Maintenance of Certification™

A New Certification Process

The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) has launched its new Maintenance of Certification (MOC™) process for Diplomates to maintain Board Certification. Similar to the traditional “recertification” system, you must pursue a series of education activities throughout 10-year cycles.

Start Your Planning Now

The first class of Diplomates required to participate in MOC will be those whose certificates expire in 2010. If your certification expires in 2010 or later, and you intend to remain board certified, you will be required to participate in MOC. Please contact the ABOS at 919-929-7103 or visit the ABOS web site to verify your certificate’s expiration date and learn about your specific requirements.

Meeting the Requirements

In general, the 10-year MOC process requires that you:

Obtain 120 orthopaedic topically related AMA PRA Category 1 Continuing Medical Education (CME) Credits in each of two consecutive 3-year cycles, totalling 240 credits over 6 years
Include a minimum of 20 credits of Scored and Recorded Self-Assessment Examination(s) within the total 120 CME credits required for each 3-year cycle
Complete a secure cognitive examination

If you have fewer than 10 years left before your certification expires, please contact the ABOS at 919-929-7103 or view your MOC Timeline on the ABOS web site to learn about your specific requirements.

The Academy Can Help

Obtaining the appropriate amount of CME and preparing for the secure “recertification” examination can be challenging. The Academy is here to help you plan, manage and achieve MOC with comprehensive educational programs and services. To track how much CME you have earned through Academy programs, or to add recently acquired CME from another source, visit your online transcript – an Academy member benefit – at www.aaos.org/transcript.

Scored and Recorded Self-Assessment Resources

Evaluate your knowledge and satisfy the new MOC requirements for Scored and Recorded Self-Assessment with the Academy’s selection of Scored and Recorded Self-Assessment examinations.

CME Resources

To find educational products offering CME to obtain your required total, visit the Academy’s online store.

Recertification and Board Exam Preparation Resources

Prepare for your secure examination to successfully achieve MOC with these Academy resources: