MOC FAQs

American Board of Dermatology FAQs About MOC/Continuing Certification for Pediatric Dermatologists

**We understand that the various scenarios involved in maintaining your certificate may be complex. Please contact the ABD office at 617-910-6400 if you have further questions.**

​Click here to go to the ABD site for more information.

OVERVIEW OF ABD CERTIFICATION AND EXAMINATIONS

The Pediatric Dermatology Subspecialty examination is for individuals seeking initial subspecialty certification in pediatric dermatology. The ABD administers this examination every other year in October.

NON-TIME-LIMITED (“lifetime”) AND TIME-LIMITED CERTIFICATES

Certification in dermatology prior to 1991 is non-time-limited (“lifetime”). Those who hold a non-time-limited dermatology certificate do not have to participate in MOC/Continuing Certification in order to retain certification in the primary specialty of dermatology. Certification in dermatology from 1991 forward is time-limited.

All subspecialty certification in pediatric dermatology is time-limited. The first pediatric dermatology subspecialty certification was offered in 2004, after the transition from non-time-limited to time-limited certification.

Diplomates who simultaneously hold a non-time-limited certificate in dermatology and a time-limited certificate in pediatric dermatology must fulfill MOC/Continuing Certification requirements for the certificate that is time-limited in order to retain that certificate. Diplomates who hold a non-time-limited certificate in dermatology but fail to complete the requirements to maintain the time-limited pediatric dermatology certification will no longer be certified in pediatric dermatology but will retain certification in dermatology.

THE MOC/CONTINUING CERTIFICATION PROCESS

All subspecialty certificates in pediatric dermatology are time-limited. Therefore, diplomates with this certification participate in the ABD’s Continuing Certification program (MOC). During each 10-year MOC/Continuing Certification cycle, diplomates with subspecialty certification in pediatric dermatology must take the MOC/Continuing Certification Exam to renew their certificate, in addition to completing other requirements. The MOC/Continuing Certification Exam is offered twice per year:

Depending on whether the diplomate has a non-time-limited (“lifetime”) or a time-limited PRIMARY dermatology certificate, different MOC/Continuing Certification Exam modules are required:

MOC/CONTINUING CERTIFICATION EXAM MODULE DETAILS