APA Reports Results of Member Survey on MOC

Abstract

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Education & TrainingFull AccessAPA Reports Results of Member Survey on MOCMark MoranMark MoranSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:18 May 2021https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2021.6.16AbstractRespondents who participated in an APA survey on maintenance of certification (MOC) reflected deep dissatisfaction with the process as well as an appreciation of the value of continuing medical education.An APA survey about members’ attitudes toward maintenance of certification (MOC) reflects members’ endorsement of continuing medical education (CME) and lifelong learning—as well as deep dissatisfaction with the time, expense, and perceived irrelevance of other components of MOC required by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN).For instance, 63% of respondents agreed with the statement, “The Continuing Medical Education (CME) component of the MOC process is relevant to my practice.” Yet only 39% agreed that the “self-assessment component of MOC is relevant to my practice,” and just 16% said that the Part IV Improvement in Medical Practice component is relevant to practice.“Maintenance of certification is a contentious issue for physicians of all disciplines, and many of our members believe aspects of the ABPN program are onerous, expensive, and not relevant to their practice,” said immediate past APA President Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H. “Our survey of more than 1,400 members who are participating in the MOC process confirms this impression. It also shows that a sizeable number of psychiatrists believe in the importance of ongoing education.“APA has been and will continue to be actively engaged with the ABPN to reform the process of maintenance of certification to make it more meaningful and useful to members, to enhance those aspects of MOC that psychiatrists find valuable, and to alter or eliminate altogether those aspects that don’t work,” Geller said.APA randomly selected 4,999 ABPN-certified members and invited them to complete the survey; 2,153 members responded. The data in the survey report are confined to the 1,446 of the respondents who are currently participating in MOC.“This approach allowed us to be sure we were soliciting the perspective of those most impacted by MOC and at the same time hearing from a representative sample of members,” said Tristan Gorrindo, M.D., director of the APA Division of Education.Of the 1,446 respondents, 48% were women; 30.36% were within 10 years of graduation from medical school, and 60.72% were 10 to 30 years from graduation. Respondents were roughly evenly spread out among the district branches in APA’s seven Areas, with Area 5 having the highest percentage of respondents (26.96%).Beliefs about the value of MOC were mixed. While 41% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that “MOC helps me keep up to date with current information,” 38% disagreed or strongly disagreed. But just 21% agreed with the statement that MOC “improves patients’ confidence in their physicians”; 56% disagreed or strongly disagreed.The impact of MOC on career and professional status was likewise mixed:46% said that participation in MOC is required for ongoing employment; 54% said it is not.39% said that participation in MOC affects career advancement; 61% disagreed.21% said participation in MOC affects salary or bonuses.36% said that participation in MOC is required by one or more insurance panels.The most widely shared beliefs were about the time and expense of the ABPN process. A total of 76% of respondents participating in MOC said it “takes up too much time,” while 68% strongly disagreed with the statement “The cost of the MOC program is appropriate.”However, the new journal-based alternative to the 10-year knowledge exam is highly popular: 89% of respondents said they favor it over the 10-year exam (Psychiatric News).“Among those participating in MOC, these data show us that it’s not a simple ‘MOC is all good or all bad’ story,” said Gorrindo. “Many psychiatrists are unhappy with MOC, but there are also many who find value in some parts of the MOC process. The impact of MOC on an individual’s employment, ability to participate in MOC, and financial compensation is also highly variable. This underscores APA’s need for a thoughtful and nuanced approach to MOC-related issues.”Ranga Ram, M.D., chair of APA’s Caucus on MOC, highlighted the finding about the link between MOC and ongoing employment. “Forty-six percent said MOC is required for employment, which I see as something APA needs to fight,” Ram said. “In every state, we need model legislation that [prohibits requiring MOC as a condition of employment].”(APA has official policy opposing use of MOC as a condition of licensure.)Earlier this year, the Board of Trustees approved a study on the feasibility of APA’s creating its own certification process, something Ram said the caucus strongly supports (Psychiatric News). ■ ISSUES NewArchived