With the end of the year fast approaching, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has posted several important dates to remember for those participating in ABIM’s Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Among the things to remember:

• Assessments: Physicians who were unsuccessful with their assessment attempt in 2018, but who meet all other MOC requirements as of Dec. 31, will remain certified in 2019. However, registration for the MOC exam must occur in 2019.
• MOC Points: Physicians must earn 100 MOC points every five years under the MOC program. There are many activities that earn points, including free activities offered by the ACC. Joint MOC/CME credit is now offered at most ACC live meetings, including the Annual Scientific Session. Additionally, members can earn more than enough credit from JACC Journals alone to meet ABIM MOC requirements for each five-year period. Of note, ABIM will allow diplomates to meet their 100 MOC point requirement using any combination of Medical Knowledge and Practice Assessment points and will no longer require physician to earn at least 20 points in Medical Knowledge. ABIM’s website and Physician Portal will be updated to reflect the simplified requirement.
• Attestations: Physicians holding a certificate with a procedural or encounter requirement, need to complete their attestation by Dec. 31.

*Physicians should log onto their Physician Portal via ABIM.org for individual requirements.

Coming in 2019

Looking to the New Year, physicians who let a certificate lapse will be able to meet their assessment requirement by passing two consecutive Knowledge Check-Ins when it becomes available in their specialty. For cardiology, the Knowledge Check-In schedule is as follows:

• 2019: Cardiovascular Disease
• 2020: Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology; Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology; Interventional Cardiology
• 2023: Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Based on feedback from the physician community, the ABIM Board of Directors and Council have agreed that the Knowledge Check-In should be available as a re-entry pathway for all physicians that would like to take it.

Additionally, the ACC and ABIM continue to work together in good faith toward providing an alternate pathway for cardiologists who wish to maintain their ABIM certification. Read the recent statement from ACC President C. Michael Valentine, MD, FACC, and ABIM President and CEO Richard J. Baron, MD, MACP.

Clinical Topics: Arrhythmias and Clinical EP, Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies, Implantable Devices, SCD/Ventricular Arrhythmias, Atrial Fibrillation/Supraventricular Arrhythmias, Acute Heart Failure

Keywords: Certification, Internal Medicine, Heart Failure, Cardiovascular Diseases, Electrophysiology, Heart Diseases

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