Part 3: Assessment of Knowledge, Judgment, and Skills

Part 3 requires passing an Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) performance evaluation or a Continuing Certification Exam for each maintained certificate every five years. Each maintained certificate has a certification evaluation date at the end of a five-year cycle. An OLA performance evaluation meeting or exceeding the standard in year five or a Continuing Certification Exam with a passing result in year four or five is required to continue maintenance and start the next five-year cycle. If you need more information about the Continuing Certification Exam, please click here.  

Overview of the OLA Process

Within OLA, diplomates create a practice profile of the subspecialty areas that most closely fit what they do in practice. They are provided two question opportunities each week, relevant to their selected practice profile. Question opportunities are available for four weeks to allow maximum diplomate flexibility. After opening a question, diplomates are allowed a limited amount of time to answer the question and they learn immediately whether they answered correctly. In addition, they receive a brief rationale for the correct answer, as well as a reference. OLA is designed to have minimal impact on a diplomate’s workday and requires no time away from work or travel expense. The potential for retesting areas of weakness provides a further opportunity for diplomates’ self-assessment of their professional growth. For more information, please see OLA FAQs.  

Implementation

OLA became available to all diagnostic radiology diplomates in early 2019. OLA for radiation oncology, medical physics, and interventional radiology diplomates followed in 2020. To ensure their certificates remain valid, diplomates must continue meeting requirements for Parts 1, 2, and 4 of MOC.