Component 3: Cognitive Assessment
Component 3 of Osteopathic Continuous Certification requires provision of one or more psychometrically valid and proctored examinations that assess a physician’s specialty medical knowledge, as well as core competencies in the provision of health care.
Longitudinal Assessment
In January 2022, the board transitioned to a Longitudinal Assessment model that replaced the high stakes written examination previously required for OCC Component 3. The new approach was designed to afford board-certified physicians with greater flexibility, accessibility and convenience, while facilitating ongoing high-quality assessment and continuous learning.
Longitudinal Assessment for General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care became available in January 2022, providing a three-year cycle from 2022-2024. A change to Longitudinal Assessment for General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care will take place beginning in January 2025, in that it will no longer be a three-year cycle. Rather, the assessment will be required annually with less questions. This alignment is important across AOBS for Longitudinal Assessment. There are no changes for Specialties, which became available in January 2023 and continues annually. Registration for all Longitudinal Assessments for the 2025 calendar year will open in the fall of 2024. We encourage you to read the Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the process and OCC Component 3.
If your certification is set to expire in 2024, you should register for the assessment at your earliest convenience to take advantage of the 2024 calendar year for completion, and/or allow time for retakes. The AOBS Longitudinal Assessment consists of questions developed by the AOBS and the Division of Examiners, including Subject Matter Experts. The exam is delivered over the course of the calendar year through the National Osteopathic Medical Examiners CATALYST learning assessment platform.
Diplomates have 24/7 access to the assessment via Catalyst once registered. We encourage you to review either the General Surgery/Surgical Critical Care Frequently Asked Questions webpage or the Specialties Frequently Asked Questions webpage for further information on Longitudinal Assessment.
AOBS remains committed to supporting our Diplomates desire for life-long learning. Please check this website frequently as we continue to provide additional details of each of the specialty’s longitudinal assessment plan.
2024 Longitudinal Assessment References
The following references are provided as a preparation tool for the 2024 Longitudinal Assessment.
Exam Policies
Compliance With Federal Regulations
The AOBS complies with all applicable federal and state regulations, including:
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): The AOBS 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 AOBS ensures that individuals’ health information is properly protected, while allowing the flow of health information to provide and promote high quality health care. All medical records submitted for review by candidates for AOBS certification will be de-identified by the candidate prior to submission, such that the remaining information cannot be used to identify an individual patient.