by James B. Spies, MD, MPH, ABR Associate Executive Director for Interventional Radiology June 2022;15(3):7 In the past two years, we all have struggled with the pandemic and the breadth of its impact on all aspects of our lives. Nearly everything we do in daily life has been upended, and radical changes have been required…
By Stephen F. Simoneaux, MD, ABR Trustee June 2022;15(3):5 When a candidate sits down to take an ABR exam, high image quality is certainly an expectation. Over the years, as the tests have transitioned from glossy printed booklets, to films on view boxes, to computers, maintaining excellence in imaging has been a challenge. Plus, as…
June 2022;15(3):10 By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager This past March on Match Day, medical school graduates across the country discovered where they will spend their residencies. The day is the culmination of years spent dreaming about becoming a physician and working hard to achieve the goal. Radiologists, medical physicists, and radiation oncologists were among…
June 2022;15(3):15 Christopher Wood, MDCongratulations to ABR Trustee Christopher P. Wood, MD, for being elected to the American Society of Neuroradiology (ASNR) Nominating Committee for 2022-2023. Dr. Wood is a professor in the department of radiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he has been on staff since 1992. He completed his neuroradiology…
June 2022;15(3):11 The default setting for Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) sends an email to participants every Monday when new OLA questions are issued. But that frequency can be changed to other options that might better suit diplomates’ needs, such as “Question(s) are expiring Sunday” or “Never.” After logging in to OLA, click on the “OLA…
June 2022;15(3):13 After the administration of a computer-based exam, candidates will now be able to follow the progress of the exam scoring process on the ABR website. All ABR computer-based exam results go through the following six phases: 1) Collect; 2) Initial Scoring; 3) Quality Assurance; 4) Secondary Scoring; 5) Validation; 6) Results Release. When…
By Paul E. Wallner, DO, ABR Associate Executive Director for Radiation Oncology; and David Laszakovits, MBA, Director of Communications June 2022;15(3):9 In 2004, following an agreement reached with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the ABR began to add the designation “Authorized User-Eligible” (AU-E) to Initial Certification certificates of certain diagnostic radiology (DR) and radiation…
By Matthew B. Podgorsak, PhD, Kalpana M. Kanal, PhD, and Robert A. Pooley, PhD, ABR Trustees; and Geoffrey S. Ibbott, PhD, ABR Associate Executive Director for Medical Physics June 2022;15(3):8 As is the case for all ABR volunteers, medical physicists who are selected to participate as oral examiners must hold an ABR certificate that meets…
By N. Reed Dunnick, MD, ABR Executive Associate Director for Diagnostic Radiology June 2022;15(3):6 Technology has advanced tremendously since 1943 when IBM President Thomas Watson said “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” In 1977, Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, opined that, “There is no reason anyone would want…
by Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, ABR Executive Director June 2022;15(3):3 The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) released a new set of Continuing Certification Standards in November 2021 (New Certification Standards Reflect Foundational Changes | American Board of Medical Specialties). The 24 Member Boards, including the ABR, have until January 2024 to comply with the…
By Robert M. Barr, MD, ABR President-elect June 2022;15(3):4 Most of the 24 American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) certifying Member Boards were formed in the first half of the 20th century, at a time of rapid increases in medical knowledge and technology. These advancements contributed to the evolution of varying degrees of specialization, gradually…
Recent medical school graduates will take the next step in their careers when they start their residencies in July. Here are first-person stories from three future diagnostic radiology residents. Gilbert Aquino, MD Matched to SUNY Upstate Medical University (Diagnostic Radiology) I went to medical school in my native country, the Dominican Republic. I remember as…
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.