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Self-Study Modules and Sections

  1. This module is for any health care provider who would like to establish core competence in testing for HIV, recognizing acute HIV infection, and linking persons diagnosed with HIV to medical care.
  2. The Basic HIV Primary Care module is intended for any clinician who may interact with persons who have HIV infection in a clinical setting, with an emphasis on the primary care management issues related HIV.
  3. The Antiretroviral Therapy module is geared toward clinicians who provide antiretroviral therapy to persons with HIV, with an emphasis on initiating antiretroviral therapy and management of virologic failure.
  4. The Co-Occurring Conditions module addresses the prevention and management of infectious and non-infectious complications in persons with HIV infection.
  5. The Prevention of HIV module emphasizes new prevention strategies both for persons with HIV infection and for persons not infected with HIV. This module also addresses occupational and nonoccupational HIV postexposure prophylaxis. 
  6. The Key Populations module is intended for any medical provider involved in the care of key populations of persons with HIV.

Core Competencies for the National HIV Curriculum

The following is an outline and list of Core Competency Modules (with sub-competency lessons and learning objective performance indicators).

Module 1. Screening and Diagnosis

Module Core Competency
Apply Evidence-Based Recommendations to Provide HIV Screening, Diagnosis, and Linkage to Care
Lessons
Learning Objective Performance Indicators
  • Explain the difference between HIV prevalence and incidence
  • Describe the contemporary epidemiology of HIV-1 in the United States
  • Discuss the impact of racial/ethnic disparities and social determinants on HIV epidemiology
  • Summarize the global HIV epidemiology
  • Identify populations in the United States at risk for HIV-2
  • Discuss the history of HIV testing in the United States
  • Explain the rationale for routine HIV screening and identify strategies to overcome potential barriers to routine screening
  • State Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV screening recommendations
  • List indications for repeat HIV testing
  • Summarize recommendations for providing HIV test results
  • Compare different types of HIV diagnostic tests and when to use these tests
  • Describe the timing of when HIV diagnostic tests become positive after HIV infection
  • Explain updated recommended nomenclature for HIV diagnostic tests
  • Summarize the CDC/APHL recommended HIV testing algorithm
  • Discuss interpretation of HIV diagnostic tests and delivery of test results to clients
  • State the definition of acute and recent HIV
  • Describe the immunopathogenesis and clinical manifestations of acute HIV
  • Discuss the laboratory diagnosis of acute HIV infection
  • List the potential public health benefits of diagnosing and promptly treating a person with acute or recent HIV infection
  • Summarize the recommended antiretroviral treatment regimens for persons with acute or recent HIV infection
  • State the United States Federal benchmarks and goals for successful linkage to care after HIV diagnosis
  • List the metrics used to estimate and monitor linkages to care
  • Summarize current estimated HIV linkage to care data in the United States
  • Describe strategies for optimizing linkage to care for persons newly diagnosed with HIV in the United States
  • Identify barriers that impede successful linkage to care after HIV diagnosis

Module 2. Basic HIV Primary Care

Module Core Competency
Provide Evidence-Based HIV Primary Care to Persons with HIV Infection
Lessons
Learning Objective Performance Indicators
  • Explain the goals and components of the initial evaluation of persons with HIV who are entering, reentering, or transferring care
  • Categorize the different stages of HIV disease and the criteria used to define each stage
  • Summarize the important elements of the medical history to perform at the initial evaluation 
  • Describe key elements for the physical examination to focus on at the initial evaluation
  • List recommendations for the initial monitoring visit and baseline laboratory tests
  • Discuss periodontal disease in persons with HIV
  • Describe common oral manifestations in persons with HIV
  • Summarize appropriate diagnostic procedures when evaluating HIV-related oral lesions
  • List appropriate treatments for HIV-related oral lesions
  • Recognize oral cancers that occur in persons with HIV
  • List common causes of cutaneous findings in persons with HIV
  • Recognize diagnostic features of common HIV-related cutaneous manifestations in people with HIV
  • Summarize appropriate treatment for common dermatological manifestations in people with HIV
  • Explain treatment approaches to cutaneous Kaposi’s sarcoma
  • Discuss vaccine strategies to prevent cutaneous zoster and anogenital warts
  • Discuss immunization recommendations for hepatitis A and hepatitis B in people with HIV
  • Describe the conjugate meningococcal vaccine schedule in people with HIV
  • Explain the options for pneumococcal immunization in people with HIV
  • List the indications and schedule for zoster vaccine in people with HIV
  • • Summarize the contraindications for the use of live vaccines in people with HIV
  • Discuss the evaluation of common comorbidities in people with HIV
  • Explain appropriate management of common comorbidities in people with HIV
  • Summarize key similarities and differences in managing medical comorbidities in people with and without HIV
  • Discuss tobacco use and smoking cessation strategies in people with HIV
  • List cancer screening recommendations for persons with HIV
  • Explore the interrelationship among mental health conditions, HIV acquisition, and risk of HIV transmission
  • Discuss the association between major depression and the increased risk for mortality in persons with HIV
  • List common screening tools for mental health conditions
  • Explain how to integrate screening tools for mental health conditions into primary HIV care
  • Summarize the approach to screening for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders
  • Discuss the resources available to screen for different substance use disorders
  • Explore the epidemiology of substance use disorders in the United States
  • Describe the unique impact that substance use disorders have on persons with HIV
  • Explain the rationale for employing behavioral, psychosocial, and pharmacotherapy interventions in treating common substance use disorders
  • Define the concept of harm reduction as related to treating substance use disorders
  • Explain the HIV Continuum of Care
  • Define methods to evaluate retention in care among persons with HIV
  • Discuss the current rate of retention in care in the United States
  • Identify factors associated with decreased retention in HIV medical care and strategies to promote reengagement in care
  • Summarize methods to improve retention and reengagement in HIV medical care

Module 3. Antiretroviral Therapy

Module Core Competency
Apply Evidence-Based Antiretroviral Therapy for Persons with HIV
Lessons
Learning Objective Performance Indicators
  • List the major classes of antiretroviral medications
  • Explain the mechanism of action with each class of antiretroviral medications
  • Summarize evidence supporting antiretroviral treatment of all persons with HIV
  • Describe recommended antiretroviral regimens for treatment-naïve individuals and discuss factors to consider when selecting an initial regimen
  • Discuss recommended laboratory studies to obtain at baseline and while monitoring response to therapy
  • Summarize common adverse effects associated with antiretroviral medications
  • Identify serious adverse effects caused by antiretroviral therapy
  • List appropriate baseline laboratory studies to perform when starting antiretroviral therapy
  • Discuss frequency of types of laboratory tests for monitoring persons taking antiretroviral therapy
  • Explain management strategies for antiretroviral-related adverse effects
  • Explain the difference between pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
  • Access resources for checking drug interactions that involve antiretroviral medications
  • Identify commonly used antiretroviral medications that often cause significant drug interactions
  • Discuss how antiretroviral medications can increase or decrease levels of some medications when coadministered
  • Describe potential drug interactions between antiretroviral medications and medications commonly used to treat comorbid conditions
  • Discuss the rationale for switching or simplifying antiretroviral therapy
  • Describe common situations to consider for simplifying antiretroviral therapy
  • Explain why some antiretroviral medications generally warrant a switch to a newer agent
  • List the two-drug regimens that have been FDA-approved for maintenance antiretroviral therapy
  • Summarize key findings with studies involving a switch to an integrase strand transfer inhibitor
  • Describe the management of intermittent and persistently detectable HIV RNA levels in persons receiving antiretroviral therapy
  • Discuss the indications for and types of resistance testing for patients with virologic failure
  • Utilize an HIV resistance database tool to assist in the optimal selection of regimens in persons with HIV drug resistance
  • Summarize concepts of resistance with different antiretroviral drug classes
  • Explain key considerations when selecting a salvage antiretroviral regimen in persons with virologic failure

Module 4. Co-Occurring Conditions

Module Core Competency
Apply Evidence-Based Recommendations for the Evaluation and Management of Co-Occurring Conditions in Persons with HIV Infection
Lessons
Learning Objective Performance Indicators
  • Discuss the epidemiology of tuberculosis and HIV coinfection in the United States
  • State the rationale for screening for latent TB in people with HIV
  • Describe and compare recommended screening tests for latent TB in people with HIV
  • List recommended options for the treatment of latent TB in people with HIV
  • Summarize common drug interactions between medications used to treat latent TB and common antiretroviral medications
  • Discuss recommendations for initiating primary prevention of opportunistic infections in people with HIV
  • Summarize recommendations for initiating secondary prophylaxis of opportunistic infections in people with HIV
  • State criteria for discontinuing primary prevention of opportunistic infections in people with HIV
  • List criteria for discontinuing secondary prophylaxis of opportunistic infections in people with HIV
  • Recognize potential adverse effects and contraindications for medications used for prevention of opportunistic infections
  • Describe trends in the incidence of opportunistic infections in people with HIV
  • Recognize the clinical manifestations of common serious opportunistic infections that occur in people with HIV
  • Discuss recommended treatment of common opportunistic infections
  • List indications for discontinuing treatment for opportunistic infections
  • Summarize recommendations for initiating antiretroviral therapy in the setting of an active opportunistic infection
  • Describe the recommendations for sexually transmitted infection screening in people with HIV
  • Summarize CDC recommendations for the treatment of common sexually transmitted infections in people with HIV
  • Explain the different stages of syphilis and the recommended treatments at each stage
  • Discuss laboratory-based methods for diagnosing syphilis
  • List recommended treatment and suppressive treatment options for genital herpes in people with HIV
  • Identify appropriate tests for evaluation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and immunity
  • Summarize the approach to persons with HIV who have isolated hepatitis B core antibody
  • Discuss antiretroviral management of persons with HIV and HBV coinfection
  • Describe HBV-related immune reconstitution syndrome
  • List indications and methods for hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance in persons with chronic HBV and HIV coinfection
  • Explain recommendations for HCV screening in people with HIV
  • Describe the appropriate HCV testing algorithm
  • Summarize the eligibility criteria and current guidelines for the simplified HCV treatment in people with HIV
  • Discuss simplified HCV treatment regimens options for people with HIV
  • List indications and methods for hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance in persons with chronic HCV and HIV 

Module 5. Prevention of HIV

Module Core Competency
Apply Evidence-Based Recommendations for the Prevention of HIV Transmission
Lessons
Learning Objective Performance Indicators
  • Explain the mechanisms of perinatal HIV transmission and interventions to reduce the risks of perinatal HIV transmission
  • List preferred initial antiretroviral regimens for pregnant people with HIV
  • Discuss indications for use of intravenous zidovudine and cesarean section for pregnant people with HIV
  • Describe recommended antiretroviral prophylaxis for infants born to pregnant people with HIV
  • Summarize recommendations for initial management of infants exposed to HIV, including HIV diagnostic testing and monitoring
  • Explain the concept of HIV treatment as prevention
  • Summarize key studies that demonstrate the benefit of antiretroviral therapy in preventing HIV transmission
  • Describe the interplay of HIV status awareness, HIV RNA suppression, and HIV transmission
  • Highlight evidence-based behavioral and structural strategies to reduce HIV transmission
  • Identify major biomedical strategies to reduce transmission of HIV
  • Discuss risk for occupational acquisition of HIV with a needlestick injury
  • State the rationale for using occupational HIV postexposure prophylaxis (PEP)
  • Describe current indications for the use of occupational HIV PEP, including strategies for risk assessment following an occupational exposure
  • Summarize recommended antiretroviral therapy regimens and duration of therapy for occupational HIV PEP
  • List recommended clinical and laboratory monitoring following occupational exposure to HIV
  • Describe indications for the use of nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis (PEP)
  • Summarize appropriate antiretroviral therapy regimens and duration of therapy for nonoccupational PEP
  • List recommended clinical and laboratory monitoring following nonoccupational exposure to HIV
  • Identify appropriate candidates for transition from nonoccupational PEP to HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
  • Discuss indications for obtaining expert consultation for nonoccupational PEP
  • List persons to consider who may benefit from HIV PrEP
  • Explain recommendations for testing and counseling prior to starting PrEP
  • Discuss the recommended PrEP regimens, including dosing, safety, efficacy, and clinical eligibility
  • Describe recommended clinical and laboratory baseline evaluation and monitoring for persons receiving HIV PrEP
  • Summarize initial management of persons who develop HIV while receiving HIV PrEP

Module 6. Key Populations

Module Core Competency
Apply Evidence-Based Care Recommendations for Key Populations of Persons Living with HIV
Lessons
Learning Objective Performance Indicators
  • Discuss basic epidemiologic features of perinatally-acquired HIV and pediatric HIV in the United States
  • Explain the timing and types of diagnostic tests used to diagnose HIV in infants less than 1 year of age and in older children
  • List symptoms and classification of HIV in children using the most recent CDC surveillance case definition for pediatric HIV
  • Summarize antiretroviral therapy management in children, including initiation, adverse effects, and approach to virologic failure
  • Discuss opportunistic infection prevention recommendations for infants and children and how these recommendations are influenced by a child’s age and stage of HIV
  • Explain current epidemiologic features of HIV in adolescents and young adults in the United States
  • Discuss factors that increase the risk of adolescents and young adults acquiring HIV 
  • List appropriate antiretroviral regimens for  adolescents and young adults
  • Summarize indications and recommendations for HIV preexposure prophylaxis in adolescents and young adults
  • Describe approaches for successful transition of young adults with HIV into adult primary care HIV practice settings
  • Describe key epidemiologic features of women with HIV in the United States
  • Summarize contraception options and recommendations for women with HIV
  • Discuss recommended antiretroviral regimens for women who may become pregnant
  • Identify conception strategies for heterosexual HIV-serodifferent couples desiring pregnancy
  • List appropriate steps for evaluation and management of vaginal discharge
  • Recognize age-related and HIV-related changes to the immune systems of people 50 years of age and older
  • Discuss the interplay of HIV and the aging process within the framework of accelerated and accentuated aging
  • List recommendations for antiretroviral therapy management in persons 50 years of age and older.
  • Explain expected virologic and immunologic responses to antiretroviral therapy in persons 50 years of age and older.
  • Highlight comorbidities that more commonly occur in older adults with HIV
  • Explain the difference between prisons and jails
  • Discuss trends in HIV rates in state and federal prisons
  • List different types of HIV testing practices conducted in correctional facilities
  • Describe issues related to HIV medication administration and adherence within correctional facilities
  • Summarize recommendations for linking persons with HIV to clinical care after release from a correctional facility
  • Examine disparities in HIV incidence and prevalence rates among racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States
  • Compare HIV diagnosis rates and care base on race/ethnicity
  • Describe disparities in HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) coverage among different racial/ethnic groups
  • Identify factors associated with health inequities among racial and ethnic minority populations of persons living with HIV and those at risk for HIV acquisition compared to white populations
  • Summarize strategies for prevention, testing, and care among racial and ethnic minority populations
  • Contrast HIV prevalence rates among sexual and gender minority populations with those in the general population
  • Describe challenges in health promotion and health care access for sexual and/or gender minority individuals
  • Recognize aspects of care unique to gender and sexual minority persons
  • Summarize unique medical management issues for transgender persons living with HIV who are taking hormone therapy
  • Discuss gender-affirming care in persons with HIV
  • Contrast HIV-2 and HIV-1 epidemiology, natural history, and pathogenesis
  • Describe diagnostic testing for HIV-2
  • Summarize susceptibility of HIV-2 to antiretroviral medications
  • Discuss antiretroviral treatment recommendations for persons with HIV-2
  • Explain challenges with monitoring after starting antiretroviral therapy for HIV-2

Curriculum Progress Tracker - 3rd Edition

Curated Curriculum 1Self-Study Module 1
This module is for any health care provider who would like to establish core competence in testing for HIV, recognizing acute HIV infection, and linking persons diagnosed with HIV to medical care.
Curated Curriculum 2Self-Study Module 2
The Basic HIV Primary Care module is intended for any clinician who may interact with persons who have HIV infection in a clinical setting, with an emphasis on the primary care management issues related HIV.
Curated Curriculum 3Self-Study Module 3
The Antiretroviral Therapy module is geared toward clinicians who provide antiretroviral therapy to persons with HIV, with an emphasis on initiating antiretroviral therapy and management of virologic failure.
Curated Curriculum 4Self-Study Module 4
The Co-Occurring Conditions module addresses the prevention and management of infectious and non-infectious complications in persons with HIV infection.
Curated Curriculum 5Self-Study Module 5
The Prevention of HIV module emphasizes new prevention strategies both for persons with HIV infection and for persons not infected with HIV. This module also addresses occupational and nonoccupational HIV postexposure prophylaxis. 
Curated Curriculum 6Self-Study Module 6
The Key Populations module is intended for any medical provider involved in the care of key populations of persons with HIV.
Lesson 1 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson 2 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson 3 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson 4 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson 5 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson 6 
 
 
Lesson 7 
 
Lesson 8 
 
Self-Assessment

Curriculum Progress Tracker - 2nd Edition

2nd Edition. There is a newer edition of this curriculum.
Curated Curriculum 1Self-Study Module 1
2nd Edition. There is a newer edition of this Curated Curriculum. This is your progress from the previous edition (2nd).
This module is for any health care provider who would like to establish core competence in testing for HIV, recognizing acute HIV infection, and linking persons diagnosed with HIV to medical care.
Curated Curriculum 2Self-Study Module 2
2nd Edition. There is a newer edition of this Curated Curriculum. This is your progress from the previous edition (2nd).
The Basic HIV Primary Care module is intended for any clinician who may interact with persons who have HIV infection in a clinical setting, with an emphasis on the primary care management issues related HIV.
Curated Curriculum 3Self-Study Module 3
2nd Edition. There is a newer edition of this Curated Curriculum. This is your progress from the previous edition (2nd).
The Antiretroviral Therapy module is geared toward clinicians who provide antiretroviral therapy to persons with HIV, with an emphasis on initiating antiretroviral therapy and management of virologic failure.
Curated Curriculum 4Self-Study Module 4
2nd Edition. There is a newer edition of this Curated Curriculum. This is your progress from the previous edition (2nd).
The Co-Occurring Conditions module addresses the prevention and management of infectious and non-infectious complications in persons with HIV infection.
Curated Curriculum 5Self-Study Module 5
2nd Edition. There is a newer edition of this Curated Curriculum. This is your progress from the previous edition (2nd).
The Prevention of HIV module emphasizes new prevention strategies both for persons with HIV infection and for persons not infected with HIV. This module also addresses occupational and nonoccupational HIV postexposure prophylaxis. 
Curated Curriculum 6Self-Study Module 6
2nd Edition. There is a newer edition of this Curated Curriculum. This is your progress from the previous edition (2nd).
The Key Populations module is intended for any medical provider involved in the care of key populations of persons with HIV.
Lesson 1 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson 2 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson 3 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson 4 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson 5 
 
 
 
 
 
Lesson 6 
 
 
Lesson 7 
 
Lesson 8 
 
Self-Assessment

Since you've received 80% or better on this quiz, you may claim continuing education credit.

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