Why Board Certification Matters

Board certification serves as an important marker for the highest standard of care. It reflects the critical core values of compassion, patient-centeredness, and a passion for education. Patients, physicians, healthcare providers, insurers, and quality organizations look for board certification as the best measure of a physician’s knowledge, experience, and skills to provide quality care within a given specialty.

Initial Certification

The ABR conducts initial qualifying and certifying examinations to ascertain the qualification of those who have completed training in the specialties of radiology, as well as several subspecialty areas (see Radiology Specialties and Subspecialties). Following initial certification, radiologists and medical physicists are called “diplomates of the ABR.”

Maintenance of Certification

Maintenance of Certification (MOC) is an integral part of the quality movement in healthcare. Participation in MOC demonstrates support for continuous quality improvement, self- assessment and professional development, and quality patient care. As clinical applications, technologies, and methodologies continue to expand and develop, lifelong learning is critical to ensure that new information is incorporated into routine clinical practice. Maintenance of Certification is for ABR-certified diplomates who are required to participate in order to maintain certification, or for lifetime certificate holders who voluntarily enroll to participate. All ABR volunteers, including governors and trustees, participate in MOC. More information can be found on the American Board of Medical Specialties website.