Maintenance of Certification: Beauty Is in the Eyes of the Beholder
Authors: Robert M. Centor, David A. Fleming, Darilyn V. Moyer
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2014)

Editorials5 August 2014Maintenance of Certification: Beauty Is in the Eyes of the BeholderRobert M. Centor, MD, David A. Fleming, MD, MA, and Darilyn V. Moyer, MDRobert M. Centor, MDFrom University of Alabama at Birmingham Huntsville Regional Medical Campus, Huntsville, Alabama; University of Missouri Center for Health Ethics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; and Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania., David A. Fleming, MD, MAFrom University of Alabama at Birmingham Huntsville Regional Medical Campus, Huntsville, Alabama; University of Missouri Center for Health Ethics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; and Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania., and Darilyn V. Moyer, MDFrom University of Alabama at Birmingham Huntsville Regional Medical Campus, Huntsville, Alabama; University of Missouri Center for Health Ethics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; and Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M14-1014 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail There are no facts, only interpretations.—Friedrich NietzscheIn this issue, Baron and Johnson (1) describe the history of and rationale for the creation of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and recent changes in maintenance of certification (MOC). They focus on setting standards and identifying "good doctors" who meet those standards. By implication, those who do not participate or are unsuccessful in achieving recertification are substandard. Although the ABIM is clearly proud of the MOC process that it has developed, many internists find it a source of great distress.We suggest considering a basic observation in cognitive psychology, the ...References1. Baron RJ, Johnson D. The American Board of Internal Medicine: evolving professional self-regulation. Ann Intern Med. 2014;161:221-3. doi:10.7326/M13-2478 LinkGoogle Scholar2. Slovic P, Finucane M, Peters E, MacGregor DG. Rational actors or rational fools: implications of the affect heuristic for behavioral economics. J Socio Econ. 2002;31:329-42. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. Slovic P, Finucane ML, Peters E, MacGregor DG. The affect heuristic. Eur J Oper Res. 2007;177:1333-52. CrossrefGoogle Scholar4. Loxterkamp D. Staying ahead of getting behind: reflections on "scarcity.". BMJ. 2014;348:g2634. [PMID: 24721750] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Robert M. Centor, MD; David A. Fleming, MD, MA; Darilyn V. Moyer, MDAffiliations: From University of Alabama at Birmingham Huntsville Regional Medical Campus, Huntsville, Alabama; University of Missouri Center for Health Ethics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; and Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M14-1014.Corresponding Author: Robert M. Centor, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham Huntsville Regional Medical Campus, 301 Governors Drive, Huntsville, AL 35801; e-mail, rcentor@uab.edu.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Centor: University of Alabama at Birmingham Huntsville Regional Medical Campus, 301 Governors Drive, Huntsville, AL 35801.Dr. Fleming: University of Missouri Center for Health Ethics, University of Missouri School of Medicine, MA412 Medical Science Building,1 Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO 65212.Dr. Moyer: Temple University School of Medicine, 3401 North Broad Street, 8 Parkinson Pavilion, Philadelphia, PA 19140.This article was published online first at www.annals.org on 13 May 2014. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe American Board of Internal Medicine: Evolving Professional Self-regulation Richard J. 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Copeland, MDMaintenance of CertificationLeonard Johnson, MDMaintenance of CertificationAntoinette Spevetz, MD 5 August 2014Volume 161, Issue 3 Page: 226-227 Keywords Bioethics Cognitive psychology Communication in health care Disclosure Electronic medical records Evidence based medicine History of medicine Hospital medicine Patients Sub-specialty care ePublished: 5 August 2014 Issue Published: 5 August 2014 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2014 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...