Advanced Competence in Medical Optometry (ACMO) Examination Click here to register for the 2008 ACMO Examination.
Background
In 2005, the National Board of Examiners in Optometry offered the first examination to assess Advanced Competence in Medical Optometry (ACMO), which was developed at the request of the National Association of VA Optometrists (NAVAO www.navao.org). Taking the ACMO examination provides an opportunity for Doctors of Optometry to achieve the same formal recognition and status that other VA health care professionals receive following completion of residency programs.
The ACMO exam is designed for Doctors of Optometry who have completed, or are in the process of completing, an ACOE-accredited VA residency program by June 30, 2008. ACMO eligibility includes individuals who have completed any ACOE-accredited residency program and who are actively involved in the training and education of VA optometry residents. ACMO is also available to candidates who have not completed a residency program but are actively involved in the training and education of VA optometry residents.
For 2008, ACMO eligibility has been expanded to include individuals who are clinically privileged to provide optometric patient care services to VA patients even if they did not complete a residency program or if they are not actively involved in the training and education of VA optometry residents.
Eligibility to sit for the ACMO examination includes those who meet the following criteria:
- Completed an ACOE-accredited VA residency program by June 30, 2008, or
- Completed any ACOE-accredited residency program, and actively involved in the training and education of VA optometry residents, or
- Actively involved in the training and education of VA optometry residents, or
- Clinically privileged to provide optometric patient care services to VA patients, and
- Active licensure with therapeutic privileges as of March 08, 2008 (3 months prior to the test administration), and
- No licensure sanctions or active state board investigations.
NAVAO strongly encourages all eligible individuals to sit for this important examination, which has already gained stature as an important and valuable credential for VA residency-trained Doctors of Optometry.
Description of Examination
ACMO is a computer-administered examination consisting of 40 simulated patient cases related to ocular disease and associated systemic conditions. Each case begins with a scenario in which the patient history and clinical data are presented. The cases place considerable emphasis on the interpretation of visuals. Each scenario includes at least two visuals (e.g., color ophthalmic photographs, visual fields and other instrumentation printouts, laboratory analyses, and/or other clinically relevant imaging data).
Every scenario is followed by 4 multiple-choice test items, each of which may contain as many as 10 options, only one of which is correct. The combination of one scenario and the 4 accompanying test items comprises a patient case. Thus, the 40 cases contain 160 test items. There is a similar sequence of test items for each case, following the format shown below:
Question # |
Question Focus |
1 |
Diagnosis |
2 |
Diagnosis follow-up, including clinical correlations, pathophysiology, and/or systemic issues |
3 |
Treatment |
4 |
Treatment follow-up, including prognosis, patient education, systemic issues, medication side effects, and/or further patient assessment |
| |
The updated Tutorial for 2008 will be available no later than April 18. It is unchanged from the current version, other than addition of the Clinical Abbreviations and Laboratory Abbreviations lists (described below) as sample Exhibit buttons. |
Although the format for ACMO is similar to that of the PAM (Patient Assessment and Management) examination of Part III-Patient Care, ACMO is longer, has a different content focus that is beyond the entry level clinical knowledge tested in PAM, and covers exclusively ocular disease and associated systemic conditions. As this blend of content and difficulty is designed for the advanced level of competence that VA residencies provide, it is anticipated that VA residents will be fully familiar with the nature of the examination content.
Most of the cases test the ability to diagnose and manage ocular disease. Many of these cases also include a test item assessing clinical knowledge of a related systemic issue. Some cases focus on systemic conditions. Overall, 25%-35% of the test items cover systemic conditions, while 65%-75% cover ocular disease. Within ocular disease, there is a high emphasis on glaucoma, anterior segment disease, and posterior segment disease. Trauma and post-operative conditions have a minimal emphasis, and neuro-ophthalmologic conditions have a moderate emphasis. While zoom capability is not yet available when reviewing the case visuals, some of the photographs and/or figures include low and high magnification versions when appropriate.
Similar to clinical care notation, abbreviations are used liberally throughout the examination text. Two alphabetized abbreviations lists will be electronically linked to the examination and may be used as resources throughout the test. One is labeled Clinic Abbreviations and provides a list of clinical abbreviations and their related words. The second is labeled Lab Abbreviations and includes a list of laboratory testing abbreviations. Occasionally, an entry may be included on both lists.
In order to reduce verbiage in the examination, individual drugs included on ACMO are referenced by generic or trade name, but not both. The ACMO examination utilizes 2 lists of generic drugs and their trade name equivalents. The first list alphabetizes the drugs by their generic names (Generic Drugs); the second list alphabetizes the drugs by their trade names (Trade Drugs). These lists do not include every drug name used on ACMO; rather, they include those drugs on the test that have commonly utilized trade names. The 2 drug lists will also be electronically linked to the examination and may be used as resources throughout the test.
As in all other National Board exams, candidates will have an opportunity to comment about any test item by typing entries into text boxes during the examination.
Scoring and Pass-Fail Standard Setting
In scoring ACMO, the first and third items have higher point values than the second and fourth. The item scoring weight sequence within each cluster is 6-2-4-2, corresponding to Diagnosis / Diagnostic Follow-Up / Treatment / Treatment Follow-Up. Thus, each item cluster is worth 14 points. The pass-fail standard is set in a manner similar to that of the PAM examination. The resultant pass-fail standard for ACMO is 71% (attaining 10 of the 14 item cluster points by correctly answering at least the diagnosis and treatment items).
For a more complete analysis and display of the results of the June administration of ACMO, click here.
Exam Administration
The National Board has contracted with Pearson VUE for computerized testing services. Pearson's extensive network of more than 200 test centers provides relatively easy access for all candidates to sit for the exam.
The ACMO examination will be administered in a single 4 1/2-hour session on Friday, June 13, 2008. Before the exam begins, candidates are given a brief tutorial so that they are familiar with the computerized presentation and mechanics of the test. An on-line preview of the tutorial will be available on April 18 via a link from this updated website. Before the exam begins, candidates are also expected to read and endorse a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). To view the NDA, click here. Immediately following the exam, a 9-item survey will be displayed requesting candidate feedback to various aspects of the exam. The overall length of the test session is 5 hours, which includes 4 1/2 hours for the test and 1/2 hour for these administrative details.
The ACMO examination has a 2-tiered fee structure. The standard exam fee is $780; however, there is a reduced fee of $480 for current residents who sit for the test during the year in which they complete their residency program.
All ACMO candidates are encouraged to consult their tax advisor regarding the potential tax deductibility of the examination fee.
Click here to register for the 2008 ACMO Examination.
