Is maintenance of cognitive expertise in all 11 ABR categories really viable for a practicing radiologist?
In most instances, no. Diplomates achieve knowledge and skills as a prerequisite to their initial certification, and pass all categories and requirements of the board. MOC is designed to reflect the diplomate’s unique practice and foster continuous professional development and improvement in patient care. Thus, the program has major self-directed and educational planning features to be developed by the diplomate around his/her practice profile and local needs assessment. If a diplomate’s practice is, for example, limited to two or three of the ABR categories, that person selects clinical SAMs in those practice areas. The computer-based examination will reflect that practice profile as well. The “practice-profiled” exam will consist of one noninterpretive skills content module (patient safety, life support, ethics, principles of image quality, etc.), and four clinical modules, selected to reflect the diplomate’s self-reported practice profile. For example, a diplomate practicing 50 perc
