The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 News
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
      • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / Maintenance of Certification Is Not Just for the Young

Maintenance of Certification Is Not Just for the Young

March 8, 2012 • By James R. O’Dell, MD

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF
James R. O’Dell, MD
Dr. O’Dell’s grandchildren Georgie (at right) and Aiden.

It is astonishing with how little reading a doctor can practice medicine, but it is not astonishing how badly he may do it.
—Sir William Osler, 1901

You Might Also Like
  • How to Complete Your Maintenance of Certification
  • Navigate Maintenance of Certification with the ACR
  • Help Navigating ABIM Maintenance of Certification? Let the ACR Guide You!
Explore This Issue
March 2012
Also By This Author
  • The Happiest Specialty: Rheumatology Is #1!

Last August, I became the proud grandfather to two amazing kids (see photograph at right). I have to admit, there really isn’t anything better in life than having grandchildren, and after this year is over I hope to really enjoy them. When you experience it, you will understand what I’m talking about.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

On the other hand, I have never been less proud of the label “grandfather” than when it is associated with the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) requirements.

I certainly am relieved to know that I will never need to recertify, but this feeling is shadowed by a deep sense of shame. As I have always told my kids, “never is a long time,” and it is particularly true here where the consequences could result in less than optimal patient care. This point has been especially troubling to me because of my role as an internal medicine program director for the last quarter of a century.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

As a program director at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, I have been preaching education and preparation for the ABIM exam—I’m proud to say that our program leads the nation in pass rate—and teaching residents the important habits of lifelong learning, while I myself have been “above the law,” so to speak. It seems unfair that the oldest among us are immune to this requirement because our certificates are dated earlier than 1990 or because we had enough political power to make sure we were immune when this requirement was passed.

Unfortunately, without a real commitment to lifelong learning, our skills and knowledge might quickly become out of date (as opposed to UpToDate). Osler’s quote is many times truer today than it was a century ago. So, I decided to step up, confront my hypocrisy, and take advantage of all the wonderful recertification programs the ACR has to offer. I wanted to see if an old guy could walk in the shoes of the next generation and really do this!

My Recertification Experience

I have to admit that when I started this process, I was a little smug. I thought I was already up to date. After all, I teach both a board review and the ACR MOC course every year; write textbooks, papers, and guidelines; read at least some of our journals; and go to all the ACR meetings. However, I was humbled by the process in a very healthy way.

ad goes here:advert-3
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

Pages: 1 2 3 | Single Page

Filed Under: Career Development, Certification, Education & Training, President's Perspective, Professional Topics Tagged With: AC&R, American College of Rheumatology, Certification, Education, education and training, MOC, rheumatologistIssue: March 2012

You Might Also Like:
  • How to Complete Your Maintenance of Certification
  • Navigate Maintenance of Certification with the ACR
  • Help Navigating ABIM Maintenance of Certification? Let the ACR Guide You!
  • How Maintenance of Certification Rule Changes Affect Rheumatologists

ACR Convergence

Don’t miss rheumatology’s premier scientific meeting for anyone involved in research or the delivery of rheumatologic care or services.

Visit the ACR Convergence site »

Rheumatology Research Foundation

The Foundation is the largest private funding source for rheumatology research and training in the U.S.

Learn more »

American College of Rheumatology

Visit the official website for the American College of Rheumatology.

Visit the ACR »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2022 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.