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American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC)
Most nephrologists who received their initial ABIM certification in Nephrology since 1990 have participated in Maintenance of Certification (MOC) every 10 years to maintain their certification.
In addition to taking and passing an exam, MOC requires you to complete 100 points of self-evaluation in two categories: medical knowledge (minimum 20 points) and practice performance (minimum 20 points). The remaining 60 points can be from either category or both.
- You can also earn points for ABIM medical knowledge modules when you take part in Learning Sessions, which are sometimes held at annual meetings of organizations such as the American Society of Nephrology and National Kidney Foundation.
- Upon successful completion of ASN's self-assessment product, NephSAP physicians can earn up to10 medical knowledge points per issue (maximum 50 points).
- ABIM's PIMs Practice Improvement Modules® can be used to complete the practice performance requirement. Get a complete list of ABIM practice performance options.
Example of How You Can Earn Your 100 Points of Self-Evaluation in Nephrology
Note: Additional Nephrology-specific PIMs are currently in development. Look for news about these PIMs when they become available.
Dual-certificate renewal: If you are maintaining more than one ABIM certificate (e.g., Internal Medicine and Nephrology), your 100 Self-Evaluation points may be applied to both certificates, provided that all points are valid at the time of expiration of each certificate. To recertify in both areas you must pass both exams.
Note: Internal Medicine re-certification is not required to maintain Nephrology certification.
Secure Examination: Completion of MOC requires you to pass the secure, computerized Nephrology examination. The computer-based exam is offered twice-yearly at proctored, regional testing sites and must be taken before the end of the MOC period.
ABIM Nephrology Blueprint
Nephrology Key Exam Dates
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the requirements for ABIM Maintenance of Certification (MOC)? How do I enroll in the program?
According to the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) website:
"Maintenance of Certification (re-certification) promotes lifelong learning and the enhancement of the clinical judgment and skills essential for high quality patient care. Every 10 years, internists and subspecialists certified in or after 1990 renew their certificates through MOC. Those who certified prior to that date are strongly urged to re-certify since the program helps improve the quality of care delivered to their patients."
You must enroll in the ABIM MOC program to maintain your certification in Nephrology.
How can I earn Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credits through ASN's activities?
You must be enrolled in ABIM's MOC program in order for your NephSAP scores to be credited as MOC points and you must complete a NephSAP exam(s) with a passing score of 76% or higher to earn MOC credits.
Prior to taking the NephSAP exam, the system will request your MOC information to transfer your scores to ABIM. For each NephSAP exam you pass, you will earn 10 MOC credits in addition to 8 CME credits.
Can I receive MOC credit for MOC-related sessions offered at ASN's Kidney Week (ex: early program entitled "Maintenance of Certification")?
Yes. ASN utilizes ABIM's Learning Sessions during the MOC "early program" as well as a NephSAP issue during this program.
I recently passed a NephSAP module but do not see MOC credit on my ABIM Status Report. Why is this?
Successful completion of the NephSAP for ABIM MOC credit will appear on your ABIM MOC Status Report as a result of information that is transferred from ASN to ABIM. When you complete a NephSAP exam and submit it to ASN, be sure to:
- Include your ABIM information before the exam.
- Type in your correct 6 digit ABIM ID number. (This is different from your ASN ID.)
- Be sure your date of birth is correct.
- The name you enter must match the name on file with ABIM in order for ABIM's system to attach your scores for MOC credit.
To ensure receipt of MOC credit for NephSAP, please confirm that you have entered your ABIM ID and requisite information properly into the NephSAP modules.
While ASN transmits your data to ABIM, ASN is NOT responsible for your ABIM MOC Status Report. Please be sure to check your ABIM MOC Status Report frequently.
For assistance, contact the ABIM contact center at 800-441-2246.