Perceived value of Board certification and the Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology Program (MOCA®)

• Published in: Journal of clinical anesthesia Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 12 - 19
• Main Authors: Culley, Deborah J., MD, Sun, Huaping, PhD, Harman, Ann E., PhD, Warner, David O., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-02-2013; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Age discrimination; Aged; American Board of Anesthesiology; Anesthesia & Perioperative Care; Anesthesiologists; Anesthesiology; Anesthesiology - education; Anesthesiology - standards; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitudes; Biological and medical sciences; Board certification; Certification; Clinical Competence; Core competencies; Education, Medical, Continuing - methods; Education, Medical, Continuing - standards; Female; Humans; Lifelong learning; Maintenance of Certification; Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology Program; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pain Medicine; Participation; Perceptions; Physicians; Professional development; Program Evaluation - methods; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Self-Assessment; Specialty Boards; Teaching. Deontology. Ethics. Legislation; United States; United States; North America; America; Core competencies; American Board of Anesthesiology; Maintenance of Certification; Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology Program; Board certification; Anesthesiologists; American; Certification; American Board of; Professional competence; Anesthesiologist; Anesthesiology; Occupational education; Occupational training; Public health
• ISSN: 0952-8180; 1873-4529
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2012.09.001

Abstract Study Objective To determine the attitudes and perceptions of diplomates of the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) regarding the value of Board certification, Maintenance of Certification (MOC),and the specific components. Design Survey instrument. Setting American Board of Anesthesiology, Raleigh, NC, USA. Subjects Diplomates of the ABA. Measurements A SurveyMonkey link was sent to 3,000 randomly selected 1) non-time-limited diplomates who were not enrolled in MOC, 2) non-time-limited diplomates who were enrolled in MOC, and 3) time-limited diplomates of the ABA (1,000 survey requests per group). The surveys queried demographics, attitudes about the value of Board certification, and attitudes and knowledge about Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology (MOCA). Main Results 17% to 27% of diplomates from each group completed the survey. The majority of these diplomates perceived Board certification to be of value in demonstrating competence, although fewer believed that Board certification reflected competence. The elements of Professional Standing and Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment were perceived to be significantly more relevant to the practice of the diplomates than were the Cognitive Examination and Practice Performance Assessment and Improvement activities. Diplomates demonstrated concerns about the cost and complexity of MOC, a lack of evidence that it improves practice, and a belief that the Cognitive Examination covered topics that were not relevant to their current practice. Conclusions Although diplomates of the ABA highly value Board certification and report that the components of the MOCA program have potential relevance to their practices, they expressed significant concerns about the program as it is currently implemented.