ABIM to Develop Malignant and Classical (Nonmalignant) Versions of Hematology Assessments
Morie Gertz, MD, MACP, is the Chair of the ABIM Hematology Board, the Roland Seidler Jr. Professor of the Art of Medicine and Chair Emeritus of the Department of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
We’ve heard from many in the hematology community asking for assessments that more closely align with their practice. On behalf of the ABIM Hematology Board, I am pleased to share that in 2026, ABIM will do just that by introducing malignant and classical (nonmalignant) versions of the Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA®). The general hematology LKA will remain an option as well.
What’s the difference?
These new tailored versions of the hematology assessments will be based upon the general Hematology Blueprint, but will feature a larger proportion of questions covering topics related to malignant and classical hematology, respectively. The goal is to align the assessments more closely with what many of us see in practice daily. More information on the blueprints is expected to be published in 2025.
The malignant and classical versions of the assessments will be available to any diplomate maintaining certification in hematology through the LKA and may also be a good option for those seeking to reaffirm their knowledge in these areas. Your certificate will continue to be designated as “Hematology” regardless of which version you choose.
How we got here
The idea of developing versions of the assessments that better reflect the changing ways we practice has been part of discussions with ABIM and within the Hematology Board for some time. Within the field of hematology, as in many other disciplines, many of our colleagues have become increasingly specialized and focus entirely on one branch of the discipline or the other.
We have been listening to our diplomates’ concerns and feedback about the increasing specialization within hematology. As a result, the Hematology Board asked ABIM to develop pathways using an evidence-based process for Maintenance of Certification (MOC) for those that focus predominantly on hematologic malignancies and those that practice more classical hematology. ABIM is committed to continuing to increase the relevance of the examination to day-to-day practice so that it reflects the reality of the practice experience.
I participate in MOC because I believe we owe it to our patients to demonstrate that we are staying current in our field and that we are keeping pace with the rapid expansion of knowledge in the management of hematologic disorders. Examination development is a continuous process and there is always room for improvement. The Item-Writing Task Force and Approval Committees work through scores of questions to ensure that they are relevant to practice and to identify important educational gaps as our knowledge base expands. I take pride in the MOC program and assessing my knowledge against a standard developed by my peers to be relevant for today’s practice of hematology. I find the questions themselves to be instructive whether I get them correct or not.
Why the assessment matters
While it is still important for hematologists to maintain their knowledge in the discipline as a whole, we have long recognized that it is also important and desirable to afford ourselves an opportunity of focusing how we are assessed as a better reflection of how we practice. ABIM is prioritizing this based on a survey coming directly from the hematology community as well as actual practice data from Medicare claims.
Our patients have an expectation that their physicians are keeping up with the latest advances in the field, and though they may not all understand the process of maintaining certification or taking assessments, they do hold us to a high standard and a commitment to demonstrate we are staying current with new knowledge: not only in training, but throughout the course of our career.
Similarly, a broad base of knowledge in the discipline is essential to maintain. These tailored assessments will support that while also allowing those of us who have focused our practices to have an assessment more tailored to those areas in which we practice most, and meet the expectations of the patients we care for.
What you should do next
We are sharing this news now so that diplomates with assessments due in 2024 or 2025 can begin making plans.
If you are interested in participating in either of the new assessment options, we recommend enrolling in the Hematology LKA in your assessment due year to maintain your certification status. In 2026, you can switch to one of the new versions when they become available as long as you have been meeting the LKA Participation Requirement. More detailed information about when and how to switch will be provided closer to launch.
It is not too late to enroll in the Hematology LKA for 2024. If you enroll before March 31, you still have time to complete the first quarter’s 30 questions. If you enroll after March 31, you will not be able to open those questions and they will be deducted from the bank of 100 questions you can leave unopened across the course of the five-year cycle. The final day to enroll this year is June 30.
All diplomates are encouraged to sign in to their Physician Portal to check on upcoming requirements and due dates.
You can also choose to take the traditional, 10-year MOC exam in hematology in the year your assessment is due, but keep in mind that taking and passing the exam will mean your next assessment will be due 10 years later, and you will not be eligible to take the malignant or classical versions of the LKA during that time.
For more information about the LKA, please visit our dedicated website.
Summing Up: Your options based on assessment due dates
- You are due for an assessment in 2024.
- Enroll in the LKA before March 31 to maximize the amount of time you have to answer the first quarter’s 30 questions. After this date, you will not be able to open the first 30 questions and they will be deducted from your bank of 100 questions that can be unopened during the five-year LKA cycle. The final day to enroll this year is June 30.
- In 2026, if you prefer, switch to the Malignant or Classical (Nonmalignant) Hematology LKA to complete the remainder of your five-year cycle. More information about when and how to switch will also be provided closer to launch.
- Register for the fall 2024 traditional, 10-year MOC exam. If you pass the exam, you will not be eligible to take the Malignant or Classical (Nonmalignant) LKA or the traditional, 10-year MOC exam for another 10 years.
- Enroll in the LKA before March 31 to maximize the amount of time you have to answer the first quarter’s 30 questions. After this date, you will not be able to open the first 30 questions and they will be deducted from your bank of 100 questions that can be unopened during the five-year LKA cycle. The final day to enroll this year is June 30.
- You are due for an assessment in 2025.
- Enroll in the LKA on or after December 1, 2024. In 2026, switch to the Malignant or Classical (Nonmalignant) Hematology LKA to complete the remainder of your five-year cycle. More information about when and how to switch will also be provided closer to launch.
- Register for the spring or fall 2025 traditional, 10-year MOC exam. You will not be eligible to take the Malignant or Classical (Nonmalignant) LKA or the 10-year exam for another 10 years.
- You are due for an assessment in 2026.
- Enroll in the LKA of your choice on or after December 1, 2025. If you continue to meet the LKA Participation Requirement and all other MOC requirements, your certificate will remain active through 2031.
- Register for the traditional, 10-year MOC exam.
Why 2026?
Developing rigorous and relevant assessments that uphold the very highest standards of our credential takes time. In the next two years, ABIM will invest energy and resources into information technology systems and the intensive item development process, which involves recruiting additional experts in the areas of malignant and classical hematology to write and revise questions. These items will be reviewed by the Hematology Approval Committees (also composed entirely of practicing physician experts and experienced item-writers) and undergo a process of careful testing by psychometricians to ensure the very best questions are created.
We are making this announcement now to let you know that you have been heard, and that a choice of two tailored assessments is coming so that you may begin to plan for the future.
Please contact ABIM with questions and feedback at 1-800-441-ABIM or request@abim.org.
