Understanding Maintenance of Certification
Maintenance of Certification (MOC) requirements were developed by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and implemented by all ABMS member boards, including the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). The ABIM Maintenance of Certification program promotes continuous learning and the enhancement of the clinical judgment and skills essential for high-quality patient care.
AASLD is committed to helping hepatologists through the controversial MOC process while at the same time advocating for reform.
AASLD's MOC Committee is supporting AASLD in three target areas:
- Providing MOC products
- Advocating for MOC reform
- Keeping AASLD members up-to-date
To contact AASLD with questions, visit Contact Us.
To contact ABIM directly, visit ABIM.org/contact
ABIM MOC Requirements
Part I Licensure and Professional Standing: Possess a valid, unrestricted license
- Visit the Federation of State Medical Boards to learn more about your state’s licensure requirements
Part II Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment
- Every 2 years: Complete at least one MOC activity (any number of points)
- Every 5 years: Earn 100 points, 20 of which must be Medical Knowledge
- Points earned every 2 years count toward the 5-year requirement
- Points can include Practice Assessment, Patient Voice or Patient Survey activities, but these are not currently required
Part III Cognitive Expertise: Pass a certification exam every 10 years in each specialty certification you wish to maintain
- You are not required to maintain Internal Medicine certification to remain certified in Gastroenterology or Transplant Hepatology, or to maintain Gastroenterology certification to remain certified in Transplant Hepatology
- ABIM’s new 2-year “knowledge check-in” will not be available to GI diplomates until 2019 and to Transplant Hepatology diplomates until 2020. Check back here for more details in the future.
Part IV Practice Performance Improvement: This requirement (including Patient Voice and Patient Safety requirements) is currently suspended.
- While not required, you can still earn MOC points through these activities
To enroll in MOC or for information about your personal MOC status, sign in to the ABIM Physician Portal.
Certification Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to maintain certification in GI to remain certified in Transplant Hepatology?
No, you are not required to maintain Internal Medicine certification to remain certified in Gastroenterology or Transplant Hepatology, or to maintain Gastroenterology certification to remain certified in Transplant Hepatology.
I’m enrolled in MOC and “Participating in MOC.” What next?
- Visit ABIM's MOC page to enroll.
- Once enrolled, view your MOC status report. This will tell you your certification status and exactly what you need to do and when for each of your certifications.
- Earn MOC points by completing MOC activities every two years.
- Earn 100 points every five years with at least 20 points in medical knowledge.
- Points earned every two years will count toward your five-year requirement and toward your milestones for all certifications you choose to maintain.
- MOC points earned are credited toward all certifications maintained.
- Taking your MOC exam in your specialty every 10 years earns 20 MOC points (even if you don’t pass the first time).
How much does MOC cost?
Visit ABIM's website for information on enrollment and cost.
How to Earn MOC Points
AASLD’s activities are designed by hepatologists for hepatologists with the goal of providing educational opportunities to earn MOC points while reflecting a hepatologist’s scope of work. We have made a commitment to provide hepatologists with the resources and tools needed to navigate the process and earn MOC points. The cost of most activities is included with AASLD membership and/or meeting/course registration.
1. MOC opportunities available through LiverLearning. Activities available include:
- Live meetings and courses that have been recorded and turned into enduring activities like the Postgraduate Course and Transplant Hepatology Review Course
- Modules developed solely for online use like the Fundamentals of Liver Disease (FOLD) programs.
- Some content is available only to members. Learn how how to become an AASLD member.
2. MOC opportunities through AASLD’s Live Meetings
- Check out AASLD’s events calendar to view upcoming meetings/conferences and see which ones are offering MOC points.
3. Find Medical Knowledge MOC Points Through ABIM CME Finder. These accredited activities allow you to:
- Address your own practice-relevant learning need
- Earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- Earn MOC points/credits for the American Board of Anesthesiology, American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Pediatrics, American Board of Pathology, and/or American Board of Otolaryngology.
Credit Frequently Asked Questions
Do I get credit for taking a certification exam?
You earn 20 MOC points per specialty for the first attempt, regardless of whether you pass.
Do I get credit for being in fellowship?
Fellows in accredited programs earn 20 MOC points and a 1-year fee waiver upon completion of each eligible fellowship year.
What do I do if I have multiple certifications?
MOC points earned count toward all your certifications.
AASLD’s Principles for MOC Reform
AASLD developed five MOC Principles in collaboration with our sister societies – ACG, AGA, ASGE, ANMS and NASPGHAN in 2015. These principles continue to drive and focus our MOC reform efforts.
- MOC needs to be simpler, less intrusive and less expensive.
- We support ending the high-stakes, every 10-year exam.
- We do not support closed-book assessments as they do not represent the current realities of medicine in the digital age.
- We support the principles of lifelong learning as evidenced by ongoing CME activities, rather than lifelong testing.
- We support the concept that, for the many diplomats who specialize in certain areas of gastroenterology and hepatology, MOC should not need to include high-stakes assessments of areas where the diplomate may not practice.
AASLD continues to work with ABIM and other internal medicine specialty societies to reform the MOC process.