By ABR Associate Executive Director for Diagnostic Radiology Mary S. Newell, MD April 2026;19(2):6 Preparatory work for the new Diagnostic Radiology Oral Certifying Exam is progressing smoothly for its 2028 launch. The newly formed DR certifying exam committees are now creating content. ABR staff continues to scale up the virtual platforms needed for an exam…
By ABR Board of Trustees Chair Matthew B. Podgorsak, PhD; ABR Trustees Jennifer Stickel, PhD, and Sameer Tipnis, PhD; and ABR Associate Executive Director for Medical Physics Geoffrey S. Ibbott, PhD April 2026;19(2):6 The March 2020 issue of The Beam included an article written by Don Frey, PhD, associate executive director for medical physics at…
By ABR Trustee Jeff Michalski, MD, MBA, FASTRO April 2026;19(2):7 Having had the privilege of serving as a board member of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and now as an ABR Trustee, I have gained a deep appreciation for how these two organizations — often discussed together but fundamentally distinct — serve complementary…
By ABR Associate Director of Communications Rodney Campbell April 2026;19(2):8 Several months into their terms as ABMS Scholars, the two residents and fellow sponsored by the ABR have learned about the program, started their projects, and worked with peers from several other Member Boards. They recently shared their thoughts about the program’s benefits. Applications are…
By ABR Associate Director of Communications Rodney Campbell April 2026;19(2):9 Being part of an ABR volunteer committee can be rewarding and challenging. Sometimes, the challenging part begins the moment a physician or physicist arrives for a summer meeting in Tucson or winter gathering in Chicago. Robert Flavell, MD, knows how Southern Arizona feels in August…
By ABR Associate Director of Communications Rodney Campbell April 2026;19(2):10 When Sharon White, PhD, joined the medical physics section of the radiology department of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) as a postdoctoral fellow in 2000, she wasn’t sure how long she would be there. “I saw an ad in Physics Today for a…
By ABR Associate Director of Communications Rodney Campbell April 2026;19(2):11 When Michel Courtines, MD, attended the Texas Radiological Society annual meeting in February, he did something he often does. He visited the ABR booth. “I make a habit of stopping by to discuss what’s new with the ABR, see if there are any updates, changes…
April 2026;19(2):12 ABR Board President Cheri L. Canon, MD, received the 2026 Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) Gold Medal Award during the organization’s annual meeting in March. Established in 2019, the SAR Gold Medal combined the Society’s top honors — the Walter B. Cannon Medal, the Howard M. Pollack Medal, and the Lifetime Achievement Award…
April 2026;19(2):13 At the end of the October 2026 Board meeting, the Board of Trustees will welcome three new members. Phuong-Anh T. Duong, MD will be the Trustee for diagnostic radiology quality and safety, AJ Gunn, MD, will be the new Trustee for interventional radiology, and Katja Langen, PhD, will be the Trustee for therapeutic medical physics. For more…
April 2026;19(2):14 The American College of Radiology (ACR) has appointed Bruce Haffty, MD, to be chief medical officer for radiation oncology research. Dr. Haffty will collaborate with ACR staff, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Foundation scientific leadership, and industry partners to advance clinical research trials in radiation oncology. The vice chancellor for cancer programs at Rutgers…
By ABR President Cheri L. Canon, MD February 2026;19(1):2 One of the goals of achieving expertise in a medical specialty is board certification. Certification represents a recognition of significant achievement, established through standardized training and testing, that distinguishes practitioners as possessing the knowledge and skill to practice independently, effectively, and safely in service to patients….
By ABR Board of Trustees Chair Matthew B. Podgorsak, PhD, and ABR Executive Director Brent Wagner, MD, MBA February 2026;19(1):3 Use of artificial intelligence (AI), accelerated by the introduction of widely available generative tools, has been a leading topic of discussion over the past several years, including myriad implications for medical practice and the medical…
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.