Help ABIM Explore the Possibility of Open-book Assessments

As the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) partners with physicians to enhance the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, ABIM seeks your input in an upcoming study to examine the possibility of ABIM providing access to online resources, such as UpToDate, during an assessment of medical knowledge. 

ABIM has heard from many physicians that they would like to have access to online resources during MOC assessments since they use these tools in practice. This study will provide crucial insights into how the use of online resources might impact both diplomate experience and performance.

Details about the study:

• Participating physicians will complete a five-hour pilot exam (including a break and tutorial) in one of Pearson VUE's testing centers across the country between April 17 and September 1, 2016.
• This is not the Internal Medicine MOC exam. Your decision to participate and your performance on the pilot exam will have no effect on your certification status. Individual scores will not be available to participants. ABIM will share feedback with participants about their performance on the pilot test and will report collective results of the study to the community.
• Those who participate will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. In one group, participants will have access to UpToDate, an online information resource, for a part of the exam. In the control group, participants will not have access to online materials. UpToDate is the only online resource in this pilot, but other resources will likely be considered for use in the future.
• We realize that you are busy and know that your time and input is important. In appreciation, we are offering everyone who fully participates in the study: 
  • An honorarium of $250
  • 20 MOC points
  • Complimentary access to UpToDate during the research period

How to sign up:

To participate in this study, please contact Pearson VUE to schedule your pilot exam appointment and choose your test center:

• Schedule online at www.pearsonvue.com/abim and sign up for the “Research Study on Open Book Assessments”

OR

• Call Pearson VUE at 1-800-601-3549, Mon. – Fri., 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT.

When you schedule your exam appointment, be sure to use your ABIM ID as your identification number with Pearson VUE.

If you have questions regarding signing up, please call 1-800-441-ABIM (2246).