June 06, 2019

ABA Announces Winner of First FAER/ABA Research in Education Grant

Benjamin H. Cloyd, M.D., to Evaluate Impact of MOCA on Clinical Practice

Raleigh, N.C. (June 6, 2019) – The American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) and the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) have selected Benjamin H. Cloyd, M.D., as the inaugural recipient of the FAER/ABA Research in Education Grant. The co-sponsored grant is designed to advance the careers and knowledge of anesthesiologists interested in the key elements of education in anesthesiology—curriculum, instruction and assessment. Dr. Cloyd will use the $100,000 award to evaluate the impact of MOCA participation on clinical practice and patient care. The two-year grant period begins July 1.

“We remain committed to researching the efficacy of our certification programs and to advancing practice in our specialty,” said Deborah J. Culley, M.D., ABA secretary. “Funding Dr. Cloyd’s research will offer helpful insight about the association between our MOCA program participation and patient care. It will also help further the goal of developing a system that provides anesthesiologists with feedback on prior clinical performance and opportunities for improvement.”

Dr. Cloyd, a clinical lecturer at the University of Michigan, will research anesthesiologists certified between 1994 and 2005 using the Anesthesiology Performance Improvement and Reporting Exchange (ASPIRE), the quality improvement arm of the Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group (MPOG), to gauge physicians’ clinical performance across multiple institutions and practice settings. The goal is to develop a robust system that provides anesthesiologists with timely comparisons to the performance of their local colleagues, targeted continuing medical education opportunities, and the chance to subsequently demonstrate directed quality improvement personalized to physicians’ practice.

“We are excited to work with FAER and the ABA to systematically explore the value and impact of MOCA on the clinical care of our patients,” said Dr. Cloyd about his research with mentor Lauryn Rochlen, M.D.

The FAER/ABA Research in Education Grant is a $100,000 award distributed to one faculty researcher of any rank over two years. The grant requires that 40 percent of the faculty member’s time be dedicated to the proposed research.  

“FAER is dedicated to developing the next generation of physician-scientists in anesthesiology,” said James Eisenach, M.D., FAER President and CEO. “Partnering with the American Board of Anesthesiology helps FAER leverage the interest and expertise of others to enhance support for new investigators in areas of research highly relevant to clinical training and care.”

Applicants were asked to submit abstracts for prospective hypothesis-driven research projects that evaluated the value of initial certification and the Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology™ program (MOCA®) to clinicians and the public, or the validity and impact of the ABA’s new initial certification program – the staged examination system (BASIC, ADVANCED, and APPLIED Examinations).

The ABA will provide Dr. Cloyd with mentoring and access to Board resources.

ABA Media Contact
Michelle Taylor
Director of Marketing and Communications
919-745-2281
michelle.taylor@theaba.org

About the American Board of Anesthesiology®
Our mission is to advance the highest standards of the practice of anesthesiology. As the certifying body for anesthesiologists since 1938, we work with physicians to elevate practice standards and foster exceptional patient care. We administer primary and subspecialty certification exams as well as the Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology™ (MOCA®) program, which is designed to promote lifelong learning, a commitment to quality clinical outcomes and patient safety. Based in Raleigh, N.C., we are a nonprofit organization and a Member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).