Introduction

In the first article of this series, we explored the historical development of medical specialty societies, and how this process ultimately resulted in the formation of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program grew out of this association as a means to ensure continuous improvement throughout each physician's career in a specialty chosen area of specialization.

Neurointervention is somewhat unique in that it enjoys the participation of physicians from three different specialty boards: radiology, neurosurgery, and neurology. In order to understand the MOC process, the reader needs some information about the primary certification process of the individual boards. Here, we will review the primary certification and the various MOC requirements that neurointerventionalists will be exposed to through their specific parent organization: American Board of Radiology (ABR), American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS), and American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). We relied heavily on the individual specialty board websites, which will be cited throughout this text, as well as direct communication with the representatives of the three boards. In the event that the question should arise, the authors note that the order of discussion was chosen in a random fashion.