Maintenance of Certification (MOC)

ASN Policy Statement on Maintaining Career Excellence

1. ASN endorses the role of the American Board of Internal Medicine—as one of the American Board of Medical Specialties' 24 specialty boards—to provide the initial certification for nephrologists.
2. ASN supports the lifelong learning of nephrologists through educational activities and self-assessment programs.
3. ASN believes in the right of each nephrologist to choose a process of maintaining career excellence that affirms the values of the medical profession as well as highlights to the public her/his ability to provide high-quality care.
4. ASN opposes efforts by entities outside the medical profession to weaken the public's faith in the ability of the medical profession to self-regulate.
5. ASN is committed to working for its members and their patients to:
   • Improve all aspects of the assessment of professional competence.
   • Explore innovative and more efficient approaches to ensuring nephrologists provide high-quality care for their patients.

Posted August 2017

ABIM MOC Updates

August 2019: ABIM to Develop Longitudinal Assessment Option

The ABIM Board of Directors has committed to evolve its program to provide a longitudinal assessment option for Maintenance of Certification (MOC), offering a self-paced pathway for physicians to acquire and demonstrate ongoing knowledge. With this new option, physicians will be able to answer a question, and receive immediate feedback as to whether it was correct or not, along with the rationale, and links to educational material. By engaging in such a pathway, physicians can assure their medical knowledge is up to date and utilize — in real-time — learning activities to address gaps. The traditional, long-form assessment will also remain an option, as some physicians have expressed a preference for a point-in-time exam taken less frequently.

While ABIM works with the community to research and develop this new option, the current MOC program, with the choice and flexibility of the Knowledge Check-In and traditional exam will remain in effect. More details will be forthcoming in the months ahead. For now, share your suggestions and questions with ABIM.

ABIM MOC Exam Dates

Traditional MOC Exam Dates

Knowledge Check-In Dates

Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future Commission

In 2017, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) launched its Continuing Board Certification: Vision for the Future initiative to "foster an inclusive, open, collaborative, and candid dialogue across stakeholder groups." This initiative is led by a Commission includes a diverse group of physicians and patients as well as representatives from professional medical organizations, national specialty and state medical societies, hospitals and health systems, and the general public.

• Commission's Draft Report on December 11, 2018
• ASN's Comment Letter on January 15, 2019
• Commission's Final Report on February 12, 2019

FAQs:

1. Will the ABIM Knowledge Check-In cover the breadth of my discipline or be more targeted?
   Initially, the Knowledge Check-In will cover the breadth of nephrology, but ABIM is continuing to explore how to move to assessing a subset of knowledge relevant to practice in the future.
2. What does "no consequences" mean for the ABIM Knowledge Check-In?
   
   • If a physician is successful on the Knowledge Check-In in 2018, it will count as a pass. If a physician is not successful and their exam was due in 2018 or 2019, they will have another opportunity to take it again in 2020 without a change to their certification status.
   • This rule doesn't mean physicians can skip the assessment. If a physician skips it, and his/her certification expires in 2018, his/her status will change to Not Certified.
   • In addition to meeting other certification requirements, physicians with certifications expiring in 2018 will need to take the Knowledge Check-In or pass the traditional MOC exam or they will no longer be certified.
3. What does "open-book" mean? What can I access?
   Open book means that physicians will begin to have access to UpToDate® during the new Knowledge Check-Ins and traditional MOC exams. UpToDate is an online, evidence-based clinical decision support resource. For the 2018 Knowledge Check-Ins in internal medicine and nephrology, physicians will be able to access UpToDate directly through the exam platform. Currently, UpToDate is the only "open book" resource that is available and acceptable.
4. On which dates are the Knowledge Check-In offered for Nephrology in 2018?
   June 7, June 9, November 1, November 6
5. What is the fee schedule?
   
   

For more information, please visit ABIM's website, www.ABIM.org/checkin, or contact ABIM, www.abim.org/contact.aspx.

How ASN Helps Its Members Meet These Requirements

Medical Knowledge

• ASN Kidney Self-Assessment Program (KSAP) - Multiple modules released annually. 25 MOC points and 25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ per module.
• ASN Nephrology Self-Assessment Program (NephSAP) - Multiple issues released annually. 10 MOC points and 10 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ per issue.
• Board Review Course & Update (BRCU) - Annual live course with 60+ MOC points and 60+ AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ per year.
• BRCU Online - Annual online course with 60+ MOC points and 60+ AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ per year.

Through December 31, 2018, ABIM does not require Practice Assessment, Patient Safety and Patient Voice in its MOC program.

More Continuing Medical Education Opportunities »

Board (Re)Certification Options for Nephrologists

• American Board of Internal Medicine
• American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine
• National Board of Physicians and Surgeons
• American Board of Medical Specialties

Note: The CMS ESRD Conditions for Coverage requires that medical directors of outpatient dialysis facilities be board certified.