Focus on MP

Focus on MP

Diagnostic Medical Physics Qualifying Exam Committee’s Expertise Results in Fair and Relevant Exams

By Kalpana M. Kanal, PhD, ABR Trustee

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 radiation oncology. For question-writing purposes, volunteers are organized into committees according to their expertise.

For certification in medical physics, the ABR administers two computer-based qualifying exams, followed by an oral certifying exam. The eligibility requirements and timelines for each exam can be found here. The MP exams are:

  • Part 1 qualifying exams – general and clinical parts that can be taken together or separately.
  • Part 2 qualifying exam specific to diagnostic medical physics (DMP), nuclear medical physics (NMP), or therapeutic medical physics (TMP).
  • Part 3 oral certifying exam specific to DMP, NMP or TMP.

Committees of medical physicist volunteers develop content for each exam. Each committee has approximately 10 members who are subject matter experts, along with a chair who is responsible for the committee’s activities. An associate chair is chosen during the chair’s last year on the committee to ensure a seamless transition to new leadership. Each committee is assigned two ABR staff exam developers who provide administrative assistance. This article will focus on the DMP Part 2 Qualifying Exam Committee.

Committee members are typically selected by the committee chair and the Trustee and are appointed initially for a three-year term, with the possibility of reappointment for an additional three-year term. Rarely, a member is extended beyond six years on a committee. It is important to the ABR that each committee member contributes effectively during their years of service. Annual assessments of committee productivity and member contributions help ensure that high-quality exams are created year after year. In selecting committee members from the list of potential volunteers who have applied for and were approved for this role, the committee chair and the DMP Trustee focus on subject matter experts who have close knowledge of the material on which an exam is based.

Committee members in attendance at the June 2024 Exam Creation Meeting at RSNA Headquarters in Chicago. Front row, left to right: Anya Samaniego (ABR Exam Developer), Amaris Castellanos (ABR Exam Developer), Douglas Pfeiffer, MS (Associate Chair), Kalpana Kanal, PhD (DMP Trustee), Thomas Oshiro, PhD (Committee Chair), Jaydev Dave, PhD, and Anna Mench, PhD. Back row, left to right: Geoffrey Ibbott, PhD (Associate Executive Director), Andrew Hoy, PhD, and Bryan Schwarz, PhD. Not shown: Shalmali Dharmadhikari, PhD, Steven LaFontaine, PhD, Shuai Leng, PhD, and Sarah McKenney, PhD.

The annual item-writing cycle for this committee is from January to June. The committee meets virtually several times during the cycle to review, edit, and approve questions to be used for the DMP Qualifying Exam. The volunteer engagement throughout an item-writing cycle is typically many hours of independent work, followed by several committee meetings, and finally a 1.5-day in-person test assembly meeting. An exam is constructed using both new and previously used questions and is reviewed during an end-of-cycle in-person annual meeting in June attended by several committee members and the DMP Trustee. Once the exam is approved by the committee, the DMP Trustee provides a final review and approval.

We express our gratitude not only to the members of this committee, but also to all the medical physics item-writing committees. The ABR’s mission could not be fulfilled without the dedication and expertise of the medical physicists who generously volunteer countless hours to develop, review, and approve the exam questions the ABR uses to certify that all their diplomates demonstrate the requisite knowledge, skill, and understanding of their disciplines to the benefit of patients.

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