Accuracy of Attestation Among Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery Diplomates

AbstractSelf-regulation is a key tenet of professionalism. We sought to assess the accuracy of self-attestation with respect to the administration of a newly defined field of board sub-specialization. One qualifying pathway to take the written examination for certification in Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery (MDS) is to self-attest to an active practice of Mohs Surgery. Utilizing publicly available data, we find that greater than 6% (111) of new diplomates did not complete an ACGME-approved fellowship or charge CMS in 2019 for greater than one Mohs case per week. In addition, 72 individuals did not complete a fellowship or charge CMS in 2019 for a single Mohs case. This discrepancy between the test qualifications and practice patterns evident from CMS data suggests concern for the reliability of self-regulation in this setting.