Early response to the new American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS)-approved self-assessment continuing medical education (CME) program offered by the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS) indicates that Academy members appreciate the chance to earn credits that help meet Maintenance of Certification™ (MOC) requirements.

The 100-question exam offers a maximum of 10 AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits. The credits earned for successful completion can be applied to the scored and recordered self-assessment examination (SAE) requirement as mandated by the ABOS MOC process and will count toward the CME credit requirement as well.

“Lifelong learning and self-assessment are the educational backbone of improving one’s performance in practice over time,” said Marybeth Ezaki, MD, senior director for the ABOS, in her editorial in the April 2011 issue of JAAOS, introducing the new SAE CME offering. “JAAOS has made this easier with its focus on review articles that update the practicing orthopaedic surgeon.”

“We worked with the ABOS to bring this benefit to the members,” said Jeffrey S. Fischgrund, MD, JAAOS editor-in-chief. “We brought on board an enthusiastic new deputy editor, Christopher M. Bono, MD, who is charged with overseeing the development of the new examinations. Each exam is reviewed not only by Dr. Bono but also by the JAAOS editorial board and staff, as well as by me.”

Each JAAOS SAE CME exam covers articles published in six consecutive issues of JAAOS within the past 12 months. Examinees receive immediate feedback via hyperlink to the JAAOS article on which the question is based. The exam currently available covers JAAOS issues from April 2010 through September 2010. The next 100-question exam, scheduled to be made available in late September, will cover the October 2010 through March 2011 issues of JAAOS. Each SAE CME exam will remain actively available online at www.jaaos.org for 3 years. All exams are posted on the OrthoPortal website at www.orthoportal.org

The cost of each JAAOS SAE CME exam is $95 for AAOS fellows and affiliate, candidate, and emeritus members; $70 for U.S. and Canadian orthopaedic residents; and $115 for all others.

David C. Smith is managing editor of JAAOS. He can be reached at smith@aaos.org