OB-GYN-L Messages for September, 2007: Board Recertification -- Is It A Scam?

Board Recertification -- Is It A Scam?

From: Dean Huffman .

dean@thehuffpeople.net

Tue Sep 25 11:48:32 2007

My impression about the whole recertification situation is that it is a scam.

ACOG and ABOG talk about "evidenced based medicine". Well, where is the evidence that recertification makes a difference. ABOG has the perfect opportunity now, but that opportunity will be gone in a few years, to test out whether recertificatio makes a difference. They can look at the practices of those who got boarded just before the recertification rules went into effect and those who got boarded just after. They could then see whther there was any significant difference in the practices.

I can guarantee that this study will not be done, however, at least not by ABOG. Why screw up a good thing with evidence.

The recertification thing is a machine that grows on itself. It's justification for existing is that it exists. And since it has so much power, it can do whatever it wants, charge whatever it wants.

I think it is, to a large degree, a scam, a self-fulfilling, self-perpetuationg entity.

- - - - -----Original Message----- >From: "Joanne Bulley, MD" <islesannie@gmail.com>
>Sent: Sep 24, 2007 8:48 PM
>Subject: Re: ABC Examination ...
>
>Just a few questions to those of you who have done this before - my
>reading of the ABC info is that you have to answer a minimum of 120
>questions. I got the results that I have answered 118 of the 120
>questions correctly - so I THINK that I don't have to do the third set
>of 60 questions -- I hope to God that is correct!
>
>This is my first year of doing the ABC - and although I downloaded the
>info booklet - is is not 100% clear ....
>
>I have not read it recently - but I seem to recall that you are also
>required to do a certain number of hours of other CME - but I don't
>recall a method for getting that info to them.
>
>Mu personal "grumping" is that
>1. ABOG has all the info on who is due for recert.
>2. ABOG should send out the notice that says "your are due" and "this
>is exactly what you need to do"
>3. Instead they tell you nothing - you have to go looking and read
>between the lines on some of the information.
>
>Has any one else doing the ABOG stuff gotten that impression - I hope it
>isn't only me that has had this experience!
>
>Dean - thanks for the reminder!
>
>Joanne
>(MCO 1981)
>
>At Mon, 24 Sep 2007, Dean Huffman . wrote:
>>
>>.
>>
>>A reminder for anyobdy taking the ABOG ABC (annual board certification)
>>examination: The answer sheets are due in the ABOG offices in Dallas, Texas,
by >>end of business on Friday. Therefore, they need to be sent no later than this
>>Thursday (there are some "same day delivery services," but they are not
always >>guaranteed).
>>
>>I recommend that if the answer sheets have not been sent in yet, then one use
>>FedEx, UPS, DHL, or similar NEXT DAY DELIVERY SERVICES. I would NOT recommend
>>using the US Postal Service overnight delivery -- I have found it not to be
>>that reliable.
>>
>>If anybody needs any specific articles, send me an e-mail and I will forward
a >>PDF copy of the article (general OGB/GYN or MFM).
>>
>>If you do not have enough time to get all the questions answered, just answer
at >>ramdom, A, B, or C in order to get the articles finished. Even if you do not
get >>the 70% "correct" rate, they give you a second chance exam.
>
>--
>Joanne Bulley, MD, FACOG
>Solo gyn
>Keene, NH USA

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