Overview
In 2021, the American Osteopathic Board of Pediatrics announced the transition to a longitudinal assessment model designed to replace the traditional high stakes written recertification exam previously required for Component 3 of Osteopathic Continuous Certification (OCC). Longitudinal assessment enhances convenience and flexibility by leveraging technology to facilitate continuous learning through more frequent, shorter assessments relevant to your specialty training and career, delivered via a remote online learning platform.
Annual participation is required to receive a new reverification date for your board certification. The program which requires 30 items to be answered is delivered in two segments each calendar year. Diplomates are required to answer 30-items annually in two segments of 15 questions in each segment period. The Diplomate must achieve a pass rate of 70%.
The AOBP longitudinal assessment is administered via the CATALYST platform, hosted by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. The platform is easily accessible from your computer, tablet, smartphone or mobile app.
Longitudinal assessment registration
If you hold primary certification in General Pediatrics, please follow the guidelines below to determine when you should register for longitudinal assessment:
- Diplomates who hold an active 10-year certification in General Pediatrics:
You are required to begin longitudinal assessment during the expiration year of your 10-year certificate.
Example: If you were certified in General Pediatrics on or after Jan. 1, 2015 and your certificate expires Dec. 31, 2025, you must submit your longitudinal assessment application in 2024. The program opens in January 2025 in order to complete the items prior to your expiration date. Upon passing the two 15-item assessments, you will be submitted for recertification in November 2025 for the renewal date of January 2026. The program must be followed each year to obtain a reverification date for your certificate. - Newly boarded Diplomates:
You are not required to begin participation in longitudinal assessment for one full calendar year after becoming board certified.
Example: If you received initial certification in Spring 2024, you must register for longitudinal assessment in Fall 2025 and begin participation in 2026. - Diplomates who hold non-time limited certification (boarded before 1995) in General Pediatrics:
You may participate in the longitudinal assessment program. Applications are accepted in the Fall of 2024 to begin the program in January 2025. The benefit to a non-time limited diplomate is a decrease in CME requirements. The current CME for non-time limited certificate holders is 120 CME per 3-year cycle. Those participating in OCC Component 3 Longitudinal Assessment is 60 CME per 3-year cycle. The program must be followed each year to obtain a reverification date for your certificate and keep the CME requirement allowance.
Some helpful information on the program: Questions will be untimed and administered via the online CATALYST platform. There are 30 items provided each year. You are permitted to use resources to answer the questions. Resources are listed on the AOBP website under 2025 References. After completing the assessment, you may review any incorrect items, read through the rationale and view the correct answer. When the first attempt period closes, the correct answers will no longer be viewable in CATALYST. The AOBP website will keep references open. During the re-attempt period, you will be able to redo any questions answered incorrectly to raise your score. View exam references.
Incorrect answers:
You will be given a second attempt to answer any missed or incorrectly answered questions from the previous segment during the re-attempt period of each segment. The re-attempt period is only available if you participated in the initial segment.
Segment time frames:
- Segment 1: Jan. 11 – June 15 (first set of 15 items)
Segment 1 Re-Attempt Period: June 16 – June 30 (re-attempt to answer any missed or incorrectly answered items from Segment 1; not available if you did not participate in Segment 1) - Segment 2: July 1 – Oct. 15 (second set of 15 items)
Segment 2 Re-Attempt Period: Oct. 16 – Oct. 31 (re-attempt to answer any missed or incorrectly answered items from Segment 2; not available if you did not participate in Segment 2)
Longitudinal assessment content
The AOBP longitudinal assessment will include the content areas within each listed year as noted below:
| AOBP Longitudinal Assessment Table of Specifications | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2025 | |
| Emergency Medicine/Critical Care | Cardiology | |
| Nephrology/Urology | Endocrinology | |
| Dermatology | Infectious Diseases | |
| Pain/Fluid Management/Pharmacology | ||
Longitudinal assessment scoring
The AOBP requires both Segment 1 and Segment 2 to meet or exceed the 70% pass rate for successful completion of longitudinal assessment.
Longitudinal assessment fees
Registration is required each year of the longitudinal assessment three-year cycle. A $200 fee will be assessed annually at the time of registration.
- Assessment fee: $200
- Late fee: $50
- Refund policy applies