FREQUENTLY	  ASKED	  QUESTIONS	  REGARDING	  MAINTENANCE	  OF	  CERTIFICATION	  (MoC)/	  MAINTENANCE	  OF	  LICENSURE	  (MoL)	  and	  VOLUNTARY	  RECERTIFICATION	  BY	  ABP	  	  June	  5,	  2013	  This	  is	  particularly	  applicable	  to	  board-­‐certified	  pathologists	  who	  hold	  non-­‐time	  limited	  (i.e.,	  “lifetime”)	  certificates.	  
Anyone	  who	  holds	  a	  LIFETIME	  certificate	  will	  NOT	  be	  jeopardized	  by	  participating	  (or	  for	  NOT	  participating)	  in	  either	  the	  Voluntary	  Recertification	  or	  MoC	  process.	  
1) What	  is	  the	  Voluntary	  Recertification	  Program	  of	  the	  American	  Board	  of	  Pathology?	  
The	  ABP	  offers	  a	  process	  for	  recertification	  that	  enables	  its	  diplomates	  to	  demonstrate	  continued	  competency	  in	  the	  practice	  of	  pathology.	  This	  voluntary	  recertification	  process	  is	  designed	  to	  evaluate	  the	  basic	  parameters	  of	  a	  pathologist’s	  practice	  and	  assure	  a	  current	  review	  of	  	  credentials,	  leading	  to	  a	  certificate	  of	  recertification.	  
Voluntary	  recertification	  is	  available	  only	  to	  diplomates	  of	  the	  ABP	  who	  hold	  non-­‐time-­‐limited	  certificates	  in	  one	  of	  the	  primary	  disciplines	  of	  pathology	  and	  who	  meet	  the	  stated	  requirements.	  
Voluntary	  recertification	  in	  subspecialties	  is	  not	  available.	  
Each	  applicant	  successfully	  completing	  the	  recertification	  process	  will	  receive	  a	  certificate	  of	  recertification	  as	  a	  diplomate	  of	  the	  ABP	  dated	  January	  1	  of	  the	  year	  following	  completion	  of	  the	  process	  and	  effective	  for	  ten	  years.	  
2)	  What	  is	  the	  deadline	  and	  process	  for	  enrollment	  in	  the	  Voluntary	  Recertification	  Program	  of	  the	  American	  Board	  of	  Pathology?	  	  The	  Voluntary	  Recertification	  Program	  ends	  on	  June	  30,	  2013,	  so	  anyone	  wishing	  to	  participate	  must	  apply	  by	  that	  date	  through	  the	  American	  Board	  of	  Pathology	  following	  the	  instructions	  on	  the	  website	  at	  http://www.abpath.org/VoluntaryRecertification.htm.	  	  	  As	  of	  July	  2013,	  Voluntary	  Recertification	  will	  no	  longer	  be	  available.	  After	  this	  date,	  a	  diplomate	  with	  a	  non-­‐time	  limited	  certificate	  who	  wants	  to	  recertify	  or	  is	  required	  to	  pass	  a	  secure	  examination	  for	  licensure	  will	  have	  to	  do	  so	  through	  the	  MOC	  process.	  
3)	  If	  an	  individual	  holds	  combined	  certification	  in	  Anatomic	  Pathology	  and	  Neuropathology	  (AP/NP),	  is	  the	  voluntary	  recertification	  program	  available	  for	  both,	  or	  for	  AP	  only?	  
Voluntary	  recertification	  is	  not	  specialty	  specific;	  the	  certificate	  states	  that	  the	  diplomate	  has	  recertified.	  	  Voluntary	  recertification	  is	  available	  with	  and	  without	  an	  examination.	  	  If	  the	  diplomate	  is	  in	  need	  of	  an	  examination	  for	  licensure	  purposes,	  the	  exam	  will	  be	  AP,	  or	  AP/CP	  if	  applicable.	  	  The	  examination	  is	  	  very	  general	  and	  very	  practical	  with	  a	  very,	  very	  high	  passage	  rate.	  	  4)	  What	  is	  the	  proposed	  Neuropathology	  MoC	  examination	  going	  to	  look	  like?	  
The	  examination	  will	  be	  modular	  with	  two	  modules	  for	  each	  of	  the	  following:	  50	  question	  GENERAL	  	  25	  question	  NEUROMUSCULAR	  25	  question	  DEVELOPMENTAL/PEDIATRIC/CONGENITAL	  25	  question	  NEURODEGENERATIVE	  25	  question	  NEOPLASTIC	  The	  diplomate	  must	  complete	  ONE	  50	  question	  GENERAL	  module.	  	  The	  remainder	  of	  the	  examination	  can	  be	  any	  combination	  of	  the	  other	  modules	  that	  total	  150	  questions.	  	  The	  examination	  will	  be	  graded	  as	  a	  whole,	  without	  requiring	  that	  each	  individual	  module	  be	  “passed”.	  	  The	  examination	  will	  be	  very	  practical,	  need	  to	  know,	  day-­‐to-­‐day	  knowledge;	  not	  the	  high	  bar	  necessary	  to	  “pass”	  the	  primary	  certification	  examination.	  
5)	  Could	  the	  ABP	  provide	  “pluses	  and	  minuses”	  for	  the	  membership	  regarding	  voluntary	  recertification,	  or	  MoC	  enrollment,	  or	  to	  do	  nothing	  new	  –	  just	  stick	  with	  the	  time	  unlimited	  certificate?	  
Once	  voluntary	  recertification	  ends	  on	  June	  30,	  2013,	  hospital	  credentialing	  committees,	  The	  Joint	  Commission,	  payers,	  external	  stakeholders	  etc.	  will	  see	  recertification/MoC	  as	  evidence	  that	  the	  physician	  is	  demonstrating	  continued	  competency	  in	  their	  chosen	  field.	  	  In	  2013	  and	  2014,	  there	  is	  also	  an	  MoC-­‐PQRS	  Bonus	  payment	  from	  CMS	  of	  0.5%.	  	  The	  CAP	  has	  additional	  information	  at	  its	  PQRS	  Resource	  Center	  website.	  	  There	  is	  the	  looming	  prospect	  of	  Maintenance	  of	  Licensure	  (MoL)	  in	  some	  states,	  and	  the	  FSMB	  has	  a	  white	  paper	  that	  essentially	  says	  MoC	  will	  Meet	  MoL	  requirements,	  but	  each	  state	  will	  probably	  do	  its	  own	  thing.	  	  If	  you	  review	  MoC	  requirements	  (Booklet	  on	  the	  website	  http://www.abpath.org/MOCFAQs.pdf)	  	  	  ,	  the	  MoC	  process	  is	  essentially	  what	  we	  do	  now	  for	  licensure	  and	  CAP	  accreditation,	  so	  it	  is	  NOT	  an	  onerous	  process.	  	  Everyone	  is	  afraid	  of	  the	  examination,	  but	  the	  experience	  of	  other	  boards	  that	  have	  had	  recertification	  with	  an	  examination	  for	  some	  time,	  has	  historically	  been	  high	  pass	  rates.	  
6)	  For	  individuals	  who	  are	  also	  certified	  by	  the	  Royal	  College	  of	  Canada,	  will	  their	  Maintenance	  of	  Competency	  (MoC)	  measures	  count	  toward	  ABP	  recertification,	  or	  will	  these	  individuals	  need	  to	  do	  both	  independently	  (i.e.,	  do	  everything	  twice)?	  
ABP	  accepts	  the	  Canadian	  Maintenance	  of	  Competency	  (CME	  equivalent)	  credits	  towards	  MoC