The following is a letter from Dr. David Nichol, President and CEO of the American Board of Pediatrics.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, I reach out to thank you again for upholding the highest ideals of a board-certified pediatrician. Every day you are fulfilling your commitment to children. Below we will provide more details on how the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) will fulfill the previously expressed commitment to recognize your work and prevent pandemic-related pressures from jeopardizing the certificate of a diplomate in good standing.

MOC Requirements

In June of 2020, the ABP will award MOC points for COVID-19-related learning and improvement to all certified pediatricians who have requirements due this year. These MOC points will satisfy any remaining Part 2 and Part 4 requirements, allowing all diplomates with a cycle that ends in 2020 the ability to enroll in their next cycle. There is no documentation necessary from you, and these points will be visible in your ABP Portfolio in early June. Once these MOC points have been awarded, you will need to go to your ABP Portfolio and enroll in your next cycle. You have until December 17, 2020 to complete the enrollment process.

If you wish to complete your Part 2 and Part 4 activity requirements before June 1, 2020, we will award 25 Part 2 points and 25 Part 4 points for COVID-19-related learning and improvement in January 2021 to count toward your next cycle. Once you’ve completed your MOC points, you will still need to go to your ABP Portfolio and enroll into your next MOC cycle by December 17, 2020.

MOC Fees

So much has changed in the past four weeks, and we hope the next seven months bring hope and better physical and mental health to all. Having said that, we also understand that the financial hardship some individuals are facing may not be relieved by December 2020. With that in mind, we are actively working on ways to accommodate pediatricians due to enroll in 2020 who continue to face significant financial hardship through the end of the year. In the meantime, all pediatricians should be aware of the smaller ($280 for those with one certification) annual payment option for MOC.

For additional information about the ABP’s response to COVID-19, please visit our website.