The American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) will launch a redesigned Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology Program (MOCA) in January 2016.
There are three primary changes. First, the MOCA Minute will replace the decennial MOCA exam as the Part 3: Assessment of Knowledge, Judgment, and Skills requirement in MOCA 2.0. The MOCA Minute will help the ABA gauge diplomates’ proficiency and medical knowledge over time.
Second, physicians will no longer be required to earn self-assessment credits to maintain their certification. The MOCA Minute itself will serve as a self-assessment tool. Diplomates who have already completed self-assessment CMEs will get credit for them in MOCA 2.0, and all participants will still be required to complete 250 Category 1 CME credits, including 20 patient safety CMEs.
Finally, the ABA will expand the list of Part 4 activities and implement a point system that will require diplomates to accumulate 25 points per five-year period (50 points for a 10-year cycle). Diplomates will still be required to complete their Part 4 attestations (clinical activity verification); however, no points will be awarded for this activity. Diplomates who have already completed their Part 4 requirements in the current MOCA program will get credit for those activities in MOCA 2.0 and will have no more Part 4 requirements to fulfill until their new MOCA cycle begins.
The current MOCA requirements remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2015. Diplomates who need to complete requirements before Dec. 31 should do so to avoid jeopardizing their certification status. The requirements for diplomates who are subspecialty certified will not change until MOCA 2.0 for subspecialties launches in 2017.
For more information, click here to see a MOCA 2.0 FAQ.
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