RSNA News - May 2005

RSNA Develops New Resources to Help with MOC Requirements

I think we should all be involved in the lifelong learning process. It’s the right thing to do, even if we don’t have to renew our certificate with an examination. We need to make sure our knowledge is up to date.

—Theresa C. McLoud, M.D. 

Theresa C. McLoud, M.D. RSNA Board Liason for Education

Based on the agreement that board-certified radiologists should demonstrate continued learning and up-to-date clinical capabilities in their field of practice, the American Board of Radiology’s (ABR) maintenance of certification (MOC) program aims to help radiologists with time-limited primary or subspecialty certificates that document their knowledge and expertise. The process will include a self-assessment of competency and an exam every 10 years.

For its part, RSNA has been working to ensure that members have the resources they need to meet MOC requirements and to monitor their progress in meeting the requirements.

In February, RSNA launched an online CME Gateway (www.CMEgateway.org) with the American College of Radiology, Society of Nuclear Medicine and American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS), that allows members to view, print and generate reports of the continuing medical education (CME) credits they have earned from each of the organizations.

RSNA is working with ARRS to develop a template for creating and updating an individualized education plan for members. RSNA is also developing self-assessment modules (SAMs) to help members assess their knowledge of radiology, and will offer enhanced CME courses at the annual meeting that include a self-assessment component.

MOC Requirements

There are four major components to the MOC requirements. To maintain certification, radiologists must present to ABR evidence of:

• Professional standing, particularly unrestricted license(s) to practice medicine.
• A commitment to lifelong learning, including CME activities and involvement in a periodic self-assessment process to guide continuing learning.
• Cognitive expertise based on performance on an examination containing questions on fundamental knowledge, up-to-date practice-related knowledge and knowledge related to other issues, such as ethics and professionalism.
• An evaluation of the radiologist’s performance in practice, including the quality of medical care he or she provides, professionalism and communication skills.

“RSNA is concentrating on the second component of the MOC requirements—self-assessment and lifelong learning,” said RSNA Board Liaison for Education Theresa C. McLoud, M.D., professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School and associate radiologist-in-chief and director of education at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

CME Organizer and Template

“We are in the process of developing an MOC registry and an education plan template,” she said. “This will not only allow individuals to keep a record of their CME credits and self-assessment modules but also help them develop a practice profile. Under the MOC program, one needs to identify one’s type of practice, such as academic or private practice, the types of cases one evaluates, and what areas of knowledge are needed to keep oneself up to date in a radiologic practice.”

The registry will allow members to identify their educational needs and alert them to upcoming CME activities related to the areas of knowledge in which they need to accumulate CME credits based on their practice profile.

Dr. McLoud gave an example of a vascular radiologist needing to learn a new technique. “The registry would alert the radiologist to upcoming CME opportunities in vascular radiology and, in particular, opportunities to learn that new technique,” she explained.

According to Linda Bresolin, Ph.D., M.B.A., C.A.E., assistant executive director for research and education at RSNA, “Members who register with RSNA will get practice-specific communications about where they should be in their MOC process and what they should be thinking about doing in the upcoming year. The communications will inform them about CME, self-assessment and practice-assessment opportunities relevant to their areas of emphasis.”

Self-Assessment Modules

Beginning July 1, 2005, RSNA will provide a broad range of self-assessment modules on the education portal section of RSNA.org. SAMs will be free to RSNA members, while non-members will be charged $50 for each SAM.

“Under the MOC requirements, an individual will have to annually complete two SAMs consisting of learning material with at least five questions,” Dr. McLoud explained.

“We are currently looking at the learning materials we have at hand, such as articles from RadioGraphics with CME questions attached, to develop them into SAMs,” she said. “Then, as new articles are submitted to RadioGraphics, we will ask the authors to help develop SAMs from that material. We will try to bundle SAMs into content areas within subspecialties.”

CME at RSNA 2005

“At RSNA 2005, there will be an opportunity to complete several in-person SAMs in conjunction with courses utilizing audience response system technology,” Dr. Bresolin said.

The entire RSNA annual meeting is an opportunity for radiologists to acquire CME credits—as many as 83 credits can be earned.

“The popular case-based courses will be offered again this year,” Dr. Bresolin noted. “In addition to case-based courses in neuroradiology, vascular/interventional radiology and pediatric radiology, a case-based course in radiation oncology is being developed for the meeting with assistance from the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.”

These courses are timely because ABR began offering 10-year primary certificates in radiation oncology in 1995, time-limited subspecialty certificates in neuroradiology the same year, and subspecialty certificates in vascular/interventional radiology and pediatric radiology in 1994.

An MOC kiosk at RSNA 2005 will provide attendees a dedicated location where they can ask questions about the MOC process, see demonstrations of RSNA products related to the MOC, and get information about other MOC resources.

“RSNA will continue to develop the highest quality in-person, online and print CME opportunities possible to help members meet the CME requirements of MOC in the general and specific content areas members will need,” Dr. Bresolin said. “The Board of Directors will continue to plan for the MOC process and add other MOC programs and products as the MOC process becomes clearer and member needs are identified.”

Dr. McLoud said RSNA’s MOC efforts should be of interest to all physicians. “I think we should all be involved in the lifelong learning process. It’s the right thing to do, even if we don’t have to renew our certificate with an examination. We need to make sure our knowledge is up to date. This is the obvious benefit of the MOC process,” she said.