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Joint project team completes proposed optometric board certification framework
The Joint Board Certification Project Team (JBCPT) has proposed a model framework for board certification in optometry. It is being presented to leaders of the six project team member organizations and is scheduled to be discussed at the American Optometric Association (AOA) House of Delegates meeting June 24.
The JBCPT is made up of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO), the AOA, the American Optometric Student Association, the Association of Regulatory Boards in Optometry, the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry and the National Board of Examiners in Optometry.
Key points of the model
According to the AOA’s Jeffrey L. Weaver, OD, the media contact for the JBCPT, the proposed model framework for initial board certification is based on a written Patient Assessment and Management examination with areas of emphasis. Clinicians can choose three of the 14 possible examination topics to tailor the exam toward their interests and specialty preference.
To qualify to take the exam, optometrists must complete general eligibility requirements and obtain 150 points of postgraduate education, which can be garnered from a variety of sources.
After becoming board certified, the proposed model will follow the same maintenance model as family medicine, said Dr. Weaver – every 10 years, optometrists must earn 150 points within three 3-year periods primarily through Self-Assessment Modules (SAMs) and Performance in Practice Modules (PPMs) to enhance their knowledge and skills.
Eligibility
According to the eligibility requirements detailed on the AOA’s Web site, to be eligible to take the exam, an optometrist must be a graduate of a school or college of optometry accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) and must have an active license to practice therapeutic optometry. Optometrists must also clear a search of two data banks: the National Practitioner Data Bank and Health, Integrity and Protection Data Bank, as well as agree to adhere to a code of ethics formulated by the American Board of Optometry.
The point system
According to Dr. Weaver, three separate methods are available to earn the points needed to qualify for the exam.
“The first way, and arguably the quickest, is to complete an ACOE approved residency,” he told Primary Care Optometry News in an interview. “If completed within 3 years, the person gets 150 points and can immediately take the examination.”
If the residency was completed between 3 to 10 years prior, the residency is worth 100 points. If it had been completed more than 10 years prior, the residency is worth 50 points if an AAO clinical fellowship has been completed within 10 years; if not, doctors will be asked to earn all necessary points through other methods.
Because residency programs are available for only about 20% of current graduates, most potential candidates will have to earn their points through other means, said Dr. Weaver.
“A broad number of opportunities are available through which to garner these 150 points required to take the examination,” Dr. Weaver said. “There are our current COPE-approved optometric continuing education options, paper and poster presentations or distance learning courses.
“Individuals might go to hospital grand rounds, attend local optometry society meetings or get a master’s degree related to clinical optometry,” he continued. “Those who are developing education can earn points for the work done on them, as well. Teaching at schools and colleges of optometry or other health care institutions would also be worth a certain number of points, as well as reviewing manuscripts, publishing manuscripts and completing self-assessment modules and performance and practice modules, once they are developed.”
Maintaining certification
Following initial certification, optometrists will maintain their certification through a framework similar to that developed by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Under this model, optometrists will be expected to maintain their active therapeutic license and professional standing in optometry. They must complete educational activities to demonstrate their ability to assess the quality of care provided compared to their peers and apply recommendations to improve.
These activities must be completed within three 3-year stages every 10 years after initial certification. Each of the three stages requires 150 points obtained through SAMs, PPMs and continuing education. A written board recertification examination will follow in the 10th year.
Get heard
To make information easily accessible, the JBCPT has added a link to the AOA’s Web site with information about the project. Two media files are available with PowerPoint presentations and optional audio detailing the project and the proposed framework. The JBCPT has also posted three “Frequently Asked Questions” links and press releases with more information. In addition, practitioners can send comments and questions to a dedicated e-mail address.
“There will certainly be a lot of debate in the coming months on the proposed model framework,” Dr. Weaver said. “As health care continues to evolve, board certification is a critical issue that could decide the future of the profession of optometry. Optometrists are encouraged to contact the organization member of the JBCPT with which they’re most closely aligned. In addition, any questions sent to the JBCPT e-mail address will get the highest consideration.”
For more information:
- Jeffrey L. Weaver, OD, is the media contact for the JBCPT and can be reached at (314) 983-4244; e-mail: Questions@JBCPT.org. Information from the JBCPT’s proposed model framework can be accessed at: www.aoa.org/JBCPT.xml.