Continuing Certification Update

Continuing Certification Update

OLA Tips and Reminders for 2025

2025;18(1):14

By David Laszakovits, MBA, ABR Communications Director, and Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, ABR Executive Director

Diplomates have answered more than 12 million OLA questions since the platform was introduced in 2019. In the first few weeks of 2025, more than 94% of diplomates with a December 31, 2025, Part 3 deadline have already met that five-year requirement. While this is a big accomplishment, it’s important that diplomates continue answering OLA questions to reach their required minimum (for most diplomates, 52 questions per year).  

Here are a few other important OLA reminders participants should keep in mind early in the year.

Staying on Pace Is Important

Since two questions are offered to most participants every week, 104 are available to be answered each year. To meet the annual progress requirement, most diplomates need to answer only half, or 52 questions per year. Furthermore, OLA allows substantial flexibility regarding when diplomates answer questions, as items do not expire until four weeks after they are offered.

Avoid Forfeited Questions

Questions that are required but unanswered for a given year are considered “forfeited” and count as incorrect responses. For example, if you are required to answer 52 questions and you only answer 50, the two unanswered will be considered forfeited.

You can identify if you have forfeited questions included in your score in two places:

  • Annual progress dashboard for the current and previous year
  • My OLA History

Seek Help if You’ve Fallen Behind

We are eager to help you get back on track if your OLA performance isn’t what you’d like it to be. If you have fallen behind or aren’t meeting your passing standard, we recommend contacting a certification manager at information@theabr.org or 520-790-2900 to discuss your OLA standing, when/how your performance will impact your certificate, and steps that can be taken to remediate your performance.

Although more than 90% of ABR diplomates prefer OLA to taking an exam, successful OLA performance is only one of two ways to satisfy the Part 3 requirement for Continuing Certification. The other option is to take and pass the Continuing Certification Exam, which is offered twice a year for each discipline.

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