Before diplomates can sit for their recertification examination, they need to have 240 continuing medical education (CME) credits submitted and approved by ABOS, with at least 40 of these credits coming from self-assessment examinations (SAE). Scored and Recorded Examinations are produced by organizations other than the ABOS. These examinations and activities then go through an approval process established by the ABOS to qualify for MOC credit.
Key Criteria for approval by ABOS:
- allows assessment of knowledge of an orthopaedic topic, procedure, or diagnosis with measurable scored results, education, plan for practice improvement, and re‐assessment based on identified knowledge gaps.
- includes a mechanism for the diplomate to receive performance results and apply the results to improvement in practice.
- includes a mechanism for assessing performance or comparing the diplomate’s performance with peers or relevant benchmarks, and educational resources to support performance in practice.
In order for SAE credits to be awarded, they must be scored and recorded. Self-scored examinations do not count.
Each Self-Assessment Examination activity must be entered into the online CME Summary, and a copy of the transcript or certificate from the issuing body must be uploaded to your Password Protected Portal.
The following organizations offer currently available Scored and Recorded Examinations that qualify for SAE under the ABOS’s MOC Program:
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS)
American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)
American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES)
American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH)
Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA)
California Orthopaedic Association (COA)
Eastern, Southern, and Western Orthopaedic Association Combined SAE
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS)
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Clinical Classroom (JBJS)
Orthobullets
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
For societies and organizations that want to submit an SAE proposal for approval to the ABOS, provided below is the link to the application form:
Proposal Application
Please note that application processing time is usually between 6-8 weeks.
