The ACR has been engaged in a measured, inclusive process with rheumatologists to determine if rheumatology board certification should move from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI), which would become a new, combined board of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology.
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“As ACR leaders have traveled around the country and listened to our members talk about issues affecting our profession, few issues have engendered as much impassioned debate as Maintenance of Certification [MOC],” says David I. Daikh, MD, PhD, immediate past president of the ACR, who has overseen efforts to explore potential changes in certification and to engage the entire rheumatology community in this important discussion. “The ACR Board of Directors has been committed to addressing concerns of the rheumatology community by working to facilitate discussions to identify the best possible option for the future.”
Survey Findings
The ACR leadership has made comprehensive communication efforts to explain changes to certification being implemented by ABIM, and details about the feasibility, processes and implications of moving rheumatology certification and recertification to a new board.
The ACR engaged an independent research and consulting firm to develop and distribute an electronic survey to the rheumatologists. The survey was launched on June 19, 2018, and closed on July 10, 2018, with invitations to participate successfully delivered to more than 7,400 individual email addresses. Survey response and completion rates were above industry standard. The purpose of the survey was to provide an opportunity for rheumatologists to share their opinions, perceptions, uncertainties or concerns about a potential change to rheumatology board certification.
Key findings from the survey’s results include:
- Most rheumatologists plan to maintain ABIM certification in rheumatology, but not internal medicine;
- Nearly 70% of respondents are aware of ABIM’s Knowledge Check-In option, but many are unsure about whether they wish to pursue it;
- Most respondents are either satisfied with or neutral about ABIM initial certification; however, many are dissatisfied with ABIM maintenance of certification;
- Most respondents do not expect any major differences between ABIM and ABAI rheumatology initial certification programs; and
- Slightly more rheumatology specialists prefer to move certification to ABAI than to stay with ABIM.
Next Steps
What are the next steps in this process? The ACR is providing information to members about the 2019 ABIM rheumatology Knowledge Check-In assessment option. This no-consequence year offers rheumatologists an opportunity to evaluate this option.
The ACR leadership will also continue to work with ABAI to develop a detailed proposal addressing outstanding questions from rheumatologists about the formation of a combined board and will communicate the results of these discussions in the coming months.
A change is needed to allow practicing rheumatologists to accomplish maintenance of certification requirements without being financially burdensome and through a system that addresses clinical competence. The current system is both burdensome and often irrelevant to clinical practice. The ABIM either needs to respond with meaningful change, or the ABAI may be the better option.
It is not ABIM or ABAI that important. It is the one that presents the best option at the least cost. I would prefer getting weekly or monthly questions with back ground reading material on an ongoing basis. Several Websites have this. Members would be more apt to integrate learning with current research into their practice, instead of waiting several years to cram for questions. With today’s technology, this should change, especially for members who have been previously obtained board certification.
Thanks very much