CME and SAE/Practice Improvement (MOC Part II)
A video explanation of the CME and SAE requirements for Maintenance of Certification
In order to maintain the status of “Participating in MOC:YES” after the first three years of the full 10 year MOC cycle, the Diplomate must submit and have approved 120 orthopaedic-related ACCME Accredited Category 1 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits. At least 20 of these credits must be from scored and recorded self-assessment examinations (SAE) or from credits earned by participating in ABOS-approved practice improvement activities.
For those who do not meet these requirements by the end of the third year of their 10-year certification cycle, your status, as found on the public section of ABOS’s website, will be changed to “Participating in MOC: NO”. Once these requirements are met, the website will be updated to show you as participating in MOC.
In order for a Diplomate to finalize an application for a Recertification Examination, the Diplomate must first submit a total of 240 CME credits, of which at least 40 are scored and recorded SAE credits (including the 120 CME/20 SAE credits submitted to maintain the designation as participating in MOC), a Case List, required number of valid peer review. Diplomates may submit an Application between years 4-9 of their MOC cycle.
Newly certified Diplomates may begin to earn CME/SAE credits for MOC requirements immediately after passing their Part II examination. That is technically year 0 and the first year of the MOC cycle begins January 1 the year after passing the examination. In essence, for newly certified Diplomates, they have a few extra months to earn CME/SAE credits.
Diplomates who have just passed their Recertification Examination may begin to earn CME/SAE for MOC beginning on the effective date of their Recertification. Those who take and pass a Recertification Examination early, have one or two years when they are not required to obtain CME/SAE credits for MOC requirements and will not be allowed to add/transfer these credits to the ABOS system.
