What is MOC? The Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program demonstrates to the public, your peers, and colleagues your support for continuous quality improvement, professional development, and quality patient care. It is an integral part of the quality movement in healthcare and is highly valued by patients and physician colleagues alike. MOC builds on the validity of the initial certification process and provides a framework for self-regulation by the profession to improve quality of care. The program embraces the adult learning principles of accumulated life experience, self-direction, goal-orientation, achievability, and respect for diplomates’ achievements. MOC encompasses the essential competencies involved in delivery of quality care, which extend beyond medical knowledge. The MOC program must be developed and maintained throughout your professional career. It is designed to evaluate, on a continuous basis, the six essential competencies (initially developed in residency training) by means of four parts. The six competencies are: For more information on the evidence for MOC, see the ABMS MOC Evidence Library at http://www. abms.org/EvidenceLibrary. Part 1: Evidence of Professional Standing This part requires valid, unrestricted licensure to practice medical physics in all states requiring licensure of medical physicists (FL, HI, NY, TX). Any state board action against a license must be reported by the diplomate to the board within 60 days. If not licensed, letters of attestation from an ABRcertified medical physicist and an ABR-certified radiologist or radiation oncologist are required. The requested statements will attest to the diplomate’s active involvement in the discipline of medical physics, with specific emphasis on the six areas of competency. Forms to provide guidance and to assist in the attestation process are available on myABR (https:// myabr.theabr.org) Part 2: Lifelong Learning and Self-assessment At least 75 continuing education (CE) credits are required every 3 years. CE credits may be met by a combination of Category 1 credits (CAMPEP or ACCME) and self-directed educational projects (SDEPs). MOC uses four parts to evaluate the six competencies: At least 25 of the 75 CE credits must be self-assessment CE (SA-CE). Other than ABR prequalified SAMs and SDEPs, the ABR will count all AMA Category 1 CME activities in “enduring materials” (including webbased and print) and “journal-based CME” formats toward the MOC self-assessment requirement. According to the recently adopted AMA policy for CME, these activities include the following features that suit them for use as self-assessment tools: • • • • • • • • • • • Medical knowledge Patient care and procedural skills Interpersonal and communication skills Professionalism Practice-based learning and improvement Systems-based practice Part 1: Evidence of professional standing Part 2: Lifelong learning and self-assessment Part 3: Cognitive expertise Part 4: Practice quality improvement They provide an assessment of the learner that measures achievement of the educational purpose and/or objective(s) of the activity with an established minimum performance level; examples include, but are not limited to, patient-management case studies, a post-test, and/or the application of new concepts in response to simulated problems. • They communicate to the participants the minimum performance level that must be demonstrated in the assessment to successfully complete the activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. • They provide a reference to appropriate biblio graphic sources to allow for further study. A maximum of one SDEP may be recorded yearly and can count toward either CE or SA-CE. Fifteen CE credits are given for each completed SDEP, and project samples can be found on the ABR website. The approach to each project is prospective and must be defined in advance. The components of the SDEP include: Significance: a statement of educational need Approaches/resources to be utilized: a list of activities designated to address the need Evaluation: documentation of achievement Impact on practice: outcome statement For more information on Part 2 requirements, go to http://www.theabr.org/moc-rp-comp2. Part 3: Cognitive Expertise This part requires having passed the MOC exam within the past 10 years. The exam will be proctored, secure, and computer-based. Approximately 30 percent of the material on the examination is core diagnostic, nuclear, or therapeutic (dependent on certificate) medical physics, technology, and safety. The rest is taken from recent advances in each respective field. The exam for the maintenance of any certificate in medical physics is offered one time each year. An exam must be taken in each discipline in which the diplomate is maintaining certification. Diplomates may take the exam any time it is offered during the MOC process, including multiple times if necessary. Study guides have been prepared and posted on the ABR website for each medical physics certificate area and are meant to help with preparing for the exam. The guides are not all inclusive, but indicate the general topics that will be included on each respective exam. In 2014 , the number of questions in the MOC exam will increase from 100 to 125. Due to the increased number of exam questions, the MOC exam will be lengthened from 3 hours to 3.5 hours. In 2015, the number of questions in the MOC exam will increase from 125 to 150. Due to the increased number of exam questions, the MOC exam will be lengthened from 3.5 hours to 4 hours. No further changes in the exam are anticipated in the near future. Part 4: Practice Quality Improvement (PQI) The analysis and improvement of medical physics practice is an important aspect of the activities of medical physicists. Through Part 4, MOC also offers a pathway for participation in practice quality improvement (PQI). The PQI initiative is a framework to facilitate improvement of medical care and/or its delivery for an individual, a group, or an institution. Quality and safety in medical care have become a national priority, and Part 4 of MOC permits medical physicists to demonstrate both their commitment to this enterprise and, in some instances, their compliance with associated external requirements. The diplomate will engage in one PQI project every 3 years. Sample PQI projects for each of the three sections of medical physics are posted on the ABR website. The ABR will review and qualify national programs developed by professional societies for fulfillment of the criteria of Part 4. In addition, diplomates can formulate and execute specific PQI projects of their own design that would satisfy the PQI require- ments in achieving continuous quality improvement within individual practice. Projects can be developed by individuals, group practices, hospitals, institutions, or societies. The five areas for PQI project choices are: • • • • • Patient safety Accuracy of interpretation and calculations Report turnaround times Practice guidelines and standards Surveys Continuous Certification How do I participate? The ABR has implemented a new integrated process that links the ongoing validity of certificates to meeting the requirements of Maintenance of Certification (MOC). Under the new process, known as “continuous certification,” ABR certificates will no longer have “valid-through” dates. Instead, on each new certificate in diagnostic radiology, radiation oncology, or medical physics, the date of initial certification will be noted and accompanied by the statement that “ongoing validity of this certificate is contingent upon meeting the requirements of Maintenance of Certification.” For each diplomate who is a current enrollee in MOC, continuous certification has replaced the 10-year MOC cycle. Under the new policy, implemented in 2012, the total number of MOC requirements will not change. Progress will be evaluated annually in March, using a rolling calendar-year “look-back.” The first “full” annual look-back, including MOC Parts 1-4 and fees, will occur in March 2016. Please note that the ABR will conduct yearly random audits. If you are audited, you will be asked to submit documentation of your current progress on MOC Parts 1, 2, and 4. How does Continuous Certification work? MOC Year Lookback date Element(s) checked 2012 3/15/2013 Licensure or Professional Standing Attestation and Exam 2013 3/15/2014 Licensure or Professional Standing Attestation and Exam 2014 3/15/2015 Licensure or Professional Standing Attestation and Exam 2015 3/15/2016 Licensure or Professional Standing Attestation, CE/SA-CE, Exam, PQI, and Fees 2016 3/15/2017 Licensure or Professional Standing Attestation, CE/SA-CE, Exam, PQI, and Fees 2017 3/15/2018 Licensure or Professional Standing Attestation, CE/SA-CE, Exam, PQI, and Fees 2018 3/15/2019 Licensure or Professional Standing Attestation, CE/SA-CE, Exam, PQI, and Fees 20XX 3/15/20XX Licensure or Professional Standing Attestation, CE/SA-CE, Exam, PQI, and Fees Status Check for “Meeting Requirements” Element Compliance Requirement Licensure At least 1 valid license or professional standing attestation in previous 5 years CE At least 75 Category 1 CE credits in previous 3 years SA-CE At least 25 of the 75 Category 1 CE must be Self-Assessment CE (SA-CE) Exam Passed ABR Initial Certification or MOC exam in previous 10 years PQI Completed at least 1 PQI project in previous 3 years Fees Current with MOC fees at any time during the previous 3 years Useful Links The American Board of Radiology www.theabr.org ABMS Public Website www.certificationmatters.org Maintenance of Certification (MOC) myABR https://myabr.theabr.org For Medical Physics CME Gateway www.cmegateway.org The American Board of Radiology is a Member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS): www.abms.org MOC Evidence Library: www.abms.org/EvidenceLibrary 5441 E. Williams Circle, Tucson, AZ 85711-7412 520-519-2152 • Fax: 520-790-3200 abrmocp@theabr.org 08/14