Commments & Suggestions

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Time limited board certification must go!
I will support this organization as long as they advocate for an end to all time limited board certification. The problem isn't MOC. That is merely a natural consequence of time limited board certification. Board certification is like our university degrees, it's supposed to be a one time event, not something constantly renewed. This organization also needs to advocate for a return to reasonable alternative pathways. There is no reason in the world that if you have done a residency with a lot of overlap in another specialty that you would need to do a residency in that other specialty. For example, if someone has residency training in Family Medicine and has done a lot of work as an Emergency Medicine doctor, you should be able to challenge the boards without doing an EM residency. Also, there is no reason in the world to make someone do a fellowship in a subspecialty that is purely cognitive, especially when fellowship program availability is limited. For example sleep medicine. This is purely cognitive and any training could be done remotely or even by self study. In fact, most current sleep medicine specialists are certified by practice pathway and never completed a fellowship. But the ABMS and AOA will not allow anyone who is not fellowship trained to achieve board certification now. These things are all unfair, unlawful restrictions of trade that also harm patients and physicians alike.
MOC needs to be a voluntary issue, not mandatory as it is now. It is ashame that changes to ABMS has to be done through legislations(state), and /or a lawsuit. We nned to change MOC.
Nothing to more to say
MOC Is extortion plain and simple. It needs to end.
I'm not sure I agree with the time-limited issue. I have a time unlimited Internal Medicine certification but I have re-certified every 10 years (due now). It is shocking to me how much I didn't know and missed despite making an effort to read and catch up. I do agree with the idea that there should be alternative pathways to other certifications. This will motivate people to upgrade their skills and benefit patients also.
Yes, there are problems with MOC. Similar (more severe) problems persist for medical school and residency educations, non-uniform experience/knowledge being one of them. However, MOC's GOAL is highly desirable for patients and society. Excellent performance by all medical practitioners is far more critical than it is by gardeners or chefs or even roofers, for example. Too many MDs don't take the requirement to stay current seriously enough.

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