Key Points:
- Internal medicine recertifiers can choose between the traditional MOC exam and the Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment.
- The traditional MOC exam is available to all specialties and requires you to take the exam every 10 years in a designated testing center.
- The LKA is a five-year cycle that includes a participation requirement and a performance standard.
- A passing score on the LKA means you can continue on that pathway, while a lower score will mean you must pass the traditional 10-year MOC exam the following year to remain certified.
- The Knowledge Check-In stopped being offered after 2021.
Needing to maintain your certification in 2023? Maintenance of Certification exams are always a big undertaking, but the good news is that they're more flexible than ever for internists. Now the ABIM offers you two options for MOC so you can make the best choice for your schedule, your practice, and your test-taking style.
These details should help you choose between taking the traditional, 10-year MOC exam or the Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment.
Option #1: 2023 ABIM MOC Traditional Exam Dates
The traditional exam is available to all specialties and requires you to take the exam for about 10 hours, every 10 years, in a designated testing center to stay certified. You will be allowed to use UpToDate® as a resource throughout the exam. You can register for Spring exams through February 28 or Fall exams through August 15.
Spring 2023 Exam Dates
April 11, 17, or 19
Fall 2023 Exam Dates
Oct 19, 23, or 26
Option #2: The ABIM Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment
The longitudinal pathway is a newer option from the ABIM that allows physicians to maintain their certification in a more practical way on a five-year cycle. The LKA was created to give practitioners greater flexibility, convenience, and relevancy. It includes both a participation requirement and a performance standard.
An overview of the features ABIM offers for the Longitudinal Assessment MOC Exam.
What are the Participation Requirements?
Over the course of five years, you will be sent 600 questions by the ABIM (120 per year, delivered in 30-question batches each quarter). You can answer these questions online, from anywhere, with any resources you would normally use for practice. You’ll have four minutes to complete each question plus an extra 30-minute time bank that you can draw from if you need more time each year. In order to make this an even more flexible option, you can skip up to 100 questions and still meet the participation requirements.
What is the Performance Standard?
You’ll receive feedback throughout your five-year cycle, but your official score is given at the end of the cycle. A passing score means you can continue on the longitudinal pathway, while a lower score will mean you must pass the Traditional 10-year MOC exam the following year to remain certified.
What Happened to the ABIM Knowledge Check-In?
The Knowledge Check-In stopped being offered after 2021. This option was intended to add more flexibility for physicians maintaining certification. After the ABIM received feedback from physicians that it was difficult to cover the necessary amount of material in this shortened exam and testing every two years was too frequent, they developed the LKA.
With the Knowledge Check-In option now unavailable, you can choose from the 10-year traditional MOC exam or LKA—pick the exam that best fits your life, practice, and testing preference.
Check out our Internal Medicine solutions for resources that will help you be prepared for any exam you choose. Then, make sure you don't miss any deadlines this year by downloading a copy of our 2023 Important Dates Calendar.
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