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A review of the following information highlighted below may assist with your inquiry concerning -

          -   PRIORITY INFORMATION - Osteopathic Continuous Certification (OCC)

          -   Application Forms

-         Verification of Certification

-         CME Hours to Maintain Certification

                                    OR            

OSTEOPATHIC CONTINUOUS CERTIFICATION (OCC) BEGINS JANUARY 1, 2013:

Beginning January 1, 2013, another component will be added to the requirement for Osteopathic Continuous Certification - Practice Performance Assessment and Improvement.  This component will incorporate practice-based learning and systems-based practice through the use of the AOA's Clinical Assessment Program, to be titled for AOBFP use as OCCAP (Osteopathic Continuous Certification Assessment Program), in combination with educational units to be developed to complement the existing measure sets.  An alternative process will be required of those not practicing full scope family medicine or in an academic or administrative setting.

                                        Click HERE to view OCC process document

 Click HERE to view OCC FAQs                                  

 Click HERE to access application for module completion

Phase in Requirements starting with Initiation of OCC process Jan. 1, 2013 thru Dec. 31, 2020

1.  For those diplomates with certificate expiration dates in 2019 or 2020 - completion of four OCC modules will be required  prior to their next recertification;

2.  For those diplomates with certificate expiration dates in 2016, 2017, or 2018 - completion of two OCC modules will be required prior to their next recertification;

3.  For those diplomates with certiifcate expiration dates in 2013, 2014, or 2015 - no modules will be required until next recertification cycle.

Applications for OCC module completion ARE NOW AVAILABLE.  CLICK HERE TO ACCESS APPLICATION FOR MODULE COMPLETION.  A separate application for completion of the cognitive/practical exam will be required for submission within the last two years of your certificate cycle.   

PAIN MEDICINE CONJOINT CAQ EXAM:
The first administration of a Conjoint Certification of Added Qualifications (CAQ) exam in Pain Medicine is scheduled for June 1, 2013 in Chicago, IL.  Another administration is scheduled for Sept. 28, 2013 in Las Vegas, NV during the OMED conference.  Access further information and an application at www.aoepm.org.  

APPLICATION FORMS FOR INITIAL CERTIFICATION EXAM:

The applications for the Fall 2013 examinations may be downloaded from this website.  Click on 'enter site' above and then select 'Certification Requirements and Apps' from the blue section at the top of the home page.  The initial postmark deadline date for the certification application is April 1, with a final postmark deadline of June 1 and the initial postmark deadline date for the application for the cognitive/practical recertification exam is April 1, with a final postmark deadline of June 1. ONLY THOSE DIPLOMATS WITH CERTIFICATES EXPIRING IN 2013 OR 2014 MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FALL 2013 ADMINISTRATION OF THE OCC/RECERTIFICATION COGNITIVE AND PRACTICAL EXAMS (only to be completed within two years of certificate expiration). 

VERIFICATION  OF  CERTIFICATION:
To obtain a 'physician profile', contact the AOA Information Association at (800)621-1773.  The profile is the official form for verification of certification awarded by the American Osteopathic Association.

CME HOURS TO MAINTAIN CERTIFICATION:
Certified physicians in family practice and osteopathic manipulative treatment are required to maintain a total of 150 CME hours, 30 hours more than the 120 hour AOA membership requirement.  Thirty (30) of the 150 hours must be in category 1-A to meet the AOA requirement.

Fifty (50) of the required 150 CME hours for the three-year cycle must be documented in the primary specialty area of family practice and OMT.  Following is a listing of the classification of hours that may apply toward the primary specialty for the 2013-2015 cycle (Hrs. acceptable in some categories have changed from the prior cycle).  Only those programs which are presented by an AOA or ABMS board-certified physician may apply toward specialty CME requirements.

The AOA Department of CME has begun to designate on the current individual activity reports the hours applicable to the primary specialty area. 

                                                                                                                                              Posted 5/2/2013