- Joined
- Dec 29, 2013
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
MOC exam
- Thread starter Jasminescent
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2002
- Messages
- 289
- Reaction score
- 48
- Points
- 4,806
- Attending Physician
Look at the study guides for the modules you're going to take and then brush up on those areas. I also did the ASCP questions for the modules I was going to take. I did the AP/CP general plus heme. I did those ASCP practice type questions for those areas and also spent some time with Eric Hsi's general hemepath book.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2003
- Messages
- 28,059
- Reaction score
- 441
- Points
- 5,256
- Attending Physician
The ABPath website lists the topics of every question. Review that. Apparently, no one has yet failed this exam, so don't stress a lot.
D
deleted314957
Like Yaah alluded, the exam is window dressing designed to 1) satisfy the clamor and "requirement " for MOC. And 2) make money for the ABP and the parent ABMS. By the accounts I have heard, a current and capable
pathologist can pass it cold.
pathologist can pass it cold.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2003
- Messages
- 28,059
- Reaction score
- 441
- Points
- 5,256
- Attending Physician
Rumors are that ABP is working to try to eliminate the exam, and replace it with something else less onerous.
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2007
- Messages
- 949
- Reaction score
- 627
- Points
- 5,481
- Location
- 22 Acacia Avenue
- Attending Physician
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2004
- Messages
- 725
- Reaction score
- 98
- Points
- 4,651
The mere threat of losing your license is onerous enough. There is ZERO high level evidence that making us take a test that everyone passes every 10 years offers anything of benefit to any patient. It can be assumed that their is extreme negative value to patients as costs of taking this damn thing in addition to the stress involved is passed along from the pathologist. The ABP should be ashamed of themselves!!
Where is the evidence that this damn test benefits anyone????????
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2007
- Messages
- 1,369
- Reaction score
- 23
- Points
- 4,621
- Attending Physician
If anything they're trying to remain relevant, with the very real threat of simply fading into obscurity and literally dying, drying up the probably illegal little cash cow they have going. That's not going to happen *soon*, but pretty much all of them are making noises about adjusting, to try to settle the storm of physicians giving them the finger and at least threatening to walk away, all while the NBPAS has not faded away as a potential future "real" threat. Remember, when ABP finally made the switch, they did little but talk about how it was inevitable and they held out as long as they could, blah blah blah, *then* immediately began touting how great it was for pathology, *then* only a few years later (predictably of course) as masses of physicians began actually going through it, the fallout hasn't gone as they had hoped and they along with the other colluding boards have claimed they will back down/change..a little..maybe..not really, tho they talk about it more slyly. But, that's getting off on a tangent.
Meanwhile, if you feel you need to take the recert exam, from everything I have heard it's as stated already -- everyone seems to be getting through, and the topic lists provided by ABP are probably the best place to start.
Meanwhile, if you feel you need to take the recert exam, from everything I have heard it's as stated already -- everyone seems to be getting through, and the topic lists provided by ABP are probably the best place to start.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2003
- Messages
- 28,059
- Reaction score
- 441
- Points
- 5,256
- Attending Physician
Because what makes it onerous is not the actual exam, but the fees for the exam, the hoops you have to jump through, and (though this latter part is changing) the travel involved.
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2016
- Messages
- 285
- Reaction score
- 209
- Points
- 4,691
- Attending Physician
Yeah. Biggest money scam. ABP wants money from everyone in any way possible. The entire leadership team are a bunch of scam artists who are the only ones who think they are doing a service to pathology.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2007
- Messages
- 1,369
- Reaction score
- 23
- Points
- 4,621
- Attending Physician
I have no reason to believe they think they are doing a service to pathology. Nothing I have seen has given me reason to think they are trying to do a service to anyone but themselves as individuals. Every step along the way -- self selection, contractual secrecy, renigging on promises with no viable explanation other than being self-serving, providing themselves absurd salaries, lap-dogging to ABMS, and so on.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2003
- Messages
- 28,059
- Reaction score
- 441
- Points
- 5,256
- Attending Physician
I think a lot of the motivation is not service to pathology but adherence to newer regulations about MOC. I think they would probably prefer to charge less, eliminate the exam, and still charge $ to maintain certification through verification of CME and peer references.
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2012
- Messages
- 39
- Reaction score
- 16
- Points
- 4,636
Ditto. I just studied the topics for the general module by skimming Sternberg on topics that needed reviewing. Didn't bother studying for the subspecialty module since I practice that on a daily basis.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2002
- Messages
- 289
- Reaction score
- 48
- Points
- 4,806
- Attending Physician
It seems they are trying to follow the Anesthesia model with their MOCA minute where you get an email each week and answer a question a week (or batch them in groups 20 or so) and then they follow you along to see how you're doing. Honestly, I'd rather just pay to take the simple exam that everyone passes. It's relatively cheap compared to some other specialities now that we don't have to travel to Tampa to take it. Other than the exam and actually filling out that form every two years, the requirements are easy and mostly fulfilled by stuff we do in an normal practice anyway. We don't have to do some quality type studies and those requirements are fulfilled by things like sitting on a quality committee, a transfusion committee, or even just passing the cytology proficiency exam.
It seems rads is going the way of MOCA minute too. But they have waived the 10 year exam for people who were not required to take it before 2017: https://www.theabr.org/sites/all/themes/abr-media/pdf/ABR_MOC_Part_3_Changes_Press_Release.pdf
D
deleted314957
"It's not too warm" said the frog in the kettle.
