By Geoffrey S. Ibbott, PhD, ABR Associate Executive Director for Medical Physics; Kalpana M. Kanal, PhD, ABR Trustee; Matthew B. Podgorsak, PhD, ABR Board of Trustees Chair; and Robert A. Pooley, PhD, ABR Trustee February 2024;17(1):5 The important role of medical physicists in radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy is rarely questioned, and most state…
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager, and Paul J. Rochon, MD, ABR Trustee February 2024;17(1):13 The visions and missions of the ABR and radiology societies focus on improving patient care. Medical imaging impacts most people at some point, and radiology professionals have the potential to be unifying change agents across an inequitable healthcare system. To…
By Desiree E. Morgan, MD, ABR Governor, and Mary S. Newell, MD, ABR Associate Executive Director for Diagnostic Radiology February 2024;17(1):5 As part of continual efforts to improve exams for our candidates and diplomates, exam content is evaluated at numerous times and on several fronts during exam development. Volunteers on item-writing committees review questions as…
February 2024;17(1):10 By Desiree E. Morgan, MD, ABR Governor; Lydia Warg, ABR Associate Director for Exam Services; and Meckenzie Fussell, ABR Exam Delivery Manager With 365 days in a year, one might assume we could easily find dates to host the 40-plus exams administered each year to candidates and diplomates in the four disciplines certified…
February 2024;17(1):12 ABR Associate Executive Director for Diagnostic Radiology Mary S. Newell, MD, has been named to the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Board of Directors. Dr. Newell, a professor of radiology and imaging sciences at Emory University and part of its breast imaging division, is a former member of the ABR Board of…
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager February 2024;17(1):9 Serving on the ABR Interventional Radiology Initial Certification Advisory Committee gave Christopher Bailey, DO, a chance to help his specialty by volunteering for a medical certifying board. The committee, which Dr. Bailey joined on a recommendation by the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) in 2020, acts as…
By Robert M. Barr, MD, ABR President; Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, ABR Executive Director; and David Laszakovits, MBA, ABR Communications Director February 2024;17(1):4 Taking an exam can be stressful, even for the most prepared candidates. While convenient, remote exam delivery introduces hurdles not encountered during in-person exams. Even perfect execution by ABR staff and candidates…
By Robert M. Barr, MD, ABR President; Mary S. Newell, MD, ABR Associate Executive Director for Diagnostic Radiology; and Jennifer Knoll, ABR Exam Development Manager February 2024;17(1):2 In the dynamic landscape of ABR certification, the adoption of Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) reshaped how diplomates engage with continuing certification. Instead of the static unidirectional relationship that…
By Jordan Mackner February 2024;17(1):8 Late last year, I had the privilege of attending the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting, which is one of the largest medical conferences in the world. As a medical student, I find that attending conferences can be an overwhelming experience, but it can also be extremely rewarding….
By Eric Russell, MD, ABR Volunteer December 2023;16(6):10 A longtime ABR trustee and committee member and my dearest friend, Robert D. Zimmerman, MD, passed away after a prolonged illness, in the presence of his beloved wife Ellen and his two children, Max and Molly, on October 5. A magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate…
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager December 2023;16(6):9 Patrick Byrne, PhD, has a unique way of thinking about his ABR volunteer work. “If I spend a couple of weekends a year traveling to Tucson or Chicago or doing some committee work, I don’t feel too bad about it,” he said. “I approach it like a…
By Mallory Carson Glenn, PhD, DABR®, MOM* December 2023;16(6):8 Several years of graduate study, two years of residency, and three board exams. These are the hurdles we medical physicists must overcome to earn the title of DABR, our proof of clinical competency and ability to provide quality in patient care. Many would say that the…
The ABR is a not-for-profit organization and member of the American Board of Medical Specialties. Our mission is to certify that our diplomates demonstrate the requisite knowledge, skill, and understanding of their disciplines to the benefit of patients. Our vision is to positively impact the lives of all patients as the foremost trusted certifying body assuring the highest standards of specialty expertise and professionalism in the radiological sciences.