Medicine · Independent exam preparation
Hospice Medical Director (HMDC) Study Guide
Understand the HMDCB exam format, organise revision around the five blueprint domains, and practise clinical and administrative reasoning.
By CertMedbry · Exam facts checked against the linked sources on 6 September 2026
Try 10 free practice questionsExam facts and requirements
- Certification body
- Hospice Medical Director Certification Board (HMDCB) Source
- Exam length
- 165 multiple-choice questions; 150 scored Source
- Time allowed
- 3 hours Source
- Blueprint
- Patient and Family Care 20%; Medical Knowledge 30%; Medical Leadership and Communication 14%; Professionalism 10%; Regulatory, Compliance & Quality Improvement 26% Source
HMDCB certification focuses on the hospice physician role. Do not assume its blueprint is interchangeable with a Hospice and Palliative Medicine subspecialty board examination.
What to focus on during revision
The following are CertMedbry study suggestions. Use the official outline to check the full scope of your examination.
- Separate the patient’s goals from a surrogate’s understandable distress when reviewing family-meeting scenarios.
- For symptom questions, identify the symptom, contributing factors, treatment goal and reassessment plan before comparing answers.
- Build a separate revision list for certification documentation, team responsibilities and quality improvement. Clinical experience alone may leave gaps in administrative topics.
A practical preparation plan
1. Map your experience to the blueprint
Create one page for each of the five domains. Mark tasks you perform regularly and those you seldom encounter. Use the published weights to allocate revision time, then increase time for unfamiliar domains.
2. Review decisions, not just answer letters
After a practice block, write why the strongest distractor is less appropriate. Distinguish a symptom-management decision from a communication, professionalism or compliance decision.
3. Practise pacing and confirm logistics
Use timed blocks to check whether you can read the scenario and compare all choices without rushing. Before booking, consult HMDCB’s current handbook for eligibility, the application window and test-centre rules.
Use your sample score as a starting point
The free set contains 10 original practice questions. It is a small learning sample, not an official examination or a validated pass prediction. Review each explanation and its source before moving to another topic.
Start the free sampleOfficial sources and updates
Confirm current eligibility, fees, scheduling and policies directly with the examination provider. CertMedbry is independent and is not endorsed by these organisations. How we handle content and corrections.