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MOC Requirements
The American Board of Radiology has a history of ensuring excellence in the professionals who practice in our field. As the applications, technologies, and methodologies of radiology continue to expand and develop, we understand that lifelong learning is critical to ensure that new information and knowledge are incorporated into clinical practice. We are therefore looking forward with vision.
Our maintenance of certification process (ABR-MOC) is designed to facilitate and document the professional development of each diplomate through its focus on the essential elements of quality care. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and the American Board of Radiology ( ABR), as a member board, have initiated this process. Over the next ten years, ABR-MOC will continue to develop into a comprehensive vehicle through which all diplomates can ensure the public and the radiologic community that they are incorporating new information into their practices, thereby delivering excellence in care.
With that in mind, we recommend that all diplomates participate in the ABR-MOC program. Those with time-limited certificates are automatically enrolled in the process, though they must initiate their activity. Those with lifetime certificates should consider ABR-MOC as an investment that will ensure continuing education, instill confidence, and promote the best interests of the patient.
All diplomates should keep the ABR apprised of any change in contact information or licensure.
Those entering the MOC program with less than 10 years in the first cycle have prorated fees and requirements, depending on how many years are left in the initial cycle (NOT by when you start participating). Those receiving certificates from 2006 forward will all participate in full MOC cycles.
To view your particular schedule, go to Timelines & Fees. |
The ABR believes in the value of maintenance of certification.
All current ABR Trustees participate in ABR-MOC, as will all future trustees.
Here's how it works:
Four Components …
- Professional Standing
- Lifelong Learning & Self-assessment
- Cognitive Expertise
- Assessment of Performance in Practice
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... in Six Competencies
- Medical Knowledge
- Patient Care
- Interpersonal & Communication Skills
- Professionalism
- Practice-based Learning & Improvement
- Systems-based Practice
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Please see the MOC Participation Policy for detailed guidelines used to evaluate acceptable participation.
Part One: Professional Standing
Diplomates are required to maintain active, current, valid, and unrestricted licenses relevant to all locations of practice. All current licenses will be checked at the time the diplomate registers for the computer-based examination. The American Board of Radiology will regularly conduct random sample checks of licensure status amongst diplomates with time-limited certificates.
Part Two: Lifelong Learning and Self-assessment
Lifelong Learning: A minimum of 250 CME credit hours, approved by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), are required over the 10-year cycle, all of which must be in Category 1. Of the 250 hours, a minimum of 70% must be in specialty-specific or related areas. “Specialty-specific” means any credit related to the specialty of radiology, and also to the areas related to the radiologist’s specific practice, such as neurology for the neuroradiologist, urology for the genitourinary radiologist, orthopedics for the musculoskeletal radiologist. The remaining 30% can include additional specialty-specific material as well as clinically related areas or relevant topics such as risk management, ethics, statistics, the processes of continuous quality improvement, methodologies of outcome of measurement, etc.
Self-assessment: The self-assessment requirement may be satisfied by completing self-assessment modules (SAMs). These are educational venues (e.g., refresher courses, workshops, reading assignments, on-line offerings, etc.), usually offered by the societies, that have been ABR-qualified. All SAMs are also qualified as Category 1 CME, and can serve to fill that requirement as well.
Click here for a list of available SAMs.
Part Three: Cognitive Expertise
The diplomate is expected to maintain the essentials of core knowledge fundamental to the practice of diagnostic radiology. Documentation of cognitive expertise requires completion of a computer-based examination within the last 3 years of the 10-year MOC cycle. A practice-profiled exam will be offered by the ABR at least once a year, starting in 2010*. The proctored examination is a comprehensive test covering the knowledge base required for the practice of diagnostic radiology. On the day of the examination, the diplomate (the person scheduled to participate in the examination, according to ABR records) must confirm identity by presenting a government-issued photo I.D. and his/her exam confirmation letter.
The exam will consist of general content (20%), which includes but is not limited to patient safety, basic life support, professionalism/ethics and principles of image quality. Clinical content (80%) will make up the remainder of the exam. Clinical content will be determined by each diplomate's self entered practice-profile which will be given during the exam registration process. Clinical content categories are:
- breast
- cardiac
- gastrointestinal
- genitourinary
- musculoskeletal
- neuroradiology
- nuclear radiology
- pediatric radiology
- pulmonary
- ultrasound
- vascular and interventional radiology
An ample 4-hour time block is provided for taking the exam.
*Those who have additional certification in the subspecialties should check those areas of the website for specific information related to these cognitive exams, which are currently available.
Part Four: Practice Quality Improvement
ABR articles on Practice Quality Improvement have recently been published for diagnostic radiologists. Click here for details.
The ABR's Practice Quality Improvement - "PQI" - program addresses Part IV requirements. For Diagnostic Radiology, five categories of PQI projects have been defined: 1) patient safety, 2) accuracy of interpretation, 3) report turnaround time, 4) practice guidelines and technical standards, and 5) referring physician surveys. Each diagnostic radiologist decides on a project in one of these categories, working as an individual, within a department or a group, or associated with a national society.
During the first year (2007) diplomates must acquire knowledge concerning quality improvement. The overarching reason for PQI is to improve the quality of care delivered, reduce errors and improve safety. There are many opportunities to learn about how to do this. Please click here to view examples of PQI projects.
By the end of 2007, each diplomate must complete an attestation statement indicating that he/she has learned about the concepts and tools of quality improvement. You must complete the questions listed on your own personal data base (PDB) attesting that during the first year, you have learned, read and become more knowledgeable about quality improvement as it relates to your practice.
Examples of program resources that you may find helpful in learning about quality improvement include:
- On-line or in-person course (including college, institutional, and commercial courses, e.g., Lean Management, Six Sigma)
- Self-Assessment Module (SAM) on quality improvement
- Society-sponsored CME offering
- Institutional course
Examples of reading resources:
By the beginning of 2008, you must have selected a project that is relevant to your practice, is achievable in a practice setting, produces measurable results that are suitable for repeated measurements, and is able to effect quality improvement. Currently, the ABR is working to partner with radiology societies to develop PQI products which will be qualified and approved by the ABR. Thus, each individual will need to choose a project as an individual, or associated with a department, group, institution or society.
The steps in practice quality improvement are displayed in the chart below.
Please click to access your personal database (PDB).
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Steps in Practice Quality Improvement Project Process |
- Learn about PQI process during year one
- Select project and metric(s)
- Collect baseline data
- Analyze the data
- Create improvement plan
- Collect data, compare to initial data, summarize results
Decision point:
Continue with this project OR choose a new project |
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