Maintenance of Certification (MOC)

Introduction

As an OD board certified by ABCMO you are already required to maintain your state license of record which is on file with your credentialing committee if you are on the staff of a federal medical facility. Your state license of record will require that a minimum number of CE hours be taken in the past 1 or 2 years, depending upon how often your license is renewed. If your state license of record requires that a certain number of CE hours be taken in specific CE courses not relevant to medical optometry you must take those courses but then fill all remaining CE hours needed for license renewal by taking COPE-ARBO approved and accredited CE courses relevant to medical optometry to maintain your ABCMO board certification as a specialist in medical optometry.

When to Begin

State license renewals are every year (or every two years) and the date for beginning to participate in MOC is the expiration date of your current license of record.

Because licenses usually expire at the end of a calendar year, your starting MOC will probably be January 2021 or January 2022 (two year renewal). ABCMO already requires holding the highest level of licensure available in your state license of record.

States may require specified and mandatory CE hours be taken and those CE hours, added to COPE accredited and approved CE hours (B and C categories) must equal the number of CE hours required for license renewal. MOC requires only COPE approved and accredited CE hours (B and C categories) but additional CE hours may be taken voluntarily.

Step by Step

Fill the number of CE course hours required for your state license renewals with COPE-ARBO approved and accredited CE hours relevant to Medical Optometry, except for any specific hours of named CE courses that may be required by your state board from time to time.
Having maintained your license, send to ABCMO your COPE-ARBO list of approved and accredited CE courses you attended during the renewal cycle to show you are meeting (1).
Send ABCMO any adverse report(s) against you in the current National Practitioners Databank (NPDB).
Authorize ABCMO to make any necessary inquiries to confirm the information above.
Pay the ABCMO Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program fee every one or two years ($45 or $90) according to your license renewal schedule. This will allow ABCMO to continue to list you as ABCMO board certified in the specialty of Medical Optometry.

Important Notes

You have until your first state license renewal deadline after January 1, 2021 to enroll in the MOC Program. Failure to enroll at that time can result in loss of certification.

Rather than observe the expiration dates on past certifications and require retaking of the NBEO ACMO written examination the board believes this revised MOC program will be a far more effective, convenient and less costly way to maintain your competence and certification as a specialist in Medical Optometry. Payment of your MOC program fees will also allow ABCMO to respond directly to verification of certification requests from credentialing committees.

Until July 1, 2022, ABCMO certified ODs are urged to attend only COPE approved and accredited courses relevant to Medical Optometry that are sufficient to meet their required minimum number of hours for license renewals. While other CE courses may be taken they do not count towards meeting the ABCMO requirements for MOC.
After July 1, 2022, ABCMO certified ODs are required to attend COPE approved and accredited courses in Medical Optometry selected from COPE-ARBO Categories B (Ocular Disease) and C (Related Systemic Disease) to meet their required CE hours for license renewals and to submit their MOC fees and their COPE attendance records courses to ABCMO.

Article 19 of the ABCMO Bylaws details the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program and provides an example.

Learn more about the factors leading to enhanced programs to ensure Maintenance of Certification (MOC) of physician specialists.

Filing Online

Simply fill out the form below

Name*
Email*
OD License - Status*
- My license to practice Optometry is up-to-date.
OD License - Renewed On*
Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
OD License - State/Province*
Adverse Reports*
- I have NO ADVERSE REPORTS against me in the National Practitioners Databank (NPDB) and have attached a copy of my self-query request results made within the past 60 days.
- I had an adverse action report against me in the last 2 years and am submitting a copy of that adverse action from the NPDB.
NPDB Self-Query and/or Adverse Report Action
National Practitioner Databank is accessed here
Continuing Education (CE) Credits*
- I have met my state optometric license CE requirements.
- I have met and exceeded my required minimal number of CE hours by attending only COPE-ARBO approved and accredited CE hours in Categories B and C.
OE TRACKER Number/Card
Request OE TRACKER Number and Card from ARBO
Learn more about OE TRACKER Numbers and Cards
The links above opens in a new window.
CE Credits - Upload Option
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, tiff, pdf, gif.
If you do not provide an OE Tracker Number above (the preferred method) you can upload a copy of your CE credits instead.
Authorization*
- I authorize ABCMO to make all inquires needed to verify the validity of the statements above.
Attestation*
- I certify that the information submitted in this application is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I further understand that any false statements may result in revocation of certification.
Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Fees*
- 2 Years ($90)
- 1 Year ($45)
Please match your choice to the renewal cycle of your state license.
Total
$0.00
Credit Card

Card Details

Cardholder Name

Filing by Mail

Please print and mail this form along with copies of all required information with a check for the one-year or two-year MOC fee ($45 or $90) to:

ABCMO (MOC)
18683 Milton Ave.
Big Rapids, MI 49307

MOC Application by Mail (PDF)

Please email any questions you have to info@abcmo.org