by N. Reed Dunnick, MD, ABR Executive Associate Director for Diagnostic Radiology August 2022;15(4):6 The ABR could not exist without the many volunteers who define the exam blueprints, contribute case material, write items, adjudicate problem questions, and determine the cut scores. In addition, our leadership — officers, governors, and trustees who determine policy and procedures…
by Shelby Frantz, MD August 2022;15(4):7 SIR, SPIR, ISET, LEARN, GEST, SIO, CIO, WAIS, CIRSE, and SPECTRUM are just a few of the key annual educational conferences dedicated to interventional radiology. Numerous additional symposiums and courses concentrate on each facet of radiology. Attending my first IR conference as a medical student was one of…
By Paul E. Wallner, DO, ABR Associate Executive Director for Radiation Oncology; Brian J. Davis, MD, PhD, ABR Trustee; and Anthony M. Gerdeman, PhD, ABR Director of Exam Services August 2022;15(4):9 Developing credible certification assessment instruments requires adhering to three foundational elements: security, validity, and relevance. Exam security is determined by the logistical arrangements of…
By Kalpana M. Kanal, PhD; Robert A. Pooley, PhD; and Matthew B. Podgorsak, PhD, ABR Trustees; J. Anthony Seibert, PhD, ABR Governor; Geoffrey S. Ibbott, PhD, ABR Associate Executive Director for Medical Physics August 2022;15(4):8 The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has published general standards that provide the broad structure for Initial Certification mechanisms…
August 2022;15(4):10 By Christine Cooley, MD, and Carolynn M. DeBenedectis, MD Many of us who became parents during our residency training remember returning to work after six weeks or less of parental leave, emotionally and physically exhausted … babies not sleeping through the night nor having a predictable feeding schedule. Our hearts ached to spend…
by Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager August 2022;14(4):10 As a program director and ABR volunteer, Drew Caplin, MD, participates in both sides of the Initial Certification process. Dr. Caplin is an associate professor of radiology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He’s also an attending physician in interventional radiology at…
August 2022;15(4):12 Diplomates have answered more than 6.6 million OLA questions since the platform was introduced in 2019. They have also provided feedback on the usefulness of each item, which is greatly appreciated as we strive to improve the program. Here are a few things participants who are working toward their annual progress requirement should…
by Desiree E. Morgan, MD, ABR Trustee, and Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, ABR Executive Director August 2022;15(4):3 In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ABR reevaluated and changed many certification processes over the past 30 months across all disciplines (radiation oncology, medical physics, interventional radiology, and diagnostic radiology), and the radiology community has for the…
by Vincent P. Mathews, MD, ABR President August 2022;15(4):2 At the end of the September 2022 ABR Board of Governors meeting in Boston, I will conclude my term as ABR president. At that time Dr. Bob Barr will become president, and Dr. Cheri Canon will become president-elect. There will also be changes with the Board…
August 2022;15(4):13 Matthew B. Podgorsak, PhD, FAAPM, will replace Donald J. Flemming, MD, as chair of the ABR Board of Trustees (BOT) at the annual Board meeting in September. Dr. Podgorsak has been an ABR volunteer for 18 years, serving on item-writing committees and as an oral examiner, and has been a member of the…
2022;15(3):14 The Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) has honored ABR Associate Executive Director James B. Spies, MD, MPH, FSIR, with the 2022 Leaders in Innovation Award. This award recognizes and promotes innovation within interventional radiology, acknowledging individuals who have conceptualized and implemented an idea that has had an advantageous impact on the practice of interventional…
by Vincent P. Mathews, MD, ABR President June 2022;15(3):2 After extensive internal deliberation, the ABR announced in March that we would no longer be issuing authorized user (AU) eligibility (AU-E)1 on our certificates after 2023. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has defined requirements for “training and experience” (T&E) to allow practitioners to be added to…
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.