Maintenance
of Certification
Maintenance of Certification Overview
Medical oncologists certified in 1990 or later* must renew their certification every 10 years through the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) MOC program as mandated by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). MOC promotes life-long learning and knowledge through study, self-assessment and evaluation focusing on enhancement of clinical judgment and skills essential for high quality patient care.
*ASCO advocates universal participation in MOC for its members who hold certificates from ABMS Member Boards regardless of an individual’s certification status.
To successfully complete the MOC process, medical oncologists must:
• Be licensed and in good standing and fulfill any applicable procedural requirements
• Earn 100 points of self-evaluation in two categories (See below):
- 20 points of medical knowledge
- 20 points of practice performance
- 60 points from either medical knowledge, practice performance or both
• Pass the secure examination
Self-Evaluation of Medical Knowledge
ASCO currently offers three medical knowledge modules: Breast Cancer, General Oncology and Cancer Prevention. Click on the module name to see a detailed description. Each module consists of 25-30 multiple-choice questions with educational links to content sources to handle the topic presented. Each successfully completed module earns 10 points in self-evaluation of medical knowledge. Participants can also earn a maximum of 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ per module.
Self-Evaluation of Practice Performance
Self-evaluation of Practice Performance provides the medical oncologist with a way to apply quality measurement to their practice and then use the resulting data to take actions to improve care.
ASCO’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) is the only oncology-specific program that has been approved by ABIM as a data source for the practice performance component of maintenance of certification. Completion earns 20 points in self-evaluation of practice performance. Participants can also earn a maximum of 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ . For more information, visit the QOPI website.
If you have no patients or no access to patient data, either directly or indirectly, you can complete the Essentials of Quality Improvement module. You must complete a Practice Characteristic Profile and attest that you have no direct or indirect patient responsibility.
Not enrolled in MOC? Visit ABIM’s website for more information.
MOC Frequently Asked Questions
Maintenance of Certification
The Medical Oncologist's Perspective
ASCO members give their perspective on the importance of staying certified.
The Medical Oncologist's Guide to MOC
Presentations from the 2008 and 2009 ASCO Annual Meetings to provide you with an in-depth look at the entire MOC process.
Purchase, log-in or activate an ASCO University MOC module.