Chicago, IL, December 27, 2018 – The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) announced today that beginning in 2019 all Diplomates certified in any of the ABPM’s Specialties of Aerospace Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Public Health and General Preventive Medicine (collectively as “Specialties”) or its Subspecialties of Addiction Medicine, Clinical Informatics and Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine (collectively as “Subspecialties”) and who are eligible to take a Maintenance of Certification (MOC) examination may do so electronically using the Diplomate’s computer, at times and in locations (i.e., home or office) that are convenient for the Diplomate.
In announcing this significant change to the ABPM’s MOC program, the ABPM’s Board Chair M. ‘Tonette’ Krousel-Wood, MD, MSPH, said “As we continue to identify ways to minimize the burden and increase the value of the MOC program, the ABPM is pleased to offer administration of the MOC exams using secure online delivery and remote proctoring technology. This methodology was selected to increase Diplomate satisfaction while maintaining the integrity and rigor of the MOC examinations. This approach will provide Diplomates with flexibility to determine, for themselves, the most convenient time and place to take the MOC examination and, equally important, Diplomates will no longer be required to incur the costs related to travel or the burden of time away from practice.”
The electronic administration of the MOC examination will allow the Diplomate to use his or her own computer that will provide the Diplomate with remote access to an electronic version of the MOC examination for the Specialty or Subspecialty for which the Diplomate is seeking recertification. The format of the MOC examination will remain consistent with the paper and pencil methodology and include the requirement that the Diplomate complete the MOC examination in a single, time-limited event and without use of external assistance or reference materials of any kind . Testing will be conducted by ABPM’s selected test delivery partner, Paradigm Testing, who will provide Diplomates with detailed instructions that will allow the Diplomate to properly configure the computer on which the MOC examination will be taken. Additionally, there will be an opportunity for the Diplomate to take a 10-15 question practice test to ensure proper hardware configuration and enhance the Diplomate’s comfort with the electronic format prior to taking the MOC examination.
In a further effort to accommodate Diplomate preferences, the ABPM will continue to offer a paper and pencil administration of the MOC examination. The paper and pencil administration will be open to all Diplomates who are eligible to take the MOC examination and who have opted not to participate in the electronic administrations. The paper and pencil administration will take place in the second and fourth quarters of 2019 in Chicago, Illinois, the specific dates and times for these administrations will be communicated in early 2019.
You may find additional details regarding the electronic administration of the ABPM’s MOC examination by clicking on the following link: https://www.abpm-us.org/moc-electronic-exam-faqs/
This new policy does not apply to those Diplomates who possess only non-time limited certificates from the ABPM.
1The electronic format can be configured to accommodate requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act and as such, all such requests should be made to the ABPM at [email protected].