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MOC Neuro Part 3 Cognitive Expertise

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Part 3: Cognitive Expertise

A diplomate is expected to maintain the core knowledge fundamental to safe and effective subspecialty practice. Documentation of cognitive expertise requires a passing score on a computer-based, practice-profiled exam every ten years. The exam may be taken multiple times if necessary. A diplomate is eligible to take the exam regardless of completion of MOC Part 2 and/or Part 4.

The Practice-Profiled Examination - What to Expect

As technology has advanced and the field of diagnostic radiology has become increasingly subspecialized, it has also become nearly impossible for individual diagnostic radiologists to be masters of the entire domain. Data from a practice analysis survey conducted by the ABR and corroborated by the ACR recognize that 94 percent of radiologists concentrate their practices on four or fewer areas within the field.

With this in mind, the ABR's practice-profiled MOC examination was designed to be modular, allowing each diplomate to self-select a portion of his or her exam content.1 The examination thus consists of:

Noninterpretive skills content (one module designated by the ABR)

Clinical content (four modules self-selected by the diplomate)

Noninterpretive skills content includes topics deemed important for every practicing diagnostic radiologist to know, such as patient safety, life support, professionalism/ethics, and principles of image quality.

Clinical content is determined by each diplomate's self-selected practice profile, which is completed during the exam registration process. Diplomates declare their practice profiles through their online personal database (myABR), which allows each individual to specify the clinical areas in which he/she wishes to be examined. Diplomates may choose one to four different clinical content categories.

1 Diplomates with certification in one subspecialty may choose to have all four clinical content modules in that subspecialty. Alternatively, they may select multiple categories, but at least two modules must be in their subspecialty category. Four hours are allotted for the exam. Diplomates with certification in two or three subspecialty categories will be examined on a total of six clinical content modules. About six hours are allotted for the exam, which is divided into two exam sessions that may be taken in one or two days.

Diplomates maintaining certification in two subspecialty categories may choose to have all clinical content represent their subspecialties (three modules in each subspecialty category). Alternatively, they may select multiple clinical categories provided that no less than two modules represent each subspecialty.

Diplomates maintaining certification in three subspecialty categories will have two modules of clinical content in each subspecialty category.

Clinical content categories are:

  • Breast
  • Cardiac
  • Gastrointestinal
  • Genitourinary
  • Musculoskeletal
  • Neurological
  • Nuclear
  • Pediatric
  • Thoracic
  • Ultrasound
  • Vascular and Interventional
  • General content (available beginning in 2014)

Study guides for clinical and noninterpretive skills content are available here and serve as one option for exam preparation. However, because clinical exam content is image rich and practice relevant, the majority of currently practicing diagnostic radiologists will find that knowledge gained in daily practice and through customary means of keeping up-to-date (literature, courses, etc.) will serve as adequate preparation.

On exam day, the diplomate scheduled to participate in the examination according to ABR records must confirm his or her identity by presenting a valid government-issued photo I.D. and will also be indentified through palm-vein scanning. Four hours are allotted for the exam.

MOC Exam - Hand Score Request

  1. The deadline for requesting a hand score is 60 days after the date your results letter was mailed.
     
  2. You must submit your request in writing by mail or fax:
    • Mail: 5441 E. Williams Circle
      Tucson AZ 85711-7412
    • Fax: 520-790-3200

The fee for a hand score is $250. You must pay by credit card. Please note that the ABR cannot accept credit card forms by email, due to security issues.

  1. Results will be sent to you by email. Please allow four to six weeks for a response.