From the outset, Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) has been a platform that allows participants to continually assess their knowledge of their field. It was established to provide an alternative to the high-stakes comprehensive exam that diplomates formerly took every 10 years to meet Maintenance of Certification Part 3 requirements.

Most diplomates receive 104 opportunities (two per week) to answer questions each year, but are only required to answer 52 to meet their annual progress requirement. How they arrive at that number is mostly up to them.

Since it’s a continuous assessment, OLA doesn’t permit participants to answer all 52 questions at once. However, the weekly issued questions are available for up to four weeks, allowing diplomates to complete their annual OLA progress requirement in as few as seven logins.

Since OLA questions are written to reflect “walking-around knowledge,” diplomates shouldn’t have to study before participating as they would for an in-person exam.

Any diplomate who would rather take the one-time exam, required every five years, should contact an ABR certification manager at (520) 790-2900 or information@theabr.org.