Maintenance of Certification Program

Seattle Children’s Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program is an institutional resource to improve patient outcomes through the lifelong learning of Seattle Children's–affiliated physicians and physician assistants (PAs). Among its responsibilities are:

• Approving and maintaining a portfolio of qualifying Part 4 MOC projects for nearly all ABMS specialties.
• Helping Seattle Children's departments and divisions establish quality improvement (QI) projects that meet MOC recertification requirements for their faculty.
• Supporting and coaching qualifying QI projects and project leaders
• Teaching QI skills to Seattle Children's-affiliated medical staff through project-based learning.
• Helping Seattle Children's–affiliated medical staff understand and meet requirements of their specialty boards to maintain certification in their specialties.
• Awarding Part 4 MOC credit to Seattle Children's–affiliated physicians certified by a participating ABMS member board, and Category 1 PI-CME credit to Seattle Children's-affiliated physician assistants (PAs) certified by the National Committee on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
  • View a list of ABMS member boards involved in the ABMS Portfolio Program.
• Providing guidance to MOC project leaders/owners regarding:
  • Participant qualification for Part 4 MOC credit (and Category 1 PI-CME credit for Physician Assistants)
  • Documentation that requirements have been met
  • Meeting the educational objectives of participants
• Advancing Seattle Children's strategic initiatives and promotes Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). 

Our Mission and Vision

We provide physicians and physician assistants (PAs) with meaningful quality improvement learning activities that will better enable them to help every child live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible.

Seattle Children’s MOC Program will be an innovative leader in quality improvement, medical education, research, professional development and well-being, and equitable and compassionate care for children and their families.

Values

• Compassion
• Excellence
• Integrity
• Collaboration
• Equity
• Innovation

We are a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Portfolio Program. 

Annual report

Seattle Children’s MOC Program’s 2023 Annual Report (PDF) is now available! Read about the great work done during the past year to improve quality of care.

Four Parts of MOC

The MOC process for the ABMS consists of four parts.

Part 1: Professionalism and professional standing

Hold a valid, unrestricted medical license and behave in a professional manner.

Part 2: Lifelong learning and self-assessment

Participate in high-quality, unbiased educational and self-assessment activities determined by your member board. For pediatricians, these activities are developed by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) and other organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Part 3: Assessment of knowledge, judgment, and skills

Demonstrate speciality-specific skills and knowledge by passing your member board–approved examination. Pediatricians must pass a secure examination administered at testing centers worldwide.

Part 4: Improvement in medical practice

Engage in ongoing assessment and improvement activities to improve patient outcomes.

Within this four-part framework, each member board has its own specific requirements, options for meeting them and timeframes in which they must be met. Seattle Children's MOC Program focuses on helping physicians meet requirements of Part 4.

For pediatricians

The American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) offers a number of pathways to earn Part 4 credits in addition to participation in projects approved by Seattle Children's Multi-Specialty Portfolio Program, including web modules, small group QI projects, PCMH certification and leading large QI efforts.