MOC for Medical Physics - The American Board of Radiology

What is MOC 

The Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program 

demonstrates to the public, your peers, and colleagues 

your support for continuous quality improvement, 

professional development, and quality patient 

care. It is an integral part of the quality movement 

in healthcare and is highly valued by patients and 

physician colleagues alike. MOC builds on the validity 

of the initial certification process and provides a 

framework for self-regulation by the profession to 

improve quality of care. The program embraces the 

adult learning principles of accumulated life experience, 

self-direction, goal-orientation, achievability, 

and respect for diplomates’ achievements. 

MOC encompasses the essential competencies 

involved in delivery of quality care, which extend beyond 

medical knowledge. The MOC program must be 

developed and maintained throughout your professional 

career. It is designed to evaluate, on a continuous 

basis, the six essential competencies (initially 

developed in residency training) by means of four 

parts. The six competencies are: 

• Medical knowledge 

• Patient care and procedural skills 

• Interpersonal and communication skills 

• Professionalism 

• Practice-based learning and improvement 

• Systems-based practice 

MOC uses four parts to evaluate the six competencies: 

• Part 1: Evidence of professional standing 

• Part 2: Lifelong learning and self-assessment 

• Part 3: Cognitive expertise 

• Part 4: Practice quality improvement 

For more information on the evidence for MOC, see 

the ABMS MOC Evidence Library at http://www. 

abms.org/EvidenceLibrary. 

Part 1: 

Evidence of Professional Standing 

This part requires valid, unrestricted licensure to practice 

medical physics in all states requiring licensure 

of medical physicists (FL, HI, NY, TX). Any state board 

action against a license must be reported by the diplomate 

to the board within 60 days. 

If not licensed, letters of attestation from an ABRcertified 

medical physicist and an ABR-certified 

radiologist or radiation oncologist are required. The 

requested statements will attest to the diplomate’s 

active involvement in the discipline of medical physics, 

with specific emphasis on the six areas of competency. 

Forms to provide guidance and to assist in the 

attestation process are available on myABR (https:// 

myabr.theabr.org) 

Part 2: 

Lifelong Learning and Self-assessment 

At least 75 continuing education (CE) credits are required 

every 3 years. CE credits may be met by a combination 

of Category 1 credits (CAMPEP or ACCME) 

and self-directed educational projects (SDEPs). 

At least 25 of the 75 CE credits must be self-assessment 

CE (SA-CE). Other than ABR prequalified SAMs 

and SDEPs, the ABR will count all AMA Category 1 

CME activities in “enduring materials” (including webbased 

and print) and “journal-based CME” formats 

toward the MOC self-assessment requirement. According 

to the recently adopted AMA policy for CME, 

these activities include the following features that 

suit them for use as self-assessment tools: 

• They provide an assessment of the learner that 

measures achievement of the educational purpose 

and/or objective(s) of the activity with an established 

minimum performance level; examples include, 

but are not limited to, patient-management 

case studies, a post-test, and/or the application of 

new concepts in response to simulated problems. 

• They communicate to the participants the minimum 

performance level that must be demonstrated in the 

assessment to successfully complete the 

activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. 

• They provide a reference to appropriate bibliographic 

sources to allow for further study. 

A maximum of one SDEP may be recorded yearly 

and can count toward either CE or SA-CE. Fifteen 

CE credits are given for each completed SDEP, and 

project samples can be found on the ABR website. 

The approach to each project is prospective and must 

be defined in advance. The components of the SDEP 

include: 

Significance: a statement of educational need 

Approaches/resources to be utilized: a list of activities 

designated to address the need 

Evaluation: documentation of achievement 

Impact on practice: outcome statement 

For more information on Part 2 requirements, go to 

http://www.theabr.org/moc-rp-comp2. 

Part 3: 

Cognitive Expertise 

This part requires having passed the MOC exam 

within the past 10 years. The exam will be proctored, 

secure, and computer-based. Approximately 30 

percent of the material on the examination is core 

diagnostic, nuclear, or therapeutic (dependent on certificate) 

medical physics, technology, and safety. The 

rest is taken from recent advances in each respective 

field. The exam for the maintenance of any certificate 

in medical physics is offered one time each year. An 

exam must be taken in each discipline in which the 

diplomate is maintaining certification. 

Diplomates may take the exam any time it is offered 

during the MOC process, including multiple times 

if necessary. Study guides have been prepared and 

posted on the ABR website for each medical physics 

certificate area and are meant to help with preparing 

for the exam. The guides are not all inclusive, but 

indicate the general topics that will be included on 

each respective exam. 

Part 4: 

Practice Quality Improvement (PQI) 

The analysis and improvement of medical physics 

practice is an important aspect of the activities of 

medical physicists. Through Part 4, MOC also offers 

a pathway for participation in practice quality improvement 

(PQI). The PQI initiative is a framework 

to facilitate improvement of medical care and/or its 

delivery for an individual, a group, or an institution. 

Quality and safety in medical care have become a 

national priority, and Part 4 of MOC permits medical 

physicists to demonstrate both their commitment to 

this enterprise and, in some instances, their compliance 

with associated external requirements. 

The diplomate will engage in one PQI project every 

3 years. Sample PQI projects for each of the three 

sections of medical physics are posted on the ABR 

website. The ABR will review and qualify national programs 

developed by professional societies for fulfillment 

of the criteria of Part 4. In addition, diplomates 

can formulate and execute specific PQI projects of 

their own design that would satisfy the PQI requirements 

in achieving continuous quality improvement 

within individual practice. 

Projects can be developed by individuals, group 

practices, hospitals, institutions, or societies. The five 

areas for PQI project choices are: 

• Patient safety 

• Accuracy of interpretation and calculations 

• Report turnaround times 

• Practice guidelines and standards 

• Surveys

How do I participate 

Continuous Certification 

The ABR has implemented a new integrated process 

that links the ongoing validity of certificates to meeting 

the requirements of Maintenance of Certification 

(MOC). Under the new process, known as “continuous 

certification,” ABR certificates will no longer have 

“valid-through” dates. Instead, on each new certificate 

in diagnostic radiology, radiation oncology, or medical 

physics, the date of initial certification will be noted and 

accompanied by the statement that “ongoing validity of 

this certificate is contingent upon meeting the requirements 

of Maintenance of Certification.” 

For each diplomate who is a current enrollee in MOC, 

continuous certification has replaced the 10-year MOC 

cycle. 

Under the new policy, implemented in 2012, the total 

number of MOC requirements will not change. Progress 

will be evaluated annually in March, using a rolling 

calendar-year “look-back.” The first “full” annual 

look-back, including MOC Parts 1-4 and fees, will occur in 

March 2016. 

How does Continuous Certification work 

MOC 

Year 

Lookback 

date 

Element(s) checked 

2012 3/15/2013 Licensure or Professional Standing 

Attestation/Exam 






Attestation, CE/SA-CE, Exam, PQI, 

and Fees 



and Fees 



and Fees 



and Fees 

20XX 3/15/20XX Licensure or Professional Standing 


and Fees 

Useful Links 

The American Board of Radiology 

www.theabr.org 

CME Gateway 

www.cmegateway.org 

ABMS Public Website 

www.certificationmatters.org 

myABR 

https://myabr.theabr.org 

Maintenance of 

Certification 

(MOC) 

What It Is and 

What It Means for You 

For Medical Physicists 

Please note that the ABR will conduct yearly, 

random audits. If you are audited, you will be asked 

to submit documentation of your current progress 

on MOC Parts 1, 2, and 4. 

Status Check for “Meeting Requirements” 

Element Compliance Requirement 

Licensure At least 1 valid license or professional 

standing attestation in previous 5 years 

CE 

At least 75 Category 1 CE credits in previous 

3 years 

The American Board of Radiology is a Member 

Board of the American Board of Medical 

Specialties (ABMS): 

www.abms.org 

MOC Evidence Library: 

www.abms.org/EvidenceLibrary 

SA-CE 

At least 25 of the 75 CE credits in previous 

3 years must be Self-Assessment CE 

(SA-CE). 

Exam 

Passed ABR Initial Certification or MOC 

exam in previous 10 years 

PQI 

Fees 

Completed at least 1 PQI project in previous 

3 years 

Current with MOC fees at any time during 

the previous 3 years 

5441 E. Williams Circle, Tucson, AZ 85711-7412 

520-519-2152 • Fax: 520-790-3200 

abrmocp@theabr.org 

05/13

MOC for Medical Physics - The American Board of Radiology

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