Maintenance of Certification in the Subspecialties

Note: PDF files can be viewed using Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you are experiencing difficulty in opening a pdf file, you may need the current version of the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which may be downloaded free of charge from the Adobe web site.
For instructions on how to download a file from the ABPN web site click here.

The ABPN Maintenance of Certification Program
The Maintenance of Certification Program (MOC) of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology reflects the Board's commitment to lifelong learning throughout one's profession. The mission of MOC is to ensure that diplomates adhere to the highest standards in medicine and pursue excellence in all areas of care and practice improvement. The MOC program requires diplomates to participate in sanctioned self-assessment performance measures, identify perceived weaknesses in their knowledge, pursue learning activities tailored to areas that need to be strengthened, and develop quality improvement programs based on their clinical practice. The goal is for diplomates to reflect on their personal knowledge and performance and commit to a process of improvement and reevaluation of performance measures over a specified time frame that will ultimately lead to improved care for their patients.

Diplomates are responsible for their own self-assessment, continuing education, and practice improvement plans, and they can choose the learning tools that will best address their perceived needs, expand their expertise, and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of their practice.

As of October 1, 1994, all individuals achieving Board certification by the ABPN are issued 10-year, time-limited certificates. Certificates issued in the subspecialties of addiction psychiatry, clinical neurophysiology, forensic psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, hospice and palliative medicine, neurodevelopmental disabilities, neuromuscular medicine, pain medicine, psychosomatic medicine, sleep medicine, and vascular neurology, including those issued prior to October 1, 1994, are 10-year, time-limited certificates. Time-limited certificates for child and adolescent psychiatry began in 1995. All ABPN time-limited certificates, regardless of their exact dates of issuance, are considered to expire 10 years later on December 31.

Diplomates who are not recertified before their certificates expire are no longer Board certified in that area of certification. Once a former diplomate completes all MOC requirements and passes the MOC examination, however, he or she will regain certification status.

Diplomates with certificates in the subspecialties of addiction psychiatry, clinical neurophysiology, forensic psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, hospice and palliative medicine, pain medicine, psychosomatic medicine, sleep medicine, and vascular neurology must also maintain certification in their specialty in order to apply for recertification in the area of subspecialization. Diplomates in neurodevelopmental disabilities must maintain certification in neurology with special qualification in child neurology. If certification in the specialty lapses, certification in the subspecialty is no longer valid.

Diplomates in child and adolescent psychiatry do not need to maintain current certification in general psychiatry for their subspecialty certification to remain valid and to recertify in child and adolescent psychiatry.

There is no time limit on regaining certification status through maintenance of certification. It is the responsibility of diplomates to obtain application materials for maintenance of certification.

Click here for the MOC Program Requirements and Phase-in Schedule of Components document.

Click here for the MOC Frequently Asked Questions document.

Click here for Information for Applicant publications for MOC in a subspecialty.

* late fee required

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc.
2150 E. Lake Cook Road, Suite 900, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
Phone: 847.229.6500 Fax: 847.229.6600

Home | Copyright and Trademark Notice | Training Programs | Candidates | Diplomates | Public | Travel
ABOUT ABPN - Mission and History | Who We Are | Related Links
INITIAL CERTIFICATION - Neurology/Child Neurology | Psychiatry | Subspecialties | Statistics
MAINTENANCE OF CERTIFICATION - Neurology/Child Neurology | Psychiatry | Subspecialties | MOC Statistics
PUBLICATIONS - Applications | Content Outlines | Core Competencies | Exam Schedules | FAQs | Forms | Information for Applicants | Important Notices | Newsletters