On Nov. 13 the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) announced that it anticipates offering a longitudinal assessment option for maintenance of certification (MOC) for the first time in 2022 in as many specialties as possible. The plan to develop a self-paced, longitudinal assessment option had been announced in an Aug. 20 letter, but a timeline was not previously specified.
According to ABIM, the new longitudinal assessment option will enable physicians to:
- answer a question at any place or time, and receive immediate feedback as to whether it was correct or not;
- see the rationale behind the answer, along with links to educational material;
- proceed at their preferred pace answering questions during each administration window; and,
- access all the resources they use in practice, such as journals or websites.
ABIM also indicated that the traditional, point-in-time assessment, taken at a PearsonVUE center, will remain an option, as some physicians have expressed a preference for an exam taken less frequently.
Current Sleep Medicine Assessment Options
ABIM noted that all current ABIM MOC program requirements and policies remain in effect. Physician who have an assessment due in 2020 or 2021 can choose from the options currently available.
The AASM previously reported that in 2020, the ABIM will offer a two-year assessment option, called a Knowledge Check-In (KCI), as an alternative to the 10-year exam in sleep medicine. In contrast to the 10-year exam, which can take up to 10 hours to complete, the KCI takes about three hours.
Registration opens for all 2020 ABIM sleep medicine MOC assessments on Dec. 1, 2019. The sleep medicine KCI will be offered Oct. 7 or 10, 2020. The sleep medicine exam will be offered Nov. 18, 2020.
Required MOC Points
ABIM also reminds physicians about important MOC requirements. To be reported as participating in MOC, you must earn points every two years by completing an activity (of any point value). To stay certified, you also must earn 100 MOC points every five years. Some physicians have requirements that are due by Dec. 31 to avoid a change in MOC status.
As a benefit of membership, the AASM offers free MOC self-assessment exams for sleep physicians. Learn how to become an AASM member.
For additional information about sleep medicine MOC assessments and requirements, call ABIM at 1-800-441-2246 or use the online ABIM contact form.
Learn more about sleep medicine MOC.
