ABR Mission Statement
The mission of The American Board of Radiology is to serve patients, the public, and the medical profession by certifying that its diplomates have acquired, demonstrated, and maintained a requisite standard of knowledge, skill and understanding essential to the practice of Diagnostic Radiology, Radiation Oncology and Radiologic Physics.
Mission Statement for MOC
The mission of the American Board of Radiology Maintenance of Certification program is to promote the quality of patient care delivered by its diplomates through a lifelong process of education, self-assessment, and practice improvement.
Vision for MOC
The vision of the Maintenance of Certification program is to provide a process which enables diplomates to provide evidence to the public that quality of their care in their practice is maintained over the course of their careers through a process of lifelong education, self-assessment, practice improvement, and continuous evaluation and learning.
ABR History
The medical profession knew there should be a standard of minimum requirements for the practice of any specialty in order to protect the public, the profession in general, and the specialists themselves. Prior to 1932, some states had attempted to prescribe such requirements by law; however, there was no model for them to follow, and the concern was that each state would pass different statutes, making uniformity from state to state impossible. The practical solution was for each specialty to put its own house in order and place its mark of approval on those qualified to practice in that field. Accordingly, five nationwide radiologic organizations appointed committees to investigate the feasibility of establishing a central qualifying board.
The result was the American Board of Radiology (ABR). It was incorporated, organized, and held its first meeting in Washington, D.C., in May of 1934. At that time bylaws were adopted and resolutions were established to ensure its proper function. Representatives of the five sponsoring organizations then set to work to improve graduate medical education in radiology, elevate the standard of training, and formulate means by which to evaluate the competence of those wishing to be recognized as specialists in the field.
Within the year, the ABR was accepted as a member of the Advisory Board of Medical Specialists (now called the American Board of Medical Specialties) and approved by the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of the AMA.
In 1974, 1986, and 1992, new sponsors came on board. Each of the now eight organizations is represented on the Board of Trustees by three individuals, all of whom were nominated by their organizations and elected by the ABR Board of Trustees.
As the field of radiology has developed, various certificates have been added and deleted to accommodate the technology. (A complete list of certificates no longer offered can be viewed at Discontinued Certificates.) The ABR has issued approximately 42,000 certificates since its inception in 1934.
The American Board of Radiology maintains an open working relationship with the American Board of Medical Specialties, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and the Residency Review Committees for Diagnostic Radiology and Radiation Oncology. The Board enjoys a great deal of interaction with sponsoring organizations, other medical specialty boards, specialty societies, medical societies, residency program directors, chairmen of hospital departments, diplomates of this board, and the entire radiologic community.
