Component 3

Introduction

Through participation in Osteopathic Continuous Certification, AOA board-certified physicians maintain necessary skills, explore advancements in medicine and demonstrate expertise in their specialty. OCC Component 3 requires physicians certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine to pass the annual longitudinal assessment with a score of 80 percent or above that is focused on assessing medical knowledge and core competencies.

In 2022, the AOBNMM announced the replacement of the traditional high-stakes recertification exam previously required every 10 years with a longitudinal assessment model designed to enhance flexibility and streamline the certification process. Longitudinal assessment leverages technology to facilitate continuous learning through shorter assessments relevant to your specialty training and career, delivered over time via a convenient remote online learning platform.

The AOBNMM longitudinal assessment is administered through the OASIS platform hosted by the AOA. The platform is easily accessible from your computer or tablet.

Longitudinal Assessment Registration

If you hold primary certification in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine, please follow the guidelines below to determine when you should register for longitudinal assessment:

• If your initial primary certification was issued before Jan. 1, 2022:
  You are required to participate in longitudinal assessment each year, beginning in the expiration year of your current 10-year certificate. Registration opens June 1 prior to the following year’s assessment.
• If your initial primary certification was issued on Jan. 1, 2022, or later:
  You are not required to begin participation in longitudinal assessment for one full calendar year after becoming board certified. One year from the issue date of your initial primary certification, you will be required to register during the next available registration cycle and begin participation in longitudinal assessment the following year. Example: If you received initial certification in Spring 2022, you would register for longitudinal assessment in Fall 2023 and begin participation in 2024.

Longitudinal Assessment Schedule

Longitudinal Assessment Process

AOBNMM certification is contingent upon annual completion of the longitudinal assessment.

During each calendar year, you will be required to:

• Answer 30 questions per calendar year between mid-January and Oct. 31. All questions must be answered during the calendar year in which they were issued.
• Remediation will take place seven days from the completion of the core assessment, where all skipped or incorrectly answered questions can be reattempted one additional time. Remediation must be completed by Oct. 31 when the platform closes.

Number of reattempts:

If a question is answered incorrectly, the assessment platform will display the reference and correct answer. You will have one additional attempt at any skipped or incorrectly answered questions during remediation. Once the assessment is closed on Oct. 31, reattempts will not be allowed.

Longitudinal Assessment Scoring

You must achieve a score of 80% or above in order to successfully pass the annual longitudinal assessment.

If you do not achieve an annual score of 80% or you fail to participate in a required longitudinal assessment, your certification may be placed in inactive status. In that case, you may contact the AOBNMM to explore options for remediation.

Longitudinal Assessment Fees

Annual registration for the longitudinal assessment is required. The fee before the first deadline is $150 at the time of registration. Registrations after the first deadline will be assessed a $50 late fee at the time of registration.

2026 Longitudinal Assessment References

The following references are provided as a preparation tool for the 2026 Longitudinal Assessment.

Longitudinal Assessment FAQs

General information:

• What is longitudinal assessment?
  Longitudinal assessment is a process that leverages technology to facilitate continuous learning by providing shorter assessments of knowledge relevant to your specialty training and career, delivered over time and accessible via a convenient remote online learning platform.
• When can I begin longitudinal assessment?
  If you are already certified prior to Jan. 1, 2022: your certification issue/expiration date will determine when should begin participating in longitudinal assessment.
  If you are certified after Jan. 1, 2022: one year from the issue date of your initial primary certification, you will be required to register during the next available registration cycle and begin participation in longitudinal assessment the following year. Example: If you received initial certification in Spring 2022, you would register for longitudinal assessment in Fall 2023 and begin participation in 2024.
• How do I know when my certification was issued or expires?
  Visit the AOA Physician Portal to view your certification details and check the status of your OCC.
• I have a non-time limited certificate. Do I need to participate in longitudinal assessment?
  No, participation in longitudinal assessment is voluntary if you hold a non-time-limited certificate.
• Do I need to complete longitudinal assessment if I received certification through the AOA’s ABMS reciprocity campaign?
  Yes, you must fulfill all requirements for Osteopathic Continuous Certification in order to maintain AOA Board Certification.

Exam platform:

• How is longitudinal assessment administered?
  The American Osteopathic Board of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine longitudinal assessment is administered through the OASIS platform, hosted by the AOA.
• How do I access the OASIS platform?
  The OASIS platform can be accessed anytime via computer or tablet. You will need the OASIS invitation with the blue access button to start your assessment.

Longitudinal assessment registration:

• How do I register for longitudinal assessment?
  If you are eligible to participate in longitudinal assessment, you can register on the AOBNMM website or your certification portal.
• How much does longitudinal assessment cost?
  The annual fee is $150 and must be paid at the time of registration on an annual basis. The late fee of $50 is assessed after the first deadline.

Longitudinal assessment process:

• Are the assessments timed?
  No, but all items must be attempted during the assessment year in which they are presented.
• Can I begin questions and then resume my exam?
  Yes, you can access the item again, as long as you have not submitted an answer.
• What is the passing score?
  You must achieve a score of 80% or above at the conclusion of the three-year cycle to successfully pass the AOBNMM longitudinal assessment, including remediation.
• What happens if I am unsuccessful in meeting the passing score?
  If you fail to participate, or do not receive a passing score, you will have six months to take and pass the AOBNMM Retake Assessment, which will consist of all 30 items presented during the entire longitudinal assessment. If you fail on the first attempt at the AOBNMM Retake Assessment, a requirement of 20 AOA Category 1-A ONMM CME hours must be earned and submitted before an additional attempt of the exam is allowed.The requirement for additional ONMM CME helps ensure that the active instruction in the ONMM specialty discipline is received. The required CME and additional OCC exam attempt must be completed within the 6-month grace period. Should you fail to pass the retake assessment and/or CME requirement during the 6-month grace period, the AOBNMM will request an overview of the diplomate’s performance by subject area to tailor the CME requirement to reflect the area(s) of deficiency.