#americanboardofophthalmology

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 23, 2018
1 min

Ophthalmology Influencers Come Together at ASOPRS 2018 Spring Symposium

American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) subspecialty liaison Jeremiah Tao, M.D., recently organized a panel of speakers at the ASOPRS 2018 Spring Symposium in Austin, TX, which included ABO CEO George Bartley, M.D., and ABO Public Director Scott Wallace, J.D., MBA. In a session entitled, “You Know You’re Great…But How Will Your Patients Know,” Dr. Bartley discussed how ABO certification serves as an objective source of public information and a reliable, verifiable credential of

Jun 18, 2018
3 min

Thank You, June Examiners!

The Board thanks the following diplomates for volunteering their time and talents to the administration of the June 2018 Oral Examination in San Francisco: Aaron, Maria E.M. - Atlanta, GA Agarwal, Anita - Nashville, TN Albanis, Chris V. - Chicago, IL Alcorn, Debby M. - Stanford, CA Allen, Richard C. - Houston, TX Beauchamp, Cynthia L. - Dallas, TX Beller, Richard A. - Napa, CA Berzins, U. John - Salem, OR Bhatti, M. Tariq - Durham, NC Birkholz, Emily S. - Mankato, MN Bishop,

May 4, 2018
1 min

Emeritus Director Receives Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology Service Award

The ABO extends its congratulations to Emeritus Director J. Douglas Cameron, M.D., MBA, who will receive the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology's 2018 Budd Appleton, M.D., Award for Service to Ophthalmology. The Appleton Award is presented to a member of the Minnesota Academy who has performed the greatest service to the field of ophthalmology through patient care, public education, and political advocacy. Dr. Cameron holds the titles of Director of Research and Professor in

Apr 19, 2018
1 min

U.S. News & World Report Asks the ABO How to Find a Qualified Ophthalmologist

Writer Elaine Howley, of U.S. News & World Report, recently spoke with American Board of Ophthalmology CEO George B. Bartley, M.D., about the importance of considering board certification in a patient's search for an ophthalmologist. "I'm obviously pretty biased as the CEO of the American Board of Ophthalmology, but I think having board certification is an important credential," Bartley told the publication. "It demonstrates to the public that after going through all this tra

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

Jan 17, 2018
1 min

The Science of Testing: Why Do We Write Four Options for Multiple-Choice Questions?

The American Board of Ophthalmology writes multiple-choice examination questions (items) with four options: A, B, C, and D. One of those options is correct (the key). Why do we write four options? This is a hotly debated topic among psychometricians. Some researchers prefer three options, some think four is best, and some advocate for as many options as are reasonable in the context of the question. The research on this topic has focused on whether distractors (incorrect opti

Jan 8, 2018
1 min

Report: Docs Spend More Time With Computers Than Patients

In a recent post for Forbes, author, physician, and behavioral scientist Peter Ubel writes about something that may be coming between you and your patients—your computer. He cites two studies that analyzed physician time. Both found results you may already expect—that doctors spend as much as half their working hours using EHRs and less than half their time on direct patient care. “Good medical care depends upon creating work environments that motivate clinicians to spend tim

Dec 20, 2017
1 min

American Board of Ophthalmology Director Honored for Service to Academy Council

American Board of Ophthalmology Director Debra M. Shetlar, M.D. was recognized for her service to the Council of the American Academy of Ophthalmology during AAO 2017 in New Orleans. Dr. Shetlar served for two years as a councilor representing the ABO. Her term as the ABO’s representative concludes December 31. Director Sarah Nehls, M.D., will represent the ABO on the AAO Council in 2018. Representatives to the Academy’s Council are elected by each state ophthalmology society

Dec 19, 2017
2 min

Join the Multi-Specialty Vision Commission for the Future of Board Certification

T he Planning Committee for the Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future initiative is issuing a Call for Nominations for 21 to 25 individuals to serve on the Vision Commission. Designed to be a collaborative and transparent process, the Commission will bring together multiple stakeholders to assess the current state of continuing Board Certification and envision its framework for the future. The initiative’s Planning Committee will identify the construct and mem

Dec 7, 2017
1 min

2018 Board Leadership Announced

Dale K. Heuer, M.D., has been named chair of the American Board of Ophthalmology for 2018. Dr. Heuer has served the ABO as a director for seven years, participating in the Finance, Conflict of Interest, and Oral Examination Committees. He is professor and chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he is also the director of the Eye Institute. Dr. Heuer earned a medical degree at Northwestern University Feinberg Sch

Nov 15, 2017
3 min

Congratulations, New Diplomates!

The American Board of Ophthalmology congratulates the physicians listed below on their recent achievement of board certification in ophthalmology. Welcome to the diplomate community! Mohammed Taha, M.D. Bryan Abessi, M.D. Mohamed Abou Shousha, M.D. Benjamin Daniel Abramowitz, M.D. Murtaza Adam, M.D. Adebukola Adebayo, M.D. Janelle Marie Fassbender Adeniran, M.D. Christopher Aderman, M.D. Yasir Ahmed, M.D. Byung-Joon Ahn, M.D. Radwan Ajlan, M.D. Neeti Meghnad Alapati, M.D. Fer

Nov 8, 2017
1 min

Help Design the New ABOP.ORG

Are you interested in participating in an online usability study of the American Board of Ophthalmology’s website? This remote study can be performed online in approximately 10-15 minutes. Your participation will inform and guide the redesign of abop.org by offering insights into how users think about the web content, how they perceive pieces of content to relate to each other, and what labels they use to describe categories of content. What will I be doing in the study? You

Nov 7, 2017
4 min

Thank You, Examiners!

Examiners for the American Board of Ophthalmology are diplomates selected for their embodiment of the Board's commitment to excellence and quality ophthalmic care. ABO Examiners lead the oral examination process and many share their expertise in the development of examination materials. The success of the Oral Examination process in providing a fair and comprehensive assessment of each candidate for Board Certification depends on each Examiner's knowledge, skill, character,

Oct 19, 2017
1 min

ABO Chair Paul P. Lee, M.D., J.D, Elected to National Academy of Medicine

Paul P. Lee, M.D., J.D., chair of the American Board of Ophthalmology, became one of 80 new members elected to the National Academy of Medicine this month. Election to the Academy, formerly the Institute of Medicine, is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. Dr. Lee is the F. Bruce Fralick Professor and chair of the University of

Oct 6, 2017
1 min

Deadline Extended: Take the DOCK online, on demand through December 1st

The deadline for completing the 2017 DOCK Examination has been extended to December 1. If you are currently eligible for the DOCK Exam (in status years 6-10), you may register online using the special registration link in the “Alerts” section of your online Status Page. The exam may be scheduled online at your convenience. The ABO introduced remote testing as an option for the first time in 2017. Due to the popularity of this option versus travel to a test center, the ABO has

Oct 6, 2017
1 min

Shree Kurup, M.D., to Receive ABO Quality Improvement Award

The American Board of Ophthalmology will award its first-ever John G. Clarkson, M.D. Quality Improvement Award to diplomate Shree Kurup, M.D., this fall for his efforts in creating a project to improve patient compliance with follow-up dosages of immunosuppression medications. The Clarkson Quality Improvement Award celebrates the passion, pride, and professionalism exemplified by American Board of Ophthalmology diplomates in their efforts to continuously improve the practice

Oct 4, 2017
4 min

Message from the CEO: It’s About You

“ABO diplomates are professionals and colleagues, and we honor them accordingly.” For me, this is the most personal and, arguably, the most important of the ABO’s guiding principles. In the nine months since I assumed the role as CEO of the ABO, I have been impressed by the breadth and depth of our diplomates’ perspectives about board certification. At one end of spectrum, there is a dedicated core of volunteers who ardently believe in our mission and support it with their ti