1 and Level 2 certifications in Military Environmental Exposures. Both certification programs are taught by leading field experts and provide extensive and detailed knowledge on military environmental exposures including Agent Orange, ionizing radiation, Camp Lejeune water contamination and many more. As you embark upon this journey, you will find that each program is taught through a collection of modules that provide both clinical and practical skills, including how to communicate effectively with Veterans about their exposures and health concerns. Each module provides continuing education credits. While it is encouraged to complete each free program, individual modules can be completed without earning the full certifications.

Level 1 Military Environmental Exposure Certification

Program Overview and Registration

Department of Veterans Affairs Health Outcomes Military Exposures (HOME) and War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) and ACPM are pleased to offer this introductory Level 1 Military Environmental Exposures Certification program to all health care professionals who would like to advance their knowledge in caring for Veterans!

Veterans may have been exposed to a wide range of chemical, physical and environmental hazards during military service. However, many providers are not specifically trained to ask about military environmental exposures or address exposure-related health concerns. The Level 1 Military Environmental Exposures Certification program consists of five modules designed to provide foundational knowledge on how to assess military environmental exposures, and how to address common health concerns related to these exposures.

  • Learn how to assess military environmental exposures.
  • Develop a solid foundation in health concerns related to military environmental exposures.
  • Each module includes a lecture and a post module test.
  • Includes content on:
    • Assessing Deployment Related Environmental Exposures
      • This module offers a “How-To” for identifying possible deployment-related environmental exposures; and describing approaches for communicating with Veterans about their deployment-related exposure issues and possible next steps.
    • Airborne Hazards
      • Clinicians will be equipped with the ability to identify and understand Veteran deployment-related airborne hazards and resulting health concerns. This training discusses the Airborne Hazard and Open Burn Pit Registry and the basic work up a provider should perform with a veteran who reports respiratory concerns or airborne hazard exposures.
    • Gulf War Illness
      • This training provides health care providers with familiarity and the knowledge needed to identify, diagnose, manage and appropriately treat Gulf War Illness in Veterans and the ability to apply the VA-DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Chronic Multi-Symptom Illness as it can be applied to Gulf War Illness.
    • Chronic Multi-symptom Illness
      • Chronic pain is a significant and complex problem for Veterans who deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). This training helps providers define the characteristics surrounding CMI and discusses the latest resources and management strategies to consider for care.
    • Depleted Uranium and Toxic Embedded Fragments
      • This training provides health care professionals with knowledge about the current research on health effects in depleted uranium or DU-exposed populations, information about enrolling Veterans with suspected DU or toxic embedded fragments (TEF) into VA registry programs, and guidance about the clinical approach to Veterans with TEF.

To earn this valuable new certification, participants must:

  1. Visit members.acpm.org  and register for an ACPM account with your email.
  2. After creating your account, look on the left-hand side of the screen for ‘Online Store’ and purchase MEE Registration (it’s free).
  3. Once you add the MEE Registration item to your cart, follow the instructions and fill out all the necessary information.
  4. Once you have successfully checked out, check your email for a confirmation email with the subject “MEE Registration VA Confirmation” or “MEE Registration Non-VA Confirmation” containing a link to access the course in ACPM’s learning management system. Following the link will prompt you to login with your members.acpm.org credentials to access the course for the first time.
  5. Once the course has been activated for your account, it can be found in your “My Courses” list or by searching for ‘Military Environmental Exposures Level 1 Certification Program’.
  6. If you cannot add the course to your profile, email membership@acpm.org.
  7. Individual modules are completed through TMS (VA health care professionals) or TRAI  (non-VA health care professionals).
  8. After completing the modules, visit learn.acpm.org and login. Click on the My Courses button on the left side of the screen to access MEE Level 1 to upload certificates and access the exam.
  9. After completing Military Environmental Exposures Level 1 Certification Program, the Military Environmental Exposures Level 2 Certification Program will be available in your “My Courses”.
REGISTER NOW
Create a new account or login to your existing account to register.

To ensure the integrity of the certification program, once a participant registers for either program, they are encouraged to complete all modules and the certification exam within a twelve-month period upon registration with ACPM.

If you need additional help with your registration, please contact the corresponding system below:

Level 2 Military Environmental Exposure Certification

Program Overview and Registration

The Department of Veterans Affairs Health Outcomes Military Exposures (HOME)/ War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) and ACPM are pleased to offer this advanced Level 2 Military Environmental Exposures Certification Program! The Level 2 certification is available to those who successfully complete the Level 1 certification, and further advances clinical knowledge on commonly reported military environmental exposures through case-based learning.

This program consists of 10 modules, each tailored to a specific military environmental exposure and related medical concerns. These modules are designed to provide an in-depth understanding of these military environmental exposures, as well as support you in applying this knowledge in your work with Veterans.

ACCESS NOW

Create a new account or login to your existing account to register.

  • Develop an advanced understanding of various military environmental exposures and related health concerns.
  • Learn how to treat Veterans from the lens of exposure-informed care.
  • Each module includes required readings or videos, a lecture with case studies or examples and a post module test.
  • Resource materials are provided to support you as you care for Veterans.
  • Includes content on:
    • Military Environmental Exposures Level 2 Certification Welcome and Overview
      • A brief introduction to the program by Dr. Chandler, Director of WRIISC, with required readings of resources universal to care for all Veterans.
    • Vietnam and Agent Orange Health Concerns
      • An in-depth look at Agent Orange, service locations, and the numerous health concerns of Vietnam era Veterans.
    • Clearing the Air: Understanding Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pits
      • Take a closer look at the health effects of airborne hazards and open burn pits while applying the Deployment-Related Respiratory Disease Toolkit to a clinical case study.
    • Camp Lejeune: A Story of Fuels and Solvents
      • A robust case study of a Veteran exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune including health effects, family exposure, and presumptive conditions.
    • Embracing a New Way of Thinking: Supporting Veterans Living with Gulf War Illness
      • A holistic approach to the management of Gulf War Illness while applying clinical practice guidelines to a clinical case example.
    • Gulf War I Service and Non-Gulf War Illness Conditions
      • Gulf War Veterans were exposed to many substances and many suffer from chronic conditions. Explore four case studies highlighting the variety of conditions and concerns that Gulf War Veterans may present with.
    • Ionizing Radiation and Health Concerns for Veterans
      • Learn about radiation through historical context and first-hand accounts while examining several occurrences of radiation exposure and its effects on the health of Veterans.
    • Depleted Uranium, “Black Goo,” and K-2: Military Environmental Exposures at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base
      • Become familiar with exposures recently declassified at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base through a detailed case study evaluating risk factors and engaging with the PACT Act.
    • Case Study: Operation Tomodachi (Radiation Exposure Case Study)
      • One service member’s account of the Great Tohoku Earthquake and its subsequent tsunami and the ultimate Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant meltdown in 2011 resulting in Operation Tomodachi.
    • Toxic Embedded Fragments and Depleted Uranium
      • Explore opportunities to assess and manage Veterans with toxic embedded fragments and depleted uranium exposures through a case study example.
ACCESS NOW
Log in to your existing account to begin course.
 
Individual modules are completed through TMS for VA health care professionals or TRAIN for non-VA health care professionals and certificates are uploaded into ACPM’s LMS program.

To ensure the integrity of the certification program, once a participant registers for either program, they are encouraged to complete all modules and the certification exam within a twelve-month period upon registration with ACPM.

If you need additional help with your registration, please contact the corresponding system below:

Do I have to be an MD to participate in the MEE certification Level 1 and 2 course?
No, certification earners can be any health care professional interested in Military Environmental Exposures.

Do I have to be an ACPM member to participate in the MEE Certification Courses?
No, you do not have to be an ACPM member.

How long do I have to complete the certification courses?
While there isn’t an official expiration on the ACPM site, we recommend it be completed within ONE CALENDAR year from registration for the course in ACPM.
*Note – reminder emails to complete courses are automatically pulsed at 3 month intervals for those who have not completed the course.

How are CEs earned?
CE credit is earned through TMS or TRAIN upon individual module or case study completion and is discipline specific.

Where do I complete the training modules?
Course content is completed in either TMS for VA employees or TRAIN for non-VA employees. Once you have completed the module requirements, download your certificate as a PDF so that it can be uploaded into ACPM’s Learning Management System.

Level 1: Modules 1-5
TMS – Level 1 Curricula in Military Environmental Exposures
TRAIN – Level 1 Curricula in Military Environmental Exposures
 
Level 2: Case Studies 1-10
TMS – Level 2 Curricula in Military Environmental Exposures
 
TRAIN:
Level 2 Curriculum in Military Environmental Exposures – VHA TRAIN – an affiliate of the TRAIN Learning Network powered by the Public Health Foundation
 

How do I gain access to the exam to complete the certification?
First, complete the required modules or case studies in TMS or TRAIN, then upload certificates for each module or case study required for the specific MEE course. Each uploaded certificate is reviewed by ACPM. Once all certificates are approved, the exam will be available.

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