Focus on IR/DR: IR/DR Certification and the Transition to the DR Oral Exam
By ABR Associate Executive Director for Interventional Radiology James B. Spies, MD, MPH
October 2026;19(5):7
In spring 2025, the ABR announced that, beginning with IR residents graduating in 2029, all candidates seeking certification in interventional radiology/diagnostic radiology (IR/DR) will be required to pass the new Diagnostic Radiology (DR) Oral Exam. This will be in addition to passing the Qualifying (Core) Exam and the oral component of the IR/DR Certifying Exam. Currently, the computer-based component of the IR/DR Certifying Exam is required, but that will change with the introduction of the DR Oral Exam.
As with any change, there will be a period of transition, and understanding the timing of the exams is important. This has been described in detail on the ABR website, but it may be helpful to review again here.
For current graduates and those graduating in 2027 or 2028, the computer-based component of the IR/DR Certifying Exam will continue to be the standard through 2028. The last computer-based exam will be given in 2028. Beginning in 2029, the DR Oral Exam will replace it. This new requirement will apply to all candidates who have not passed the computer-based exam by the end of 2028.
Because of the transition to the DR Oral Exam, exam timing for the Qualifying (Core) Exam will also change for IR/DR residents starting in 2028. The table below outlines the transition plan for IR/DR residents graduating in 2028-2030.
In a steady state, IR/DR residents will have their first opportunity to take the Qualifying (Core) Exam in the fall of their PGY-5/R4 year and their first opportunity to take the DR Oral Exam in June of that same training year (i.e., PGY-5/R4). The final step in certification, the IR Oral Exam, will stay on its current schedule, with the first opportunity in the spring of the year following successful completion of the IR residency.
The change in exam requirements will align the diagnostic radiology qualifications of IR/DR graduates with those of their DR counterparts. This will remove any questions about the competency of IR/DR graduates to interpret diagnostic studies, and it reflects views expressed by stakeholders in the review process completed prior to the ABR’s decision to transition to the DR Oral Exam. The change does require a shift in the timing of the three required exams, but the steady-state schedule will allow the least disruption to the training process and still allow the first opportunity for final certification via the IR Oral Exam to remain the same.
The ABR continually seeks to improve its certification processes while ensuring the rigor of our assessments. The Board believes the changes outlined meet that goal and serve both candidates and the public. As always, we appreciate the input of our stakeholders in arriving at the plan and timing for the IR/DR certification process.
