By Matthew B. Podgorsak, PhD, ABR Board of Trustees Chair, and Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, ABR Executive Director February 2025;18(1):5 The ABR mission includes assessment of knowledge in the four radiologic disciplines (diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, medical physics, and radiation oncology). Various exam models are used by medical certifying boards; the ABR employs a multiple-choice…
By Kate Maturen, MD, ABR Trustee February 2025;18(1):6 In late 2024, I had the distinct honor of succeeding Stephen Simoneaux, MD, as vice chair for diagnostic radiology (DR) on the ABR Board of Trustees (BOT). An eminent pediatric radiologist and ABR volunteer of many decades, Steve will take his signature good humor and practical wisdom…
By Heather S. Hopkins, ABR Communications Coordinator February 2025;18(1):11 Lee F. Rogers, MD, died November 28, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona, at the age of 90. A musculoskeletal radiologist, Dr. Rogers was professor emeritus and former chair of radiology at Northwestern Medicine Feinberg School of Medicine. A lifelong educator, he led the Northwestern Department of Radiology…
By Kalpana M. Kanal, PhD, ABR Trustee February 2025;18(1):8 One of the key functions of ABR medical physics volunteers is to write questions for exams. This includes not only questions for medical physics exams, but also physics questions for exams given to candidates in the three other ABR disciplines: diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology/diagnostic radiology, and…
February 2025;18(1):4 In our last issue, we heard from the ABR Trustees who joined the Board in September 2024. This month, we asked new members of the ABR Board of Governors (BOG) to tell us about their experiences. Below are their answers to the following questions: James C. Anderson, MD Karen Ragland Cole, MD, MBA…
By Michael Yunes, MD, ABR Associate Executive Director of Radiation Oncology February 2025;18(1):9 The ABR Radiation Oncology Oral Certifying Exam (CE) is often considered the most stressful and difficult experience in the long and arduous journey to independent practice. The purpose of the CE is to assess a candidate’s clinical skills and judgment and to…
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager February 2025;18(1):11 During the NFL season, Brian Holly, MD, and a few of his colleagues at Johns Hopkins get together the day after Baltimore Ravens’ games to talk about the outcome. He jokingly calls it “solving all of the team’s problems.” “He’s a very passionate Ravens fan,” said Robert…
February 2025;18(1):14 By David Laszakovits, MBA, ABR Communications Director, and Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, ABR Executive Director Diplomates have answered more than 12 million OLA questions since the platform was introduced in 2019. In the first few weeks of 2025, more than 94% of diplomates with a December 31, 2025, Part 3 deadline have already…
By Jennifer Stickel, PhD, ABR Trustee December 2024;17(6):8 In 2019, the ABR implemented Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) as Part 3 of the four-part Continuing Certification (CC, formerly MOC) program. For medical physicists, the OLA program began in January 2020 and thus is about to complete its fifth year. Medical physicist diplomates are required to answer 52…
December 2024;17(6):4 In September, four new members joined the ABR Board of Trustees. A few months into their tenure, we asked each of them to share their thoughts on the following questions: Kristopher Cummings, MD, Cardiothoracic Imaging Umesh D. Oza, MD, Nuclear Radiology Kenneth Rosenzweig, MD, Radiation Oncology Jennifer Stickel, PhD, Nuclear Medical Physics Return…
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager December 2024;17(6):9 When asked to describe ABR volunteer Ryan Avery, MD, his committee chair keeps it simple. “He’s amazing,” said Derek Johnson, MD, who leads the Diagnostic Radiology Nuclear Radiology Subspecialty Committee. Dr. Avery, the chief of nuclear medicine in Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine’s Department of Radiology…
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.