ABFM has partnered with the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) to make longitudinal assessment available through ABP’s MOCA-Peds program.

Beginning in 2023, a Diplomate who holds a Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) in Adolescent Medicine and is looking to continuously maintain their CAQ will apply to MOCA-Peds in the year their 10-year examination requirement comes due. If you gain initial certification in Adolescent Medicine in 2024 or after, you will begin MOCA-Peds participation in the sixth year following your successful one-day examination.

Going forward, you can expect to begin a new cycle of MOCA-Peds every five years to maintain your Adolescent Medicine CAQ.

As a participating physician, you will complete up to 20 questions each quarter over three to four years. Clinical references can be used during the exam, and you have five minutes to complete each question. Immediate feedback is provided, and you choose the time and location that’s convenient for you. You’ll remain certified throughout your participation as long as you meet other ABFM requirements.

How it Works

  • You will begin in the first quarter of the year when your exam requirement is due.
  • You will answer up to 20 timed questions each quarter over 3 to 4 years.

  • If performance at the end of three years is sufficient to reach the minimum passing standard, the fourth  year may be taken as an “off” year.

  • Questions can be answered all at one time, or you may space out completing questions during the quarter.

  • Immediate feedback and critiques are provided for each question answered.

  • Quarterly performance summaries will be available at the end of the first year, so you can continually assess your performance and identify focus areas for future study.

  • Each year ABP will provide Learning Objectives and Featured Readings. Up to two total questions from the Featured Readings can be expected to be delivered in a given year, but they won’t begin until quarter 2.

  • Final results will be provided following the quarter in which you complete the assessment.

  • You may review all answered questions in the “Question History” section of the MOCA-Peds dashboard.

MOCA

MOCA-Peds Platform Tutorial

Moca

Moca

Eligibility Requirements

Who is Eligible?

  • ABFM Diplomates begin MOCA-Peds participation in January of the tenth year after their last successful Adolescent Medicine examination. In 2023, currently certified physicians whose last successful Adolescent Medicine one-day examination was in 2013 will enroll in the program. To enroll, this group must complete the online application process.
  • ABFM Diplomates whose Adolescent Medicine certification has lapsed are also allowed to enroll in MOCA-Peds. However, Adolescent Medicine certification would not be restored until completion of the assessment with a passing score.

Who is not eligible?

  • ABFM Diplomates pursuing initial Adolescent Medicine certification are not allowed to participate in MOCA-Peds.
  • ABFM Diplomates who fail MOCA-Peds are not allowed to re-enroll in MOCA-Peds until they have regained certification by taking and passing the one-day Adolescent Medicine examination.
  • Physicians who are not certified in Family Medicine with ABFM are not allowed to enroll in MOCA-Peds through ABFM.

APPLICATION information

Candidate Information Booklet
To assist you with the Adolescent Medicine Examination Application and results process, ABFM provides you with a Candidate Information Booklet that includes a comprehensive description of your requirements and policies. We recommend that you read this thoroughly before beginning the application process.

Candidate Information Booklet(s):

    2023 [PDF, 350KB]

    2024 [PDF, 440KB]

Online application details
To participate in MOCA-Peds, you will need to complete an application that will be reviewed and approved by ABFM, just as you have done previously for the one-day examination. There is no additional cost for MOCA-Peds compared to the one-day examination option. The online application can be accessed inside your MyABFM Portfolio during the open application period. Click here to review important dates and deadlines for the online application.

ADA Accommodations
You may request additional time for answering questions via the online application.  If accommodations become necessary after the application process is completed, you may submit a written request to a[email protected].

Ongoing requirements
You will need to submit annual CAQ process fees and continue completing Family Medicine Continuous Certification Process requirements in three-year stages to remain enrolled in MOCA-Peds. Note that continued certification is still contingent upon meeting the current and continuous three-year stage requirements for Family Medicine Certification.

Should you not submit annual CAQ process fees and/or not complete the requirements for Family Medicine Certification during the established time frames (Three-Year Stage), you will be removed from MOCA-Peds and lose certification status. If you are removed from MOCA-Peds, you may only regain CAQ certification by taking and passing the one-day examination.

Family Medicine Certification requirements are expected to alter over time and continued certification will be dependent upon adherence to the then current policies and procedures. It will be your obligation to become and remain familiar with the Family Medicine Certification program rules.

Application withdrawal

Withdrawal Prior to Beginning Participation. You may withdraw your MOCA-Peds application on, or before, the final deadline to submit your online application. This can be done through your MyABFM Portfolio.

If your MOCA-Peds application has reached an approved status before you choose to withdraw, you will need to contact ABFM for assistance at [email protected] or 877-223-7437.

Withdrawal After Beginning Participation. 

Once enrolled in MOCA-Peds, you will not have the ability to withdraw your participation inside ABP’s exam delivery platform. If you wish to withdraw after your application has been approved, you will need to submit a written request to Ally Bailey at [email protected].

 

PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES

MOCA-Peds is designed to assess Diplomates in a comparable way to the one-day examination. The longitudinal assessment will deliver up to 20 questions each quarter that can be answered online, anywhere, at any time. The assessment can be completed in as little as three years or a maximum of four years. Successfully completing the assessment and achieving a passing score will satisfy your examination requirement and enable you to maintain your board certification.

Examination Content
MOCA-Peds for Adolescent Medicine is a test of the total health care of adolescents within their families and/or the settings in which they live and interact. The content of the Adolescent Medicine Examination will include, but may not be limited to, Musculoskeletal Diseases; Endocrine and Metabolism; Nutrition and Eating Disorders; Collagen Vascular Diseases; Mental Health; Hematology/Oncology; Cognition; Renal Disease; Reproduction including Sexuality and Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Infectious Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Dermatology; Substance Abuse; Social/Emotional Development and Family/Chronic Illness; and Disease Prevention as these relate to adolescent patients.

Answering Questions
The MOCA-Peds platform delivers up to 20 questions each quarter providing you with flexibility to complete the entire process in as little as three years or up to a maximum of four years. You will have 5 minutes to answer each question. The question set can be answered all at one time during the quarter or can be spread over multiple sessions within the quarter.

Questions that are viewed and answered will be counted correct or incorrect.  Questions that are viewed but not answered will be counted as incorrect.  Questions that are not viewed during a quarter will be counted as incorrect.

The table below lists the beginning and ending date for each quarter that you will have to answer your questions.

Quarterly schedule

 

Hardware and Software Recommendations
MOCA-Peds replaces the need to sit for a one-day examination. However, we strongly encourage you to approach this assessment with the same level of focus and determination that you would give to the traditional examination. While we realize that sometimes factors beyond your control have the potential to disturb your assessment, here are a few key checkpoints that will help to minimize problems:

  • Device: When answering questions, we suggest using a reliable laptop, desktop computer, or tablet that you are familiar with. While the questions will display on smart phones and other devices with internet browsing capability, your best option will be a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.
  • Software: The question delivery platform will be viewable through an ABP website, so you will be using an internet browsing program (Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.) to access the assessment. Be sure to have the most updated version of your web browser.
  • Internet Connection: Be sure that you have a secure, stable, and reliable connection to the internet before you begin a question. A wired connection at your home or office will provide the best connectivity. A wi-fi connected computer or tablet with strong signal is your second-best option.  We advise against the use of cellular networks as they can be less reliable.
  • Environment: Create an environment conducive to taking an examination when answering questions. Remember that you will have a limited window of time to answer each question, so you want to eliminate as many potential distractions as possible. A few factors to consider: people, pets, electronic devices, telephones, time sensitive tasks, extreme weather conditions (power/internet outages), and your own health/safety. If you have printed or electronic resources you plan to use, make them accessible to yourself before you begin answering questions.
  • Support: If you encounter issues at any time while participating in this assessment, contact ABP right away at 919-929-0461 or [email protected]. ABP’s Support Center is available Monday - Friday, 8:30am – 5:30pm (Eastern).

PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK

Immediate Feedback
Once an answer is submitted for a question, you will be prompted to provide confidence and relevance ratings for the item. You will then be taken to a feedback page which will indicate whether the answer you submitted is correct or incorrect. The feedback page also provides the learning objective for the question, rationale, supporting references, peer comparison data and an opportunity to submit a comment related to the question. You may also review all answered questions later in the “Question History” section of the MOCA-Peds dashboard.

Ongoing Feedback
ABP will provide ongoing details about your cumulative performance on the Dashboard page. Note that a cumulative scaled score will not be provided until the beginning of your second year of participation. The “My Performance” section of MOCA-Peds will provide a “bird’s eye” view of your performance over time as well as some more granular opportunities to identify areas of strength and weakness.

Final Score
The lowest performing four quarters will be dropped from your final score calculation. If performance at the end of three years is sufficient to reach the minimum passing standard, the fourth year may be taken as an “off” year. If performance at the end of three years is not sufficient to reach the minimum passing standard, you may continue to answer questions in year four in an effort to raise your final score. If after four years of participation, your final score is below the minimum passing standard, you would remain certified through the end of year five, but would need to take and pass the one-day Adolescent Medicine examination to continue certification beyond year five.