Continuing Certification (MOC) FAQs

How do I reset my password within myABR?

• Click "I forgot my password."
• Enter the email address you registered with the ABR.
• Enter your five-digit ABRID number, which can be found on your certificate.
• Enter your date of birth.
• Click "Change Password."
• A password reset email will be sent to the address on file. Click on the link in the email to create a new password. A valid password must be between 8 and 20 characters long and meet any two of the following three requirements:
  • Contains at least one uppercase and one lowercase character.
  • Contains at least one number.
  • Contains at least one special character, e.g., $, %, ^, &, etc.
• Re-enter your new password to confirm.
• Enter your email address or ABR ID number and new password to log in.

When does the Continuing Certification (MOC) requirements "clock" start ticking?

Each diplomate's Continuing Certification (MOC) program begins on January 1 of the year following initial certification. However, any CME, SA-CME, or other relevant Continuing Certification (MOC) participation requirements completed after attainment of your initial certification will count toward your requirements.

I am a physician in an administrative position, and my direct patient care activity is very limited or nonexistent. Does this exclude me from the Continuing Certification (MOC) process?

A medical administrator, dean, or practitioner who has limited direct patient care activity, or someone who is engaged in research or taking a hiatus from practice, may have special circumstances. The ABR has resolved to formulate tracks to meet various career paths. While a diplomate in an administrative position may not have practice data for a Practice Quality Improvement (PQI) project, that individual may be able to meet the requirement within the learning activities in Part 2, Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Self-Assessment CME (SA-CME). Therefore, there is great benefit for any diplomate to participate in the Continuing Certification (MOC) process, even those in administrative positions.

Do all diplomates with a continuous certificate have to participate in Continuing Certification (MOC) to maintain certification?

Diplomates with a continuous certificate (any certificate issued in 2012 and thereafter) must participate in Continuing Certification (MOC) to maintain certification. Diplomates with time-limited certificates may opt not to participate in MOC, and that certificate will remain valid until its expiration date.

What happens to a continuous certificate if all Continuing Certification (MOC) requirements are not satisfied?

A diplomate who fails to meet the requirements in one or more of the four parts of Continuing Certification (MOC) for the first time at an annual review is reported on the ABR website as “not meeting” the requirements of MOC. This status persists until the diplomate has met the requirements in all four parts of MOC or one year has elapsed, whichever comes first.

If the Continuing Certification (MOC) requirement deficiencies are not remedied by the time of the next annual review a year later, and you have a continuous certificate, your MOC participation for that certificate will end and the certificate becomes invalid (reported as "lapsed").

What happens if my certificate lapses?

Please contact an ABR certification manager at information@theabr.org or (520) 790-2900 for assistance.

What if I get behind on my CME, SA-CME, or PQI requirements? Can I lose my certificate?

Yes, if you get too far behind, your Continuing Certification (MOC) public reporting status and certificate may be affected.

How will I know if I'm behind on my requirements?

You can visit myABR and see your current certificate and Continuing Certification (MOC) status.

If I have more than one continuous certificate, what do I need to do? Are my requirements and fees doubled?

No, your fees are not doubled if you hold two continuous certificates, nor tripled for three. The Continuing Certification (MOC) program is designed so that your overall participation requirements and fees remain the same, regardless of how many certificates you hold.

If I have a restriction applied to my license to practice, what must I do?

Diplomates have the obligation to notify the ABR of any and all restrictions placed on any of their medical licenses, and to provide the ABR with complete information concerning such restrictions within 60 days after their imposition. The ABR will also receive notification from the Federation of State Medical Boards. The ABR considers revocation, suspension, and surrender in lieu of further state investigation/action to be serious actions, and they may be grounds for revocation of the ABR certificate. Other state actions, including probation and restricted licensure, are also of concern to the ABR and may be followed up by the ABR in terms of potential consequences for certification.

I do not want to maintain my ABR certification any longer. What do I need to do?

To decline Continuing Certification (MOC) participation and be removed from the Continuing Certification (MOC) program, please send an email to information@theabr.org or call 520-790-2900.