Pediatric MOC Part 4 : Improving Professional Practice
Posted by Stu Silverstein, MD, FAAP on Mar 28th 2021
Pediatric MOC Part 4 : Improving Professional Practice
If you are like me, Part 4 of the Pediatric Maintenance of Certification Process (Pediatric MOC) is the one you dread the most. All of the other ones have defined steps you can take. For the most part you are answering questions in well-defined structured activities. Other than reflecting back your understanding of the material you don’t really have to get out of your comfort zone.
Your Pediatric MOC 4 Menu
If you follow the link to the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) they list out activities you can engage in to get your Part 4 MOC ticket punched. There are several activities and in later blogs I will go over what they are. Since I am also in the middle of a 5 year MOC cycle I am going to have to pick one.
One from Column 2 and One from Column 4
You must earn 100 TOTAL points between Part 2 and Part 4.
A Minimum of 40 Points must be from Part 2 and a minimum 40 Points must be from Part 4. Taking out your favorite calculator and crunching the numbers that leaves you with 20 Flexible Points you can either fulfill with Part 2 or Part 4 activities.
Two is Better than
Personally that is an easy choice. I find it much easier to pick up Part 2 Points than Part 4 and that is the route I have taken in the past
Meaningful Relationship
According to the American Board of Pediatrics your participation must be meaningful. Well that doesn’t necessarily mean you have an epiphany that triggers a thrilling sensation in your lower spine. The ABP actually defines what "Meaningful Participation" consists of . In order to be meaningful, you must:
- Have an active role in the project you choose
- Be intellectually engaged in the planning and execution of the project
- Implement the project’s interventions
- Review data in keeping with the project’s measurement plan
- Collaborate actively by attending team meetings
Okay , you can wipe that smirk off your face now. Like it or not, you have to get this done in order to maintain your board certification. Now you can see why I choose a Part 2 activity to fulfill the 20 variable points.
Double Dip
If you are working for an institution, you may already be participating in activities that fulfill this requirement through internal Quality Improvement activities. IF that applies to you, congratulations you will be Killing 2 Part 4 MOC birds with 1 stone. If that does not apply to you, then there are several categories you can choose from to fulfill your Part 4 requirement. There are links for each in this ABP Part 4
- Local and National Projects
- Your own QI Project
- NCQA PCMH or PCSP Credit
- Institutional QI leadership position and/or project
- Reciprocal MOC Credit
- Online modules ( PIMS)
- Activities for the Clinically Inactive
In future blogs we will dig deeper into these options. But until then, before you go for the "Clinically Inactive" channel, you really are expected to be Clinically Inactive as defined by the ABP. No, that does not mean you feel like Bill Murray in Ground Hog day doing the same thing over and over. By the way Ground Hog Day is Saturday Feb 2 nd 2019 and just around the Corner.
Read More:
5 MOC Nuggets about MOCA Peds
Read More:
5 Essential Tips for answering the MOCA Peds Questions Correctly