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Focused Practice Recognition in Cardiac CT

MOC > Diagnostic Radiology > Cardiac CT
 

drdiagnostic radiology

Focused Practice Recognition in Cardiac CT

As an innovative pilot program, Focused Practice Recognition in Cardiac CT (FP-CCT) offers unique value previously unavailable through conventional American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) pathways to certification and subspecialty certification. It is designed for physicians who maintain a significant practice emphasis in cardiac CT and who further engage in a program of continuous professional development.

Benefits of Focused Practice

Focused Practice initiatives are suitable for elements of clinical practice for which there are no Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved fellowships and which form an integral part of general training in the specialty. FPR-CCT is an ABMS pilot program available only through the American Board of Radiology.

If you are a diplomate certified in Diagnostic Radiology with a practice that includes cardiac CT, you should strongly consider participating in this innovative program. Through ABR Focused Practice Recognition, you can demonstrate your acquired knowledge and skills and receive appropriate recognition from patients, credentialers, peers, referring physicians, and others. Once you have fulfilled the necessary requirements, you will be listed on the ABR and ABMS websites as ABR Board Certified with Focused Practice Recognition in Cardiac CT.

How to Apply

Applications are made online through your ABR Personal Database (myABR). To access your myABR, go to www.abronline.org, log on, and follow the enrollment steps there. Application requirements include:

  • Primary certification in diagnostic radiology from the ABR for at least one year
  • Current and active participation in the ABR Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program
  • Completion of at least 150 gated, contrast-enhanced cardiac CT studies within the last three years, with primary responsibility for the protocol and interpretation of at least 75 of these studies
  • Completion of a minimum of 4 ABR-qualified Self-Assessment Modules (SAMs) in cardiac CT and at least 50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ in cardiac CT
  • Completion of at least one practice quality improvement (PQI) project in cardiac CT
  • Passing score on a secure examination. The American College of Radiology's (ACR's) Cardiac CT Advanced Proficiency examination fulfills this requirement for the  FPR-CCT Pilot Program. This exam includes a knowledge-based, multiple-choice component and a practical, simulation component that allows candidates to conduct actual cardiac CT case assessments with full cardiac CT data sets on a vendor software platform used in clinical practice. If you have already passed this examination, you have fulfilled this requirement and will not need to take the examination again.

Payment of an $895 application fee, which includes the examination fee. For candidates who have already passed the examination as verified by the ACR, the application fee is $350.

MOC Participation Requirement

Diplomates with lifetime certification should keep in mind that the FPR-CCT program is an element of the current ABR Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, and as such, participation in this program requires enrollment and up-to-date participation in MOC.

If you are a lifetime certificate holder who wishes to enroll in MOC, download the application form. After your application has been accepted, you will be able to log on to your myABR and apply for the FPR-CCT program.

   

Requirements for Continued Participation

  • After attaining FPR-CCT recognition, which may occur at any time during your MOC cycle, you must complete your already-established MOC cycle, with 20 percent of your remaining CME and SAMs requirements taken in cardiac CT and related content areas.
  • Of your three PQI projects required every 10 years, complete at least one PQI project in cardiac CT.
  • As part of your MOC requirements, you must pass the ABR’s secure, proctored MOC examination every 10 years, which consists of five modules: 1 required noninterpretive skills module and 4 self-selected clinical modules. At least 2 of your 4 clinical modules must include focused content in cardiac CT.
  • Complete a minimum number (to be determined) of gated, contrast-enhanced cardiac CT studies.
  • You will be required to undergo a full audit of your FPR-CCT requirements.

Background Information

In March 2011, the ABMS Board of Directors and Assembly representatives approved the ABR proposal to develop an MOC pilot program in FPR-CCT, which is the only Focused Practice Recognition Program in Cardiac CT available through the ABMS and its member boards. Program implementation and active enrollment will take place over a four-year period (2012-2015), the final year of which will be evaluation of the pilot with respect to its goals.

Over the course of the next four years, the ABR will survey individual patients, members of the public, credentialers, referring physicians, and radiologists to determine the extent to which the benefits of ABR Board Certification with Focused Practice Recognition in Cardiac CT have been realized. We hope that after the evaluation of the program, the ABMS will approve it for permanent status.

Individual questions may be addressed to Tina Henson at fprcct@theabr.org.