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 Obstetrics & Gynecology to pass one or more psychometrically valid and proctored examinations focused on assessing medical knowledge and core competencies.

In 2019, the AOBOG announced the replacement of the traditional high-stakes recertification exam previously required every 6 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.

Through 2022, the AOBOG longitudinal assessment has been administered through the Advanced Real-time Certification (ARC) platform. Beginning in 2023, the AOBOG longitudinal assessment will be administered through the CATALYST platform hosted by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME). The platform is easily accessible from your computer, tablet, smartphone or mobile app.

Longitudinal Assessment Registration

If you hold primary certification in Obstetrics & Gynecology or subspecialty certification in Gynecologic Oncology, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility or Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery:

• If your initial certification was issued before Jan. 1, 2020:
  You are required to participate in longitudinal assessment each year, beginning in the expiration year of your current 6-year certificate. Registration opens in the fall prior to the following year’s assessment.
• If your initial certification was issued on Jan. 1, 2020, 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 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 2021, you would register for longitudinal assessment in Fall 2022 and begin participation in 2023.

Longitudinal Assessment Schedule

The following chart outlines the annual registration and administration cycles for longitudinal assessment. Once you have begun the longitudinal assessment process, it is an annual requirement.

Longitudinal Assessment Process

Longitudinal assessment, once begun, is an annual requirement. During each calendar year, diplomates will be required to complete online assessment items as follows:

Primary Obstetrics & Gynecology: 24 total assessment items annually (eight per quarter for the first three quarters of the year)
Beginning in 2025: 30 total assessment items annually (10 per quarter for the first three quarters of the year)

Primary Obstetrics & Gynecology can be customized to your scope of practice. At the time of registration, you will be asked to attest to your scope of practice:

• OB/GYN – if your practice focuses at all on both areas
• Obstetrics only – if you practice 100% in this area
• Gynecology only – if you practice 100% in this area

Please note in order to select the Obstetrics only or Gynecology only assessment, you must register by the first deadline (usually in early December).

Gyn Oncology, MFM, REI and URPS: 10 total assessment items annually (delivered in one segment closing on Sept. 30)
Beginning in 2025: 15 total assessment items annually (delivered in one segment closing on Sept. 30)

Number of reattempts: If a question is answered incorrectly, the assessment platform will display the reference and rationale. During the fourth quarter, you will have the opportunity to revisit any items answered incorrectly or left unanswered during previous segments. Items answered correctly during this second-chance round will cancel out the previous responses and count toward your overall score. Once a segment has closed, it cannot be reopened.

IMPORTANT: The final quarter of each year closes Dec. 15 to allow the AOBOG office sufficient time to process certification renewals.
Beginning in 2025: The remediation quarter will close on Nov. 30 to allow the AOBOG office sufficient time to process certification renewals.

Longitudinal Assessment References

Due to copyright restrictions, the AOBOG cannot provide most reference materials. However, a list of the references used each year can be found below.

Longitudinal Assessment Scoring

You must achieve a grade of 85% at the conclusion of the year in order to successfully pass the longitudinal assessment.

If you are unsuccessful in meeting the 85% required to pass the year, the AOBOG will look at your results over a combined 3-year rolling period to give you a chance to improve your overall score. If your 3-year average is above 85%, no adverse action will be taken against your certification.

If you fail to participate in a required longitudinal assessment, your certification may be placed in inactive status. In that case, you may contact the AOBOG to explore options for remediation.

Longitudinal Assessment Fees

Once you begin longitudinal assessment participation, you must register each year. A $300 fee will be assessed annually at the time of registration. Diplomates holding more than one time-limited certification will be assessed a $150 fee for each additional certification.

Longitudinal Assessment FAQs

FAQs about longitudinal assessment in general and the CATALYST platform coming in 2023 can be found below.

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?
  Your certification issue/expiration date will determine when should begin participating in longitudinal assessment. View the schedule.
• 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 AOBOG longitudinal assessment will be administered through the CATALYST platform, hosted by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, beginning in January 2023.
• How do I access the CATALYST platform?
  The CATALYST platform can be access any time via computer, tablet, smartphone or the CATALYST mobile app.
• I have certifications in both OB/GYN and a subspecialty. How do I complete both assessments on the CATALYST platform?
  Once you are logged in to the platform, there is a dropdown box on the dashboard that you can use to navigate between the two assessments.

Longitudinal assessment registration:

• How do I register for longitudinal assessment?
  If you are eligible to participate in longitudinal assessment, you can register on the AOBOG website.
• How much does longitudinal assessment cost?
  The annual fee is $300 for the first certification and $150 for each additional certification and must be paid at the time of registration.

Longitudinal assessment process:

• Are the assessments timed?
  Each question is untimed. You have the entire quarter to answer your questions. (Important note: the remediation quarter ends Dec. 15 in 2024 and Nov. 30 in 2025 and beyond.)
• Can I begin questions and then resume my assessment?
  Yes. You can begin the assessment, leave the site, and return at any time during the quarter. Unanswered questions will only be marked incorrect if left answered at the end of the quarter. You are required to answer the current question before moving on to the next.
• Can I use reference materials?
  Longitudinal assessment is open book. You are welcome to use reference materials. The references used each year will be posted on this website and on the CATALYST platform. Information regarding references is intended to assist you. It is helpful, but not essential to answer the questions. Due to copyright restrictions, AOBOG cannot provide most reference materials. AOBOG primarily uses the ACOG Practice Bulletins and Committee Opinions for the primary OB/GYN assessment.
• How do I review questions after answering them?
  You can review all questions you have answered in the past by using the “Item History” tab when logged in to the platform. This area will allow you to review all questions previously answered, including how you answered them, and what the reference(s) and rationale are for that question.
• What happens if I don’t complete the assessment items within the quarter/segment?
  Any items left unanswered at the end of a quarter/segment will be marked as incorrect/unanswered. Your first attempt to answer those questions will be forfeited. You will be able to revisit these questions and any other incorrect question in the fourth quarter. Items answered correctly in this second-chance round will replace the incorrectly answered items from the previous quarters. Once a quarter/segment has ended, it cannot be reopened.
• What is the passing score?
  You must achieve a grade of 85% at the conclusion of each year in order to successfully pass the longitudinal assessment.
• What happens if I am unsuccessful in meeting the passing score?
  If you are unsuccessful in meeting the 85% required to pass the year, the AOBOG will look at your results over a combined 3-year rolling period to give you a chance to improve your overall score. If your 3-year average is above 85%, no adverse action will be taken against your certification. If your 3-year average is below 85%, the board may require you to take remedial steps to maintain certification.

OCC Component 3 for Inactive/Expired Certificates

Diplomates whose certification has been inactive or expired for less than three calendar years must register for and complete any longitudinal assessments not completed/passed, including the current year. Once a diplomate has successfully passed any outstanding longitudinal assessments (and any other outstanding OCC requirements, their certification will be reactivated.

Diplomates whose certification has been inactive or expired for more than three calendar years must pass the designated initial certification exam in the specialty/subspecialty in order to reactivate their certification. For Obstetrics and Gynecology, the required exam is the Primary Written Exam. For all subspecialties, the required exam is the subspecialty Oral Exam.

Applications and Payment

OCC Component 3 exam costs are outlined below:

Exam Failure

For physicians holding time-dated certification, failure to successfully complete the OCC process (all components) will result in the loss of certification when their current certification expires.

Compliance With Federal Regulations

The Board supports the intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for candidates who meet ADA eligibility. The board will make a reasonable effort to provide qualified board candidates who have documented disabilities the necessary auxiliary aids and services that do not fundamentally alter the measurement of the skills or knowledge the board assessment process is intended to test or result in an undue burden. The Board supports the intent of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for all patients or patient records that may be used as part of any part of the AOBOG board certification process.