CME and SAE/Practice Improvement (MOC Part II)
Diplomates must earn 240 credits of Category 1 Continuing Medical Education (CME) that include a minimum of 40 CME credits of Self-Assessment Examinations (SAE) by the end of your 10-year MOC cycle. Diplomates whose ABOS Board Certification expires in 2031 or later must earn at least 120 CME credits that include a minimum of 20 CME credits of SAE, between years 1-5 of their MOC Cycle. They must earn an additional 120 CME credits that include a minimum of 20 CME credits of SAE, between years 6-10 of their MOC Cycle. Additional credits earned in years 1-5 will not be included in years 6-10.
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 completed their MOC requirements 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.
There are several methods for which Diplomates can upload CME and SAE credit to their ABOS Dashboard:
- Many CME providers participate in ACCME’s PARS. Those credits automatically are transferred to the ABOS from the provider and come over approved.
- Non-AAOS credits claimed on your AAOS Learning Portfolio come over to the ABOS which reviews and then approves the credits.
- Diplomates can also upload credits through their ABOS Dashboard and those will be reviewed by ABOS staff.
