Two key deadlines—April 15, 2011, and May 1, 2011—are coming soon in the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) Maintenance of Certification™ (MOC) program. Diplomates who plan on taking the recertification exam in 2012, 2015, 2016, or 2017 should be aware of these requirements.

Extended CME and SAE deadline: Apr. 15
Diplomates whose certificates expire in 2017 and who intend to recertify in 2015, 2016, or 2017 must report their 120 AMA PRA Category 1 Continuing Medical Education (CME) Credits™, including at least 20 credits from one or two scored and recorded self-assessment examinations (SAE), to the ABOS no later than April 15, 2011.

According to ABOS Executive Director Shepard R. Hurwitz, MD, the CME and SAE should be for the years 2008–2010.

“Originally, the deadline was December 15, 2010, but a 4-month extension—until April 15, 2011—is being granted for this first reporting cycle for 2017 diplomates,” said Dr. Hurwitz. “A $50 late fee will be charged. Diplomates who fail to complete the CME and SAE reporting at the ABOS Web site and send hard copy confirmation along with the late fee by April 15, 2011, will lose one year of eligibility for the recertifying exam.”

Application deadline: May 1
Diplomates whose certificates expire in 2012, 2013, or 2014 and who plan on taking the MOC exam in 2012 must submit their application and application fee via www.abos.org by May 1, 2011. In addition, the following documents, which must be current and original, must be mailed to the ABOS office by May 1, 2011:

• signature page with three original signatures of the applicant
• current, original, notarized hospital and surgery center letters, including appointment date (month, day, and year must all be included), and type of appointment listed in item seven of the application
• current, original letters of prior hospital privileges since certification or last recertification including appointment date listed in item eight of the application

Help from the AAOS
If you are short of the required 120 CME credits or the 20 credits in scored and recorded SAE, the Academy offers a wide range of resources that can help you obtain credits and meet the self-assessment requirement. Visit www.aaos.org/moc to learn more.

To track how much CME you have earned through Academy programs or to add recently acquired CME from another source, visit your online transcript—an Academy member benefit—at www.aaos.org/transcript

Contact the ABOS
For information about MOC components and upcoming deadlines, visit the ABOS online at www.abos.org and click on the “Diplomates” tab; then select the year your certificate will expire from a drop-down menu. You may also call the ABOS at (919) 929-7103.