MOC Reform
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recognizes that ongoing professional development is important to ensure that physicians maintain the highest standards of patient care. However, the AASM considered the original maintenance of certification (MOC) program to be overly burdensome for physicians.
Beginning in 2014, the AASM began advocating to reduce the burden of MOC requirements through the reinforcement of lifelong learning and the elimination of ongoing examinations. These efforts have been aligned with resolutions adopted by the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates. The advocacy initiatives of the AASM, AMA, and other medical societies have led to significant changes over the last decade that have reduced the burden of MOC for physicians. The AASM continues to monitor the MOC program and appreciates the valuable feedback provided by our physician members.
Background
The MOC program was adopted by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) member boards in 2000, and the first MOC standards were approved in 2009. In 2012 and 2013, the ABMS and its member boards reviewed the MOC program and updated the standards. In 2018, ABMS established the Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future Commission, which led to the adoption of new standards in 2021. These standards are effective Jan. 1, 2024.
Each ABMS member board, including the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), develops and maintains a continuing certification program that meets ABMS requirements. The MOC exam and Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment in sleep medicine are developed and approved by committees of the ABIM. As a participant on the ABIM’s Liaison Committee on Certification and Recertification (LCCR), the AASM provides periodic feedback to the ABIM about its MOC program.
Please contact the AASM at policy@aasm.org or (630) 737-9700 to discuss MOC advocacy.
Updated Oct. 5, 2023.