An important date is coming for diplomates participating in Continuing Certification (MOC) who haven’t started answering OLA questions this year. July 30 is the last day when those diplomates could start answering questions and still be able to reach their annual progress requirement.
Here are a few things to consider as you assess your OLA participation halfway through 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 52 questions per year. 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
Two Choices After Meeting Your Annual Progress Requirement
When you meet your annual progress requirement, you have two options regarding participation for the rest of the year:
- Take a break: You may wait until next year to resume answering questions.
- Keep going: You may choose to answer more than 52 questions a year. There is no penalty for continuing to participate.
Impact on SA-CME Credits
All diplomates participating in Continuing Certification (MOC) need to complete 75 Category 1 CME credits over their previous three years. For diplomates who do not complete their OLA annual progress requirement every year, 25 of those credits must be self-assessment (SA) CME. Diplomates who complete their OLA annual progress requirement every year can forego the SA-CME requirement.
Questions? Contact Us
If you have fallen behind or have questions about your OLA status, please contact a certification manager at information@theabr.org or 520-790-2900.
