Purpose

Improving Professional Practice and Quality Improvement (Part 4) of Maintenance of Certification (MOC) is designed to help you assess and improve the quality of patient care and processes that will lead to improved child health.

Points

You must earn at least 40 points in Part 4 activities every five years, regardless of how many certifications you want to maintain. If you have more than one certification, the same five-year cycle will apply to all your certifications.

You must earn a total of 100 points — a minimum of 40 for Part 2 and a minimum of 40 for Part 4 every five years. The additional 20 points may be earned in either Part 2 or Part 4 activities.  You can complete your Part 2 and Part 4 activities any time during your five-year MOC cycle. At the end of each cycle, you will enroll again, pay the fee to begin your next MOC activity/points cycle, and submit attestation of your valid, unrestricted medical license.

Log in to your ABP Portfolio to see how many points you currently have and when your cycle ends.

How to Earn MOC Part 4 Credit

1. There are many ways to earn Part 4 credit. See the menu on the right (below on mobile devices) for more information about the options.
2. Often you can earn credit for work that you are already doing, so keep an eye out for activities that you might be involved in through your institution, practice, or other organizations.
3. Be sure that your participation is meaningful so that you can attest to it.
   
   Meaningful participation is defined by the ABP as having an active role in the project and participating over an appropriate period of time. The ABP approves QI projects in which pediatricians are active participants in implementing change. To receive Part 4 credit for a QI project, you must:

   • Be intellectually engaged in planning and executing the project;
   • Implement the project’s interventions (the changes designed to improve care);
   • Review data in keeping with the project’s measurement plan; and
   • Collaborate actively by attending team meetings.

Reminders

• Part 4 activities may be completed any time during your five-year MOC cycle.
• Often you can earn MOC Part 4 credit for work that you are already doing.
• ABP does not charge for ABP-developed Performance Improvement Modules (PIMS), but other organizations may charge for their activities.
• Different activities provide different amounts of MOC points after completion, so refer to your ABP Portfolio often to see your progress toward completing your requirements.