The Vision Commission will soon submit a report to ABMS with recommendations to improve the continuing certification process. I’ll be surprised if ABEM will need to make many adjustments to our planned modifications.

What can you share from your survey to all ABEM-certified physicians about continuing certification?

We conducted the survey because we felt it was extremely important to hear the voice of all ABEM-certified physicians as we developed modifications to the continuing certification process. I was pleased by the high response rate. We received almost 13,000 responses (36 percent) on a survey that was open for only two weeks. More than 70 percent of respondents thought that some assessment of medical knowledge should be part of continuing certification, and more than 90 percent prefer the general idea of shorter, more frequent open-book assessments. This information will help guide our path. For me, the biggest takeaway is a sense of gratitude to everyone who took the time to share their ideas so that together we can change the future of our specialty.

Tell us about the future of ABEM’s Continuing Certification Program.

In short, it’s really exciting. Our biggest challenges are defining the content and detailed design of the new testing format, MyEMCert, and meeting our self-imposed 2020 deadline for the pilot. We’re also exploring the best parts of our current program, such as the Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment, to see if we can leverage that learning experience within MyEMCert. With O. John Ma, MD, leading a taskforce of very talented and creative individuals, I’m confident it will be a high quality product.

We are also trying to find ways to identify new developments within the specialty and incorporate them into the new testing format in a timely manner. One of the criticisms we received is that we don’t focus on the most recent and relevant advances in the specialty. I think that will change.

The flip side of this effort is to not lose the validity of the current ConCert Exam. Research shows that the ConCert is a valid assessment of cognitive skill.

What’s been happening with the anti-MOC legislation?

Most anti-MOC legislation has failed. Among the bills that passed, most prohibit using MOC or certification as a requirement for medical licensure. I find that ironic since no ABMS Board has ever suggested that certification should be a requirement for a medical license. There are states, such as Texas, Georgia, and Tennessee, where the legislation has been more substantial.