CME Credit For New ABA Cardiac Board Exam?

[pgg]

I feel a little dirty for signing up for this thing in December, but am looking for silver linings to taking it.


AMA will award 60 cat 1 CME hours for passing a board exam for an ABMS member organization.

https://edhub.ama-assn.org/pages/applications#direct-credit-info

"Initial certification" would seem to include this subspecialty exam, but maybe they just mean initial primary specialty certification?

Get credit for achieving American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) member board certification and Maintenance of Certification® (MOC)​

• Initial certification and continuing certification achieved by taking the secure exam:
  • Eligible for 60 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
  • The application must include a copy of the board certificate or the specialty board notification letter.

Cost is $75 for non-AMA members.

I did this for my initial certification in 2010. Couldn't do it for the advanced TEE exam because NBE isn't an ABMS member board.

Anyone know if this free-ish CME can be claimed for subspecialty ABA exams?

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[Bertelman]

They give credit for fellowship. This seems like it would fit into that precedent. But 60 hrs? I’m not sure I got that for my entire fellowship.

I’ve got the ABA engaged on some other B.S. regarding me taking the exam. I’ll send them an email to ask. $30/hr, guess that’s not too bad.

 

[DG51]

Honest question: what are the benefits of taking this exam? Should current cardiac fellows/recent grads take it?

Here's my thinking... the worst-case scenario after not taking the exam would be finding a new job in the future, but the hospital requires cardiac subspecialty certification to be credentialed. So, you would be forced to take the exam after being out of fellowship for multiple years, potentially requiring more studying, taking time off, potentially having to take a more difficult exam, etc.

I would rather save my 2400 buck and cross this bridge when/if the time comes. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Beeftenderloin]

Honest question: what are the benefits of taking this exam? Should current cardiac fellows/recent grads take it?

Here's my thinking... the worst-case scenario after not taking the exam would be finding a new job in the future, but the hospital requires cardiac subspecialty certification to be credentialed. So, you would be forced to take the exam after being out of fellowship for multiple years, potentially requiring more studying, taking time off, potentially having to take a more difficult exam, etc.

I would rather save my 2400 buck and cross this bridge when/if the time comes. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

This will only be required in academics, at least any time soon. The VAST majority of non-academic centers barely even require echo boards/fellowship to do hearts. Even the places that say they “require” it will make exceptions for people that can demonstrate significant clinical experience/comfort doing hearts as an attending. Don’t support this BS money grab by the ABA.

 

[Bertelman]

I’m a hospital employee. I intend on using it as a negotiating piece for our dept. Goal is for all of us to obtain subspecialty certification.

Negotiated to have them pay for the exam, which by the way is $1800 if registered early enough. If I were in PP, I think I might have a different opinion.

 

[abolt18]

Hospital employee. Just finished fellowship. Definitely taking it this December (assuming I passed the advanced echo exam). Employer paid for it, all $1,800.

I know that one of the other fellowship trained cardiac guys is taking it, and he's been out a few years. Most of the people at my shop who do cardiac have not done a fellowship. Only 3/10 of us I believe. It is certainly not required by my employer to take this test. I figure, if my employer is paying for it, I don't mind going for the extra credentials to differentiate myself.

 

[nimbus]

This is from the medical board of California.

• Specialty Board Examination: A physician who takes and passes a certifying or recertifying examination administered by a recognized specialty board is granted 100 hours of CME credit for four consecutive years.

 

[Bertelman]

So, you get 400 hrs? WTF do you do with that?

 

[nimbus]

So, you get 400 hrs? WTF do you do with that?

The wording is not clear. California only requires 25 hrs/year so maybe it means they give 100hrs total over 4 years. In that case you’d be CME exempt for 4 years. I don’t think the hours can be banked to be used in subsequent years so 100hrs/year would be useless.

 

[Bertelman]

Anyone know if this free-ish CME can be claimed for subspecialty ABA exams?

Thank you for contacting the ABA. By completing the requirements for certification or recertification, physicians are eligible for either a 3-year standard AMA PRA certificate or 60 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ issued directly by the American Medical Association. Information on the AMA PRA certificate and direct credit is available on the AMA website at the following address: http://www.ama-assn.org/go/cmeforms.

These credits can be applied toward state licensure or Institutional requirements, but not towards maintenance of certification. Please contact the AMA to receive these CMEs.

 

[Bertelman]

Thanks for the heads up, pgg.

I'l definitely be claiming this....if I pass.....

 

[vector2]

Thank you for contacting the ABA. By completing the requirements for certification or recertification, physicians are eligible for either a 3-year standard AMA PRA certificate or 60 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ issued directly by the American Medical Association. Information on the AMA PRA certificate and direct credit is available on the AMA website at the following address: http://www.ama-assn.org/go/cmeforms.

These credits can be applied toward state licensure or Institutional requirements, but not towards maintenance of certification. Please contact the AMA to receive these CMEs.

That's total BS it doesn't count toward MOCA.