“Passing the boards” has been a highly valued achievement for most physicians since the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) instituted the credential in the United States more than a century ago.

 In contrast, the requirement to revalidate the credential periodically through the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process2

 has resulted in much dissension within the house of medicine, spawning anti-MOC legislation in more than 30 states and, more recently, antitrust lawsuits against the ABMS and several member boards.