Component 3

Subspecialty OCC/Recertification

Subspecialty OCC/recertification exams are offered annually in August via a remotely proctored platform. The application period usually opens in March. These are one-day computer-based exams made up of “choose the one best answer” multiple choice questions. Diplomates may begin taking the exam two years prior to the expiration date of their certification. AOBIM exams are evaluated using an absolute standard (pass/fail). Diplomates who are certified in a subspecialty or hold a certificate of added qualifications (CAQ) can simultaneously complete OCC in multiple areas by completing the exams on the same day. Diplomates must pass the exam for each area in which they intend to maintain certification. If you fail one exam but pass the other(s), you will need to sit for the entire exam that was failed at the next annual exam date.

Subspecialty OCC Exam Content

AOBIM offers the OCC exam in the following subspecialties:

• Cardiology (please see below for Cardiology Component 3 requirement)
• Clinical cardiac electrophysiology
• Critical care medicine
• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology
• Geriatric medicine
• Hematology
• Infectious disease
• Interventional cardiology
• Nephrology
• Oncology
• Pulmonary disease
• Rheumatology

Conjoint OCC Component 3 Requirement

If you hold subspecialty board certification through one of the conjoint committees the AOBIM participates in, please visit the conjoint website for info on OCC Component 3 requirements.

• Addiction Medicine
• Allergy and Immunology
• Correctional Medicine
• Hospice and Palliative Medicine
• Pain Medicine
• Sleep Medicine
• Sports Medicine
• Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine

Applications and Payment

Diplomates must submit an exam application and fees no later than the final exam application deadline. Please note that, prior to the final deadline, there is a first deadline; after this deadline has passed, a fee of $135 will be assessed to all late applications.

Exam Results

If a diplomate passes the OCC Written Exam in a year prior to the year in which the certificate expires, the passing grade will be held and reported to the AOA when all OCC requirements have been met. The new certificate will be valid for 10 years from the date of the expiring certificate. In accordance with the AOBIM Standards Review Committee, the Written Exam is reviewed by a psychometrician to verify adherence to rule of practice established in the APA/AERA National Standards for Education and Psychological Testing. Pass and fail decisions are based solely on the content mastery displayed by the diplomate. Results will be released electronically through the AOBIM’s application portal.

Exam Policies

Rescoring of Examinations

Candidates have the right to request a rescore and audit process of their examination scores. Requests for the rescoring and audit must be submitted to the Board in writing via formal letter or email within one month of the Board’s release of the exam results. The fee for rescoring and audit is $200. The Board will commence the rescoring and audit process following receipt of the candidate’s request and payment. This process is limited to rescoring and audit of the candidate’s exam. Candidates are not allowed to review specific items on the examination. The Board will not reevaluate or reset the “cut” score for passing the exam. The electronic examination data of candidates will be destroyed 24 months after administration of the examination.

Right to Appeal

If a candidate feels that actions of the AOBIM with regard to any part of the certification process constitute unequal application of the Bylaws or Policies and Procedures, unwarranted discrimination, prejudice, unfairness or improper conduct of the examination, he or she has the right to appeal to the board. Appeals to the board can be made by emailing the request to [email protected], along with any supporting documentation necessary for proper review of the case. The appeal request must be submitted within 30 days of receiving exam results. The Board will not consider appeals based on examination content, sufficiency or accuracy of answers to exam questions, scoring of the exam and/or determination of the minimum passing score. Candidates will be advised by certified mail within 30 days of final action of the board.

Compliance with Federal Regulations

The AOBIM complies with all applicable federal and state regulations, including:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): The AOBIM complies with requirements prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities and transportation, as well as regulations for Title II and Title III (and all subsequent regulations) as printed in the federal register.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): In compliance with the HIPAA Act of 1996 and any subsequent modifications, the AOBIM ensures that individuals’ health information is properly protected, while allowing the flow of health information to provide and promote high quality healthcare. All medical records submitted for review by candidates for AOBIM certification will be de-identified by the candidate prior to submission, such that the remaining information cannot be used to identify an individual patient.

Cardiology Longitudinal Assessment

The American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine (AOBIM) has replaced the Cardiology long-form high-stakes recertification exam with the new AOBIM Cardiology Longitudinal Assessment module. AOBIM Diplomates with 10-year certificates are eligible to register for the longitudinal assessment module within the same year when their certificate expires. To maintain Cardiology certification, diplomates must register for the Cardiology Longitudinal Assessment module.

Diplomates will be required to participate in and successfully complete one module annually (between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31) to maintain certification with the AOBIM. One module will be assigned to diplomates upon approval of their application. All questions within the module must be answered and an 80% pass rate must be achieved to successfully complete the module.

OCC Longitudinal Assessment Modules

Overview

The AOBIM has replaced the General Internal Medicine long-form high-stakes recertification exam with the new OCC Longitudinal Assessment Modules. AOBIM diplomates with 10-year certificates are eligible to register for the longitudinal assessment modules within the same year when the certificate expires. If interested, eligible diplomates can register beginning in early spring year of their expiration date. Modules will be available to all diplomates registered for the OCC Longitudinal Assessment Modules on Jan. 1 of the following year.

Diplomates will be required to participate in and successfully complete three modules annually (between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31) to maintain certification with AOBIM. There will be 18 modules for each diplomate to choose from. All questions within the modules must be answered and an 80% pass rate must be achieved to successfully complete the module.

Module Topics

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Multiple somatic symptoms and mood alterations
• Chest pain
• Agitation in the elderly
• Shortness of breath and cough
• Abdominal pain
• Electrolyte abnormalities
• Headache
• Osteoporosis
• Syncope
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Hypertension
• Myalgia
• Joint pain
• Proteinuria
• Edema

Each longitudinal assessment module includes 15 to 20 questions presented in a case-based format. Your goal is to master each module by answering at least 80% of the questions correctly and confidently. A question does not count toward mastery status unless it is answered both correctly and with total confidence. After completing all the questions in the module, you will be presented with a summary of your results listing how many questions you answered correctly and confidently (mastery status) and how many were partially correct, as well as the number of questions answered incorrectly. 

You may also stop and save your progress at any point and return to the module to complete it at a later time.

Once you have reviewed your initial results, the module will begin the question set again. As there is no need to review material already mastered, questions which you answered correctly and confidently will be removed. Only questions for which you answered incorrectly or partially sure will be presented. Different versions of the questions may be presented. After indicating your answer to each question, you will be informed whether your answer is correct. You will also be presented with a detailed explanation of the question, why some of the possible answers are not correct, and in most cases, additional learning on the specific topic. Exploration of these additional learning resources is highly encouraged.   

The online longitudinal assessment system will continue to present the module question set until the 80% question mastery rate is achieved. Once mastery level is achieved, the module will be recognized as complete.

Applications and Payment