Nothing Can Eclipse Our Story Lineup This Issue
By Desiree E. Morgan, MD, ABR Governor
2024;17(3):1
What a spectacular photo of the recent eclipse! Thanks to Trustee Dan Davis for sharing his amazing capture of this rare and awe-inspiring natural phenomenon. With summer just around the corner, I hope that each of you gets out in nature to witness things great and small. Before your summer adventures with family and friends, I invite you to take a moment to check out what is happening at the ABR.
In this issue …
ABR President Robert M. Barr, MD, explains how the Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees support staff and volunteers in fulfilling the ABR’s mission and describes the qualifications of the diverse set of individuals who make up these two distinct bodies.
ABR Executive Director Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, applauds the ABR’s certification managers, who take pride in listening to candidates and diplomates and providing specific, workable solutions to their customer service issues. He also discusses upcoming enhancements that will make myABR a more personalized interface.
ABR President-elect Cheri L. Canon, MD, and I review highlights from the ABR’s presentations and activities at the annual meeting of the Association of University Radiologists (now the Association of Academic Radiology), including an overview of the new DR Oral Certifying Exam, increased interest in the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Alternate Pathway, a summary of participation in the 16 month Nuclear Radiology subspecialty certification pathway, and continued high participation in Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA).
ABR trustees Kalpana M. Kanal, PhD, and Paul J. Rochon, MD, provide an update on diversity, equity, and inclusion training for oral examiners, a pilot of which was employed for the recent Medical Physics Oral Certifying Exam.
ABR Communications Director David Laszakovits joins me in describing how the Diagnostic Radiology Initial Certification Advisory Committee helps improve communication between the ABR and trainees.
ABR Associate Executive Director for Interventional Radiology James B. Spies, MD, explains the reasoning behind the decision to change the timing of the oral component of the IR/DR Certifying Exam from the fall after residents graduate to the following spring.
ABR Board of Trustees Chair Matthew B. Podgorsak, PhD; MP trustees Kalpana M. Kanal, PhD, and Robert A. Pooley, PhD; future MP Trustee Jennifer Stickel, PhD; and ABR Associate Executive Director for Medical Physics Geoffrey S. Ibbott, PhD, describe how MP exam committees function and spotlight the work of the Therapeutic Medical Physics Committee.
ABR Associate Executive Director for Radiation Oncology Michael Yunes, MD, discusses the importance of volunteers in supporting the ABR’s mission, extols the benefits of getting involved, and describes the ABR volunteer application process.
The three current ABR Visiting Scholars – Leslie Chang, MD, Francis Deng, MD, and Ria Mulherkar, MD – provide updates on their research projects and discuss what they have gained from the experience.
ABR Communications Manager Rodney Campbell talks with ABR volunteer Brian Funaki, MD, who appreciates the rigor of the exam development process now that he has seen inside the “Black Box” and enjoys his role as a question writer and oral examiner in helping the exams be fair and reflective of an interventional radiologist’s real world experience.
Radiation oncologist and ABR volunteer Christine Eyler, MD, speaks with ABR Communications Manager Rodney Campbell about the challenges, and unexpected fun, of developing radiation biology questions with the other members of the Biology and Physics Qualifying Exam Committee.
Continuing Certification Update
In a video and short introduction, ABR Executive Director Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, explains why a majority of ABR diplomates prefer Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) over a point-in-time exam to satisfy the Part 3 requirement of Continuing Certification.
ABR Communications Manager Rodney Campbell provides tips on OLA participation, including a reminder that August 4 is the last day diplomates can start answering questions and still reach their annual progress requirement for the year.
Former ABR Executive Director Gary J. Becker, MD, honors the memory of William J. Casarella, MD, a world-renowned interventional radiologist who led the ABR as president of the Board of Trustees from 1998-2000.
Radiation oncologist Kenneth Rosenzweig, MD, will be joining the ABR’s Board of Trustees at the end of the board meeting in September.
The deadline for applications for the ABMS Visiting Scholars Program is June 17.
