Executive Director News

From Board Director to Executive Director: Leadership Engagement in MOC

I have been fortunate to be involved with the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation since 1988, when I first began writing items for the Part I Examination. After 11 years of volunteering as an item writer as well as an oral examiner for the Part II Examination, I was honored to be elected to the Board of Directors in 1999, completing my service in 2011.

My history with the board gives me a unique perspective in my current role as executive director.

While much has changed since my early days as an ABPMR volunteer, including many improvements in testing and maintenance of certification — currently, the board has made a significant investment in piloting longitudinal assessment via CertLink as a possible replacement for the MOC Examination — other things have not changed. Namely, the board of directors remains as committed as ever to ensuring ABPMR board certification remains the definitive standard for excellence in PM&R.

Part of this effort is through innovations to continuous certification — currently our Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program.

Did you know that although half (n=7) of the physiatrists currently serving on the ABPMR Board of Directors have time-limited certificates first issued after 1993, all board directors are required to participate fully in the MOC Program as a condition of serving on the board? (Interestingly, about 75% of our board directors also hold a subspecialty and participate in MOC for that certificate, as well.)

What does this mean for the field, and for ABPMR diplomates? It means that your board directors, like you, are completing a Practice Improvement Project (PIP) every five years. It means that we are logging CME’s and self-assessments. It means that we are studying for the MOC Examination every 10 years, and will all participate in CertLink, if the pilot is successful.

How can we make decisions for the future of physiatry without understanding the needs and pressures of the physiatrists practicing today? We cannot innovate our programs without being full participants ourselves.

Contrary to the “ivory tower” claim we hear sometimes, the truth is this: all ABPMR physician board directors are practicing in the field, completing our MOC requirements, and grappling with increasing regulations, just like all of you. We rely on your feedback and input to continue innovating, of course, but nothing replaces real-life application.

Today, I am proud to introduce the first in a series of brief videos featuring my colleagues, the ABPMR board directors. I am hoping these videos help you see what I do: leaders in the field who are in the trenches with you, motivated and committed to seeing physiatry thrive.

Meet the ABPMR Board Directors: Anthony E Chiodo MD from ABPMR on Vimeo.