Child and adolescent psychiatry was established as an American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) subspecialty in 1959. From 1959 to 1994, certification was awarded on a lifetime basis. Beginning in 1995, certification in child and adolescent psychiatry has been awarded for a ten-year period only. At the conclusion of the ten-year certification cycle, child and adolescent psychiatry practitioners must take a recertification examination in order to maintain their certification. The recertification, or maintenance of certification movement was initiated by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and the major certifying specialty boards as a way of demonstrating to the public that physicians maintain professional statues (e.g. state licensure), documentation of commitment to lifelong learning and assessment of practice-based performance. This began as a take-home examination, but the ABMS mandated that it become a secure, proctored examination, and the ABPN complied with this mandate. This change was made for accountability to the public. It is only with a secure, proctored examination that one can be certain of the identity of the test taker.

In May 2004, the ABPN gave its first recertification examination in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

ABPN’s current Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Maintenance of Certification program includes four components:

1. Evidence of professional standing – a current unrestricted license to practice medicine
2. Evidence of self-assessment and lifelong learning
   1. Self assessment program – participation in at least 2 major, broad-based self assessment programs during the 10 year MOC cycle
      1. One activity completed in years 1-3
      2. A second activity completed in years 6-8
      3. At least an average of 8 of the CME credits per year (averaged over 2-5 years) should involve self-assessment 
   2. CME activities
      1. 300 specialty or sub-specialty, Category 1, CME credits over the ten year period broken down as 150 CME credits within each of the 5 year block periods
3. Evidence of cognitive expertise – successful passage of the cognitive exam
4. Evidence of performance in practice (PIP)
   1. Designed to evaluate whether or not physicians have shown improvement in the last ten years (this is done by a chart review and a second party external review) Participants will be required to complete three units consisting of both modules
   2. The 1st PIP Unit must be completed in years 1-3 of the 10-year MOC cycle
   3. The 2nd PIP Unit must be completed in years 4-6 of the 10-year MOC cycle
   4. The 3rd PIP Unit must be completed in years 7-9 of the 10-year MOC cycle
   5. Clinical Modules (Chart Review)
      1. PIP clinical modules must use data obtained from or pertinent to a participant’s personal clinical practice over the previous 3 year period and must evaluate at least five patient cases in a specific category (i.e. diagnoses, type of treatment, treatment setting) obtained from the diplomate's personal practice over the previous 3-year period
      2. PIP modules must compare data from the clinical cases to best practices or practicing guidelines
      3. PIP modules must require the development of a plan by the member to improve his/her performance
      4. PIP modules must reassess data from at least another five cases in the same specific category within 24 months similar to the original assessment
   6. Feedback Modules (Patient/Peer Review)
      1. PIP assessment modules must be based on feedback from at least five peers and five patients over the previous three years
      2. PIP modules must provide performance feedback to the participant concerning improvement in the effectiveness and/or efficiency of their practice as it relates to the core competencies
      3. PIP modules must present feedback from at least another five peers or patients within 24 months similar to that provided in the original assessment

Please visit www.abpn.com for Model Peer Feedback and Patient Feedback Forms

The "evidence of self-assessment and lifelong learning component" of maintenance of certification began in 2007 on a phase in basis.

*Notes:

• Every ABPN diplomate must possess a medical license, and all licenses must be unrestricted
• At least an average of 8 of the CME credits per year (averaged over 2-5 years) should involve self-assessment
• Only after completing licensure, CME, SA and PIP requirements are diplomates qualified to complete the ABPN MOC Cognitive Examination