In 2019, the American Board of Ophthalmology introduced two new incentives for Quarterly Questions participation which offer you the opportunity to claim additional credit for meeting Maintenance of Certification (MOC) requirements in Patient Safety (Part II) and Improvement in Medical Practice (Part IV). Completion of the Quarterly Questions program already satisfies MOC Part III.
Here’s how the incentive works:
Step 1: Participate in the 2019 Quarterly Questions Program No separate registration is necessary to begin the program. Simply access the Quarterly Questions platform through your ABO MOC Status Page at abop.org or by entering your username and password at questions.abop.org.
Step 2: Meet the Standard on Knowledge Questions Released in Quarters 1-2 Knowledge questions in the subspecialty area(s) of your choice are available during the first two quarters of each year. Choose your preferred topic area(s) and answer the questions. To receive credit for your participation, you must meet or exceed the annual passing standard. In 2019, that standard is a minimum score of 65%.
Step 3: Select 3 Designated Articles in Patient Safety or Improvement in Medical Practice During Quarter 3 When you reach the article-based quarter in July 2019, you will be asked to select and read 5 articles and answer 2 questions per article. Choose 3 patient safety or improvement-designated articles from the list and answer the associated questions to complete the steps for receiving credit. (You may also choose to spread this activity out over several years of Quarterly Questions participation by choosing one patient safety or quality-designated article per year).
That’s it! The ABO will track completion and reflect your progress on your Status Page. With these two new incentives, plus meeting the MOC Part III: Assessment requirement, the 2019 Quarterly Questions program can now help you meet 3 out of 4 MOC requirements and award you CME in the process.
Be sure to visit abop.org/QQ or visit your ABO MOC Status Page for complete details about how many years of successful Quarterly Questions participation you must complete in order to finish the Part III requirements for your MOC cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to achieve a particular score on the patient safety or quality-designated article questions?
No, but please remember that in order to claim CME for the Quarterly Questions activity, you must score 8/10 correct within this section, so you should aim for a minimum score of 80% on article questions.
Can I skip straight to the article questions to claim credit for Part II: Patient Safety or Part IV: Improvement in Medical Practice?
No, the Quarterly Questions pathway requires full participation in all elements of the program, including meeting the annual passing standard on all knowledge-based questions, in order to receive credit for patient safety or improvement in medical practice.
May I choose an article about these topics that’s not on the list?
No, however, you are welcome to submit suggested articles for future inclusion in the Quarterly Questions program by sending them to quarterlyquestions@abop.org.
I have to do two Part IV: Improvement in Medical Practice activities during my 10-year MOC cycle. Can I read 6 improvement articles and answer 12 questions to meet this requirement?
No, the Quarterly Questions pathway may only be used once per cycle to meet MOC Part IV: Improvement in Medical Practice requirements. The Board recommends using the Quarterly Questions article pathway as your first activity so that you can learn more about the science of quality improvement before creating your own improvement project later in your MOC cycle.
Do I have to notify the ABO when I’ve completed my 3 designated articles?
No, the ABO’s Quarterly Questions platform will track completion and your progress will be reflected on your ABO Status Page.
Is this option available for the 2017 and 2018 versions of Quarterly Questions?
No, this opportunity is new in 2019. You will find patient safety and quality improvement-designated articles available for selection from 2019 forward.