Continuous Certification Policies

All UCNS certifications are continuous beginning with the date of issuance when the maintenance of certification (MOC) requirements for continuous certification (C-cert) are met. The UCNS Board has adopted a policy setting forth requirements that must be met by all diplomates to maintain their C-cert. This policy applies to all current and future diplomates.

General Requirements

To meet continuous certification requirements diplomates must:
  1. Continue to be a diplomate in good standing in the primary specialty of an ABMS member board, the AOA, RCPSC, or medical board of diplomate’s country of origin approved by the UCNS prior to initial certification. 
  2. Maintain a current, active, valid, unrestricted, and unqualified license to practice medicine in the United States, its territories and possessions, or Canada.
  3. Pay annual C-cert fee
  4. Read the annual journal reading list assigned to the subspecialty.
  5. Take and pass annual C-cert quizzes.

Transitional Requirements

  1. Diplomates who were certified prior to 2016, must meet CME requirements to document life-long learning activities during the time-limited period as outlined in the CME Transition Requirements for Continuous-Certification Table. Diplomates must attest that all CME requirements have been met between their certificate issuance year and year end 2019, at which time they will be transitioned to C-cert and their certification status listed as “Certified – Meeting Requirements.” 
  2. Diplomates who do not meet or attest to the meeting the transitional subspecialty CME credit requirements by year end 2021 will no longer be certified. 
  3. Diplomates who recertified in 2016, 2017, or 2018 will have their C-cert fees waived until the fifth year after their recertification year.

Lapsed Certification Prior to 2020

Diplomates whose certification lapsed prior to 2020 must take and pass the certification examination in order to reinstate their certification.    

Failed Annual Quizzes

Diplomates will have three attempts to pass the annual C-cert quiz. Any diplomate who fails a C-cert quiz may re-take the quiz two additional times in the same year. If a Diplomate should fail the third attempt, their certification status will change to “Certified – Not Meeting Requirements.” Diplomates will be provided three more attempt in the following year after failing the previous year. If a diplomate does not pass the quiz in the following year after three attempts they are no longer certified. Certification may be regained through passage of the certification examination.  

Failure to Complete MOC Requirements for C-cert

Beginning in 2020, diplomates who do not complete all MOC requirements for C-cert by December 31 of each year will be considered “Certified – Not Meeting Requirements.” Certification status will be updated to “Certified – Meeting Requirements” when all outstanding MOC requirements for C-cert are met, unless there is failure to meet the MOC requirements for C-cert as defined in the policy. Diplomates who do not complete MOC requirements for C-cert for two consecutive years will no longer be certified and must take and pass the certification examination in order to regain their certification. 

Nontransferable Certification

UCNS certification is not transferable and may only be maintained by meeting the MOC requirements for C-cert set forth in UCNS certification policies.

Staff Contact

Bryan Hagerla, Continuous Certification Manager
[email protected]
(612) 928-6326