Participate in Activities
To be reported as "Certified, Participating in Maintenance of Certification (MOC)," physicians must: 1) participate in educational activities; and, 2) take and pass a knowledge assessment.
Physicians must participate in educational activities to earn a total of 100 MOC points every five years, regardless of the number of certifications they hold, and meet their MOC assessment requirement through one of the available options.
Activities that Earn MOC Points
Continuing Medical Education (CME)
Through the collaboration between ABIM and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, ABIM Board Certified physicians can earn MOC points for participating in thousands of accredited CME activities.
ABIM Assessments
ABIM assessments provide opportunities for physicians to earn MOC points while keeping their knowledge current.
- Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA®) – Earn up to 24 MOC points per year per certificate through ongoing participation. Learn more about the LKA.
- Traditional, 10-Year MOC Exam – Earn 20 MOC points for each attempt.
- Subspecialty Certification Exam – Earn a new subspecialty certification and satisfy the current cycle's 100 MOC point requirement.
ABMS Member Board Reciprocal Credit
If you are dual-boarded by one or more of the other American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Member Boards, your MOC points requirement will be waived.
To receive the waiver, ABIM diplomates will need to attest that they are currently certified by and participating in the other ABMS Member Board's MOC program.
ABMS Portfolio Program
The ABMS Portfolio Program®, offered by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), partners with all types of healthcare organizations to support physician participation in quality, performance and process improvement initiatives—recognizing their efforts with MOC points. Healthcare organizations looking to provide MOC points for multiple quality improvement activities across various specialties may consider becoming a sponsor organization within the ABMS Portfolio Program.
Approved Quality Improvement
The ABIM Approved Quality Improvement (AQI) process enables organizations to have their quality improvement (QI) initiatives recognized for MOC points. Physicians participating in these approved activities can earn MOC points while working on projects that enhance patient care.
Fellowship Training
For each year that a physician successfully completes accredited* fellowship training in an ABIM subspecialty, they earn 20 MOC points.
*Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), or training completed in Canada that has been accredited by either the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Collège des médecins du Québec.
Program Directors and Faculty
Program directors and faculty of ACGME-accredited internal medicine residencies and fellowships can earn 20 MOC points annually in recognition of the QI work intrinsic to their roles.
QI/PI Activities
By engaging in quality improvement/practice improvement (QI/PI) projects, ABIM Board Certified physicians have the opportunity to participate in activities that help to improve the quality of patient care in their practice while earning MOC points.