What is Maintenance of Certification?

In 2000, the 24 member boards of American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) agreed to evolve recertification programs to one of continuous professional development — ABMS Maintenance of Certification (MOC) ^®. MOC is designed to ensure that physicians are committed to lifelong learning and competency in a specialty and/or subspecialty by requiring ongoing measurement of six core competencies adopted by ABMS and ACGME in 1999. Source: www.abms.org.  

As one of the 24 ABMS member boards, the American Board of Dermatology (ABD) administers MOC for dermatologists. MOC programs for all specialties consist of four components:

1. Evidence of professional standing.
2. Evidence of commitment to lifelong learning and periodic self-assessment.
3. Evidence of cognitive expertise.
4. Evaluation of performance in practice.

Although MOC is administered by the American Board of Dermatology (www.abderm.org), the Academy is committed to providing its members with information, tools and services that will aid in fulfilling the MOC requirements.

What are the MOC requirements for dermatologists?

The four components of the ABD’s MOC requirements are described below, along with information about tools and resources that the AAD offers to support its members.

1. Evidence of professional standing
   The first MOC component simply requires ABD diplomates to hold a valid, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or osteopathy in the candidate’s state, territory or province. To do so you must:

• Submit to the ABD a current, valid, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or osteopathy in the state or province of practice in the United States or Canada.
  
  Diplomates also are expected to report any changes in professional standing, including loss of DEA license, criminal conviction, expulsion, or suspension from a medical society for any reason other than non-payment of dues.

2. Evidence of commitment to lifelong learning and periodic self-assessment
   The second component includes three aspects.

• Earn 25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ in dermatology-related activities per year.
  
  AAD resources: The Academy offers many different ways to meet the CME requirements for MOC including live, enduring, journal-based, and performance improvement CME activities that not only meet your needs, but also your preferred method of learning.

• Complete 300 self-assessment questions during the 10-year MOC cycle.
  
  You must complete a minimum of 300 self-assessment questions over a 10-year period. Participation should be spaced out in approximately three-year intervals so that 100 questions are completed every three years. Only self-assessment activities approved by the ABD will be accepted toward MOC requirements.
  
  AAD resource: The AAD offers self-assessment activities in increments of 25 and 100 questions. Activities include the Dermatology Self Assessment Program (DSAP) Volumes 4 and online DSAP Pediatrics & General, as well as live workshops during the Annual Meeting and Summer Academy Meetings.

• Complete one patient safety module during the 10-year cycle.
  
  A patient safety module must be completed once per 10-year cycle to be “participating in MOC.” The module must be completed within the first two years of the initial 10-year cycle and once per cycle afterward.The module must be approved by the ABMS and the ABD to meet this requirement.
  
  AAD resource: The AAD has developed Patient Safety in Dermatology, an online module that is dermatology specific.  It is designed to help you find ways to improve patient safety in your practice and reduce common errors.  

3. Cognitive expertise
   The third component requires successful completion of an examination. Beginning in 2011, the ABD moved to a secure, proctored, closed-book examination that is administered at Pearson Vue testing centers in the United States and Canada. The examinations are administered annually and diplomates may take the examination in the eighth, ninth or 10th year of the MOC cycle.
   
   AAD resource: The AAD offers a 2 ½-day prep course every fall, as well as one-day refresher courses during its Annual and Summer Academy Meetings.

4. Evaluation of practice performance
   The fourth component includes two aspects:

• Complete an evaluation of practice performance twice during the 10-year cycle. This evaluation will include completion of a practice assessment/quality improvement (QI) program approved by the ABD.
  
  AAD resource: The requirement for a practice assessment/quality improvement activity is met through participation in a performance improvement (PI) CME activity. The Academy’s PI CME activities are delivered under the Performance Improvement CME (PI CME) program. There are several PI CME modules available and approved by the ABD and include melanoma, atopic dermatitis and acne. Other modules are in development and will be available in 2012. Visit our PI CME (formerly called CPAT) page for more information.

• Complete a patient communication survey and a peer communication survey twice during the 10-year cycle: one set by year five and again by year 10.



AAD resource: The Academy does not currently offer a patient or peer communication survey. Please visit the ABD website for a list of approved resources.