MOC Requirement Deadline Extended Through 2022

Mar 08, 2021

In recognition of the current stress and strain on physicians due to COVID-19, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Board of Directors has announced it will extend all Maintenance of Certification (MOC) requirement deadlines through December 31, 2022. As a result, no diplomates will lose their certification if they aren’t able to complete any MOC requirement this year.

The deadline extension is in response to the extenuating circumstances and challenges brought on by the pandemic, including substantial stress and burnout among physicians and the significant amounts of time and energy they are spending caring for patients with COVID-19.

“ASCO commends ABIM for allowing greater flexibility for our members given the varied impact of the unexpected global health challenges,” said ASCO Chief Medical Officer Julie R. Gralow, MD, FACP, FASCO. “This deadline extension also eases the transition into the new longitudinal assessment model.”

The ABIM’s decision is also aimed at helping to ease physicians into the new MOC longitudinal assessment being introduced to most specialties beginning in January 2022. This new assessment for MOC will occur over a five-year cycle, during which physicians will be asked to answer questions on an ongoing basis in order to receive continuous feedback on their performance. This new MOC model is designed to add greater flexibility and convenience for physicians, while also providing more timely feedback.

Physicians who decide to delay their 2021 assessment will be able to enroll in the longitudinal assessment when it rolls out (pending availability) or can take the traditional, 10-year MOC exam.

Physicians who’ve already registered for an assessment in 2021 have the option to cancel it through the Physician Portal. Once cancelled, physicians will receive a credit for the exam that can be applied to future fees.

For those who would like to complete their MOC as planned this year, ABIM will continue to offer all 2021 exams as scheduled. Successful performance will reset the clock for the assessment due date, depending on which exam option is selected. Physicians then will be able to enroll in the longitudinal assessment the next time an assessment is due. (Please note 2021 is the last year the Knowledge Check-In will be available as ABIM transitions to the longitudinal assessment.) Also recall that ASCO’s collaboration with ABIM, the ABIM/ASCO Medical Oncology: Learning & Assessment (MOLA), ended in 2020 in lieu of ABIM’s development of the new longitudinal assessment.

If you have any questions about what this means for you, please contact ABIM’s Customer Care team at 1-800-441-ABIM or request@abim.org.

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