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From the Editor's Notebook |
Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.Abigail Adams in a letter to John Quincy Adams [May 8, 1780]
A few years ago I had the pleasure of reading the biography of John Adams, by David McCullough [1], and realized quickly that Abigail, his dedicated wife, was the intellectual equal of the second President of the United States, and probably possessed more common sense. They both were examples of people who sought life-long learning. Her advice to her son, John Quincy, is applicable today to me and my colleagues in the specialty of radiology.
In the April 2004 issue of the journal, my Editor's Notebook, titled "Earning and Maintaining the Public Trust," discussed the reasons the maintenance of certification (MOC) program was initiated by the American Board of Medical Specialties [2]. It was a response to national calls for quality improvement in the health care fields.
In this month's issue, the reference document from the American Board of Radiology (ABR) outlines the MOC process [3]. All primary certificates beginning in the year 2002 are 10-year time limited, and continued certification will require successful completion of the MOC program. In addition to demonstrating evidence of lifelong learning, the participants will be expected to complete self-assessment modules (SAMs) at the approximate rate of two per year.
In response to this need, the American Roentgen Ray Society is initiating a plan in 2005 to produce ABR-approved self-assessment modules for its members and interested nonmembers. Participants in the 2005 Annual Meeting to be held May 15 through 20 in New Orleans, LA, will be able to select from among SAMs derived from specially designated instructional courses. Look for additional options in the coming months as ARRS strives to provide a diverse range of topics and learning experiences for its members.
The ARRS also is responding to member needs to track and report learning activities to the ABR and other agencies. In concert with other professional radiology societies, the ARRS is developing a Web-accessible tool that will allow members to document their self-assessment and CME activity. More information on this new member benefit will be communicated via the ARRS Web site and our regular e-mail announcements. If the ARRS does not have your e-mail address, please log on to www.arrs.org to update your member record.
As I scan the table of contents for this January 2005 issue, I am once again struck by the major swing in our imaging methods from conventional radiography to MRI, CT, and sonography. The sections most directly related to my areas of expertise (abdominal, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and hepatobiliary imaging) total 22 articles, 12 of which involve CT, seven MRI, and three sonography. Only two of the articles include some conventional radiography. Speaking for myself, as someone still practicing clinical radiology, it is clear that I have a lot to learn, despite having gotten in on the ground floor of CT in 1975. If we are going to serve the public and our patients well, we would all be wise to continue the practice of lifelong learning, with some self-assessment along the way, regardless of whether we hold a time-limited certificate or not. The ABR board of trustees, all lifetime certificate holders, recognize the value of this process, and I am happy to report that the majority already have enrolled in the MOC program. Unanimous involvement by the trustees is anticipated in the near future. While this is my last year on the ABR board of trustees, I have made the commitment to participate in the MOC process.
While I certainly do not expect all "life-time" certificate holders to enroll immediately in the MOC program, I nevertheless hope that they seriously will consider it. In addition to helping us "keep up," the ABR MOC program would be a fairly painless way to renew certification for those who wish to relocate to a state requiring more recent certification. Of course, motivation for renewed certification also could come from unexpected sources, including third-party payers or the federal government.
We pre-2002 certificate holders have nothing to lose; our certificate is good for life. We do, however, have much to gain: Voluntary enrollment by many of the lifetime certificate holders undoubtedly will improve and enrich our great specialty.
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  T. H. Berquist Maintenance of Certification: Everyone Needs to Participate Am. J. Roentgenol., September 1, 2008; 191(3): 635 - 636. [Full Text] [PDF]
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