A competency credential issued by The Menopause Society, indicating that a clinician has passed a proctored examination in menopause care. Formerly known as the NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner credential, abbreviated NCMP.
What the credential is
MSCP stands for Menopause Society Certified Practitioner. It is awarded to clinicians who pass a proctored competency examination covering the physiology of the menopause transition, symptom management, hormone and non-hormonal therapy, and long-term health after menopause.
It is a certification rather than a specialty. Board certification in obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine or internal medicine is a separate qualification, and holding one does not imply the other.
The credential requires periodic recertification, which is the mechanism by which it signals current knowledge rather than knowledge held at one point in the past.
Who can hold it
Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, pharmacists and other licensed clinicians are eligible, subject to the Society’s criteria.
This is one of the more useful features of the credential. Menopause care is delivered across many disciplines, and the certification is not restricted to gynecology.
The naming change
The issuing organization was the North American Menopause Society, abbreviated NAMS, and changed its name to The Menopause Society.
The credential changed accordingly, from NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) to Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP).
Both names refer to the same certification. A great deal of existing material, and a large share of consumer search, still uses the NAMS form, so encountering either is expected.
What it does and does not tell you
- It indicates assessed competence in menopause care at the point of certification, maintained through recertification.
- It does not indicate that a clinician is the only appropriate source of menopause care. Many clinicians without the credential are well informed, and a well-informed primary care clinician can manage most menopause care.
- It does not indicate a position on hormone therapy. Certified clinicians make individual assessments rather than applying a single approach.
Why the credential exists
Menopause education has historically been limited across medical training, and surveys of obstetrics and gynecology residents have repeatedly found that most feel unprepared to discuss menopause with patients.
Certification exists to make specific menopause competence visible, in a field where specialty alone is a poor guide to it. Tens of millions of American women are perimenopausal or postmenopausal at any given time, against only around four thousand certified menopause providers nationally.
When to seek medical advice
- A clinician stating a blanket position for or against hormone therapy without reference to individual history
- A service presenting compounded hormones or pellets as a first-line option
- Symptoms dismissed as age with no assessment offered
Common misconceptions
| Misconception | Truth |
|---|---|
| MSCP is a medical specialty. | It is a competency certification, separate from board certification in a specialty, and available to clinicians across several disciplines. |
| Only certified clinicians can treat menopause. | Many uncertified clinicians are well informed, and a well-informed primary care clinician can manage most menopause care. |
| NAMS and The Menopause Society are different organizations. | They are the same organization under an old and a current name, and NCMP and MSCP are the same credential. |
Frequently asked questions
Menopause Society Certified Practitioner. It indicates a clinician has passed a proctored competency examination in menopause care, issued by The Menopause Society.
They are the same credential under different names. NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner became Menopause Society Certified Practitioner when the organization changed its name.
The leading professional body for menopause care in North America, formerly the North American Menopause Society or NAMS. It issues the certification and publishes position statements on menopause care.
No. It is a competency certification separate from board certification in a specialty. A clinician may hold both, one, or neither.
Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, pharmacists and other licensed clinicians, subject to the Society’s eligibility criteria.
It requires periodic recertification, which is how it signals current rather than historical knowledge.
A well-fitted supportive bra, including one for sleeping where tenderness is severe, and over-the-counter or topical analgesia where suitable. Some report benefit from reducing caffeine, though evidence is limited.
The Menopause Society maintains a directory of clinicians holding the credential.
No. Certified clinicians assess each person individually rather than applying a single approach for or against hormone therapy.
Menopause education has historically been limited in medical training, so specialty alone is a poor guide to menopause competence. Certification makes that competence visible.
