Requirements
Exam eligibility Qualifications Board Approval Leaves of Absence Failure to Qualify Revocation of Certificate
PGY 1
- Clinical training, accredited by ACGME, AOA, or RCPSC
- Training in any combination of these disciplines:
-Internal Medicine
-Pediatrics
-Surgery or surgical specialties
-Obstetrics and Gynecology
-Family Practice
-Transitional or categorical radiation oncology
Specialties other than those listed, including pathology and psychiatry, do not satisfy the PGY 1 requirement of the ABR.
- Training must be completed in the United States or Canada (Requests for credit for this type of training done in other countries must be submitted to the Executive Committee. See information for international medical graduates
PGY 2 - 5
- Four years of approved training in radiation oncology
In a department approved for training in radiation oncology by the radiation oncology Residency Review Committee ( RRC) of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) ), or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)
- Thirty-six months of clinical radiation oncology with exposure to pathology and medical oncology
- No more than six months in elective rotations outside the parent institution as defined in the program requirements of the RRC.
You are expected to remain in the same radiation oncology training program for the duration of the training. If you want to/have to transfer:
- The program director of the initial program must verify that you have successfully completed the portions of the training that were undertaken in that program, and
- This training must be accepted by the program director of the new program
- If your old program director states that you have not successfully completed training, that statement must have the signatures of two other faculty members from the same program, supporting the unsatisfactory completion
| APPLY for exam process | Eligible to TAKE Physics Cancer Biology exams | Eligible to TAKE Clinical exam | Eligible to TAKE oral exam | ||
| PGY 2 (second year)
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| X | - | - | - | ||
| PGY 3 - PGY 4 (PGY 1 + 36 to 48 months) |
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| X | X | - | - | ||
| PGY 4 - PGY 5 (PGY 1 + 48 to 60 mo.)
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| X | X | X | - | ||
| Training complete and have passed all computer-based exams
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| - | - | - | X | ||
One registration covers all portions of the examination process.
If you need to file any further registrations, you will be notified.
The computer-based examination is currently offered in July.
You must have applied by Sept. 30 of the year before you plan to take the exam.
The oral examinations are conducted yearly in June. Candidates who have passed all the computer-based examinations and have completed 60 months of approved training (PGY 1 plus 48 months of radiation oncology residency) by September 30 will be scheduled for the oral examination for the next year in which the exam is given.
The successful candidate is issued a ten-year time-limited certificate in radiation oncology.
Qualifications
When you apply for admission to an ABR examination, you must present evidence satisfactory to the Board of Trustees that you have met the following standards:
- You have graduated from a medical school in the United States or Canada which is accredited at the date of graduation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, or from a college of osteopathic medicine approved by the American Osteopathic Association. If you are a graduate of a medical school outside the United States or Canada, you must be screened for approval by an agency acceptable to the Board of Trustees. (See International Medical Graduates)
- You have completed the required training in radiation oncology in a program approved by the ACGME or RCPSC (Canada), and are recognized by your peers to have high moral and ethical standards in your profession.
Board Approval
The period of your special training shall be as the Board of Trustees shall determine by resolution or motion.
The Board of Trustees requires a written statement from your current program director, attesting that the applicant will have satisfactorily completed the required special training and will have achieved adequate professional qualifications for the examination in radiation oncology by the appointed time, and that you are prepared to take that examination.
In special instances, these requirements may be modified by majority vote of the entire Board of Trustees, or by the Executive Committee, acting in its stead.
The American Board of Radiology will not accept the Fifth Pathway in lieu of one of the four years of approved graduate medical education.
The Board´s decision on your certification is based on your professional record, training, and attainment in the field of radiation oncology, as well as on the results of your examinations. This Board has been organized, not to prevent qualified radiation oncologists from obtaining certificates, but to assist them in becoming recognized in their communities as men and women competent to practice in the special field of radiation oncology or one of its branches.
Leaves of Absence
New policy effective July 1, 2005
Leaves of absence and vacation may be granted to residents at the discretion of the program director in accordance with local rules. Within the required period(s) of graduate medical education, the total such leave and vacation time may not exceed FOUR CALENDAR WEEKS (20 working days) per year. This includes vacation, sick days and personal time.
| Year in program |
Total absences permitted at this point in program |
| PGY 2 | 4 weeks (20 working days) |
| PGY 3 | 8 weeks (40 working days) |
| PGY 4 | 12 weeks (60 working days) |
| PGY 5 | 16 weeks (80 working days) |
If a longer leave of absence is granted, the required period of graduate medical education must be extended accordingly.
Under circumstances, including but not limited to maternity leave, family leave, and other extenuating absences, the program director may, at his/her discretion and in conformance with institutional policies, allow up to an additional six weeks of leave during the course of training before a candidate is required to make up the absent time by extending his or her training.
Those in training before July 1, 2005
are permitted SIX CALENDAR WEEKS (30 working days) of leave per year. These may be accumulated during the four training years; that is, they may take the 80 working days as outlined above, plus 10 days per year for every year they were in training before July 1, 2005. Residents who exceed this allowance must extend their training to compensate for the additional leave.
If your program director fails to indicate in writing that you will have the required special training and will have achieved adequate professional qualifications before the examination, documentation of the reason(s) must be submitted along with evidence that you have been appropriately apprised of these deficiencies. ( See the ABR's Appeals Policy )
Revocation of Certificate
Certificates issued by this Board shall be subject to revocation in the event that:
- the certificate was issued contrary to or in violation of any rule or regulation of the ABR; or
- the person to whom the certificate was issued was not eligible to receive it; or
- substantial misstatement or omission of a material fact to the ABR in an application or in any other information submitted to the ABR; or
- any license of the person to practice is not, or ceases to be, a valid and unrestricted license to practice within the meaning set forth in the Rules and Regulations of the ABR (In the event that a Diplomate's license to practice is suspended, revoked or restricted in any state in which the Diplomate practices, holds a license or has held a license, the Diplomate's board certification may be revoked or suspended); or
- violation of rules and regulations relating to the Written Qualifying, Oral and Maintenance of Certification Examinations and applications to take the examinations; or
- presenting or distributing, or aiding, or assisting another person(s) to present or distribute, a forged document or other written instrument purporting to have been issued by or under the authority of the ABR to evidence that a candidate, Diplomate, or any other person(s) is currently or was previously certified by the ABR, when that is not the case, or claiming orally or in writing, or assisting another person(s) to claim, that a candidate, Diplomate, or any other person(s) is currently or was previously certified by the ABR, when that is not the case; or
- engaging in any conduct that materially disrupts any examination or that could reasonably be interpreted as threatening or abusive toward any examinee, proctor or staff; or
- failure to cooperate with the ABR or its Hearing Committee at any point during the investigation of a matter arising under Article X of the ABR Bylaws.
Before any such certificate shall be revoked, a notice shall be sent by registered or certified mail to the last known address of the holder of such certificate (as it appears on the records of the ABR). The notice will set forth the act, omission or conduct alleged or complained of, and give the holder of the certificate a reasonable opportunity to answer in writing thereto. Such certificate holder shall have not less than 30 days in which to reply thereto. The Board of Trustees may at its discretion make such further investigation as it deems necessary and proper.
The Board of Trustees of this Corporation shall have the sole power, jurisdiction, and right to determine and decide whether or not the evidence or information before it is sufficient to constitute one of the grounds for revocation of any certificate issued by the Board. The decision of the Board of Trustees in the premise shall be final.
The Board reserves the right to make changes in its fees, policies, and procedures at any time and cannot assume responsibility for giving advance notice thereof.