#MOC

Nov 8, 2018
3 min

2019 American Board of Ophthalmology Maintenance of Certification Program Preview

If you attended the American Board of Ophthalmology’s Learning Lounge at AAO 2018 last month, you were among the first to hear about the improvements coming to the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program in 2019. In response to the feedback of the diplomate community in ophthalmology, and thanks to the hard work of your peer content writers and reviewers, the ABO looks forward to the January release of a 2019 recertification program that enhances the diplomate experience,

Nov 8, 2018
5 min

Get to Know the Quarterly Questions Program

The American Board of Ophthalmology’s new Quarterly Questions program brings the future of assessment in clinical knowledge to today’s Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Both a learning activity and an assessment tool, the Quarterly Questions program is available online, on-demand and may be completed at your own pace. The program invites you to answer questions in increments throughout the 10-year cycle in order to measure practice-related knowledge in a longitudina

Oct 23, 2018
2 min

SACME Spotlight: Try This Virtual Patient Case for Orbital Fracture Following Eye Surgery

An 80-year-old man arrives at the ER complaining of blurred vision, just one week after routine cataract surgery. What happens next is up to you in this Virtual Patient Case co-created by the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). This free online activity, approved for .25 AMA PRA Category 1™ credits, is designed to provide non-geriatrician specialists with guidance on best practices in the care of older adults. This specific

Sep 18, 2018
4 min

Financial Transparency: How the ABO Manages Expenses & Revenue (2018)

What is the ABO’s annual budget? What are its sources of revenue and how is the money spent? As depicted in the accompanying graphic, the ABO’s sole source of income is fees for its examinations (written, oral, and Maintenance of Certification), totaling approximately $4.8 million annually. On the expense side, approximately $2.5 million is required to conduct the initial written ($815,000) and oral ($1.68 million) certifying examinations. Expenses to administer the Maintenan

Sep 11, 2018
2 min

A Test Scientist Explains: What’s Going to Be on the Test?

One of the main responsibilities of the American Board of Ophthalmology’s psychometric and examination development team is determining what questions will appear its assessments. Every few years, the ABO undergoes a process to evaluate the content specifications for each examination. Content specifications (also called the content outline or test blueprint) indicate what percentage of the examination is allocated to each subject area. These specifications may also dictate wha

Aug 5, 2018
1 min

Update from the ABMS Vision Commission

A summary of the testimony shared at the two public meetings of the Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future Commission (Commission) has been released and posted on the Vision Initiative website this month. The summaries capture the commentary shared by a range of stakeholders regarding their perspectives and experiences with continuing certification as well as exploration of opportunities for the program in the future. Presenters represented a broad cross sec

Jul 16, 2018
1 min

Late DOCK Registration Ends August 1

The final administration of the DOCK Examination is happening this year. As of 2019, all ophthalmologists will transition to the new Quarterly Questions program. The DOCK Examination tests clinically relevant fundamental knowledge in ophthalmology as well as self-selected practice-related knowledge. The exam is based on the MOC Content Outline, a curriculum of clinically relevant ophthalmic knowledge developed by hundreds of practicing ophthalmologists. The testing window has

Jun 29, 2018
1 min

Study: Physicians Who Participate in MOC Are Less Likely to Face Disciplinary Action

Physicians who pass the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) examination given by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) within 10 years of becoming Board Certified are more than two times less likely to face state medical board disciplinary actions than those who do not pass the exam, according to a recent study published online by the Journal of General Internal Medicine. ABIM researchers studied MOC exam results and any reported disciplinary actions for nearly 48,000

Jun 27, 2018
1 min

In the News: Earn Credit for MOC and MIPS With a Registry-Based Improvement Project

Are you using the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s (AAO) IRIS® Registry to examine your performance on quality measures? If so, your data could serve as the foundation for an American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) Improvement in Medical Practice project for Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credit--one that also counts toward the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). In a recent EyeNet article, the AAO outlines the specific steps you should take to create a project

Jun 26, 2018
1 min

In the News: Retina Today Spotlights Success of ABO Quarterly Questions Assessment Program

In the latest edition of Retina Today, Andy Lauer, M.D., who chairs the American Board of Ophthalmology’s (ABO) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Committee, writes about new directions for ophthalmology’s lifelong learning and assessment program. As diplomate George A. Williams, M.D., explains in his introduction to the piece, “American Board of Ophthalmology certification, and likewise MOC, is voluntary, but each offers an opportunity to help you put your best foot forward.

Mar 1, 2018
1 min

Your Most Frequently Asked Questions About Quarterly Questions

Since the launch of the Quarterly Questions program, you've answered more than 100,000 questions! You've also asked the ABO some great questions of your own about the program, such as: Is the Quarterly Questions program actually replacing the DOCK Examination for MOC? Do I have to study before taking Quarterly Questions? In this quick, downloadable Q&A, we answer the diplomate community's most common inquiries about the Quarterly Questions program. #quarterlyquestions #FAQs #

Feb 6, 2018
2 min

Article-Based Learning and Assessment in Quarterly Questions

“Must-read” articles from the peer-reviewed literature play a pivotal role in the American Board of Ophthalmology’s (ABO) Quarterly Questions assessment program. Launched in 2017, the program measures “walking around knowledge” based on the things ophthalmologists see and do every day before challenging participants to use recent journal articles to build new practice-related knowledge. Each year, participants answer 40 knowledge-based questions and 10 article-based questions

Jan 31, 2018
2 min

Choosing the Right Practice Improvement Activity for You

Practice improvement activities encourage continuous improvement of patient care. Working through the steps of an improvement activity, you will learn how to measure your practice performance, use data to identify opportunities for improvement, and implement interventions that improve your care processes or patient outcomes. The ABO encourages you to create an improvement activity relevant to your practice type and environment. If you enjoy working with data, you might wish t

Jan 29, 2018
1 min

New Directory Makes it Easy to Locate CME and SACME Opportunities

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) launched a new Continuing Certification Directory this month. The site hosts CME opportunities that have been approved by one or more ABMS Member Boards for Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credit, including the American Board of Ophthalmology. The ABMS Continuing Certification Directory provides access to high quality, practice-relevant, accredited CME activities. You can easily browse activities that the ABO has approved fo

Jan 19, 2018
2 min

How to Maintain Certification in 2018

Maintenance of Certification (MOC) encourages board-certified ophthalmologists to advance their excellence in knowledge, skills, and practice. Activities adhere to a structured, four-part framework developed by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS): 1) Professionalism & Professional Standing; 2) Lifelong Learning & Self-Assessment; 3) Assessment of Knowledge, Judgment, & Skills, and 4) Improvement in Medical Practice. For ophthalmologists, this means completing the