From the Board of Governors: Alternate Pathway Offers Board Eligibility Option for International Medical Graduates
By ABR President Cheri L. Canon, MD, and ABR Executive Director Brent Wagner, MD, MBA
April 2026;19(2):4
The International Medical Graduate (IMG) Alternate Pathway (the “Pathway”) allows individuals who have completed residency training in countries other than the United States and Canada to establish ABR board eligibility through clinical activity in academic departments with residency programs accredited by either the ACGME or RCPSC.
Subsequent certification recognizes the attainment of knowledge and skill resulting from extensive training and experience. As in the standard residency pathway, certification is contingent on candidates successfully passing the qualifying and certifying exams. Although the program is available in all four disciplines certified by the ABR, nearly all candidates in the Pathway are diagnostic radiologists.
To allow significantly more flexibility for potential candidates, the requirements of the Pathway have been revised over the past four years, including the option (implemented in 2025) to combine training from two institutions. Since 2019, more than 400 diagnostic radiologists have been certified via the Pathway, representing more than 75 institutions. More than 380 candidates are actively enrolled in the program, an increase of more than 10% since last year.
