New Perspectives: RO IC Advisory Committee Member Appreciates Opportunity to Provide Resident Perspective
December 2021;14(6):10
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager
When approached by the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology (ARRO) to serve as a representative on the ABR Radiation Oncology Initial Certification Advisory Committee, Shauna Campbell, DO, didn’t hesitate to accept.
“I was very grateful for the opportunity,” she said. “While the ABR is an independent organization, it is useful to have this advisory committee as a forum where stakeholder representatives can participate in discussions about board certification in radiation oncology.”
Dr. Campbell, a radiation oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic who specializes in the treatment of musculoskeletal and head and neck malignancies, joined the advisory committee in 2019. At the time, she was chief resident at the Cleveland Clinic.
She gained her seat on the ABR committee as a member of ARRO’s Executive Committee. Dr. Campbell teams with other young radiation oncology professionals to collaborate with the ABR and provide a voice for residents.
“While the ABR has a number of radiation oncologists on the Board of Governors, Board of Trustees, executive staff, and committees, the advisory committee is a group that includes representatives from other critical stakeholder groups,” she said. “This includes resident representatives, which is important because although the residents have not completed all parts of the initial certification exams, they are the candidates who are directly impacted by the decisions made.”
As an ARRO representative, Dr. Campbell wants to ensure that her organization and the ABR maintain a strong partnership. ARRO was one of the stakeholder groups that the ABR worked with while planning remote exams.
“In addition to evaluating if the board certification process in radiation oncology can be streamlined, I would like to ensure that the relationship between the ABR and ARRO is maintained,” she said. “I find participation on the advisory committee to be an important component of building the relationship between ARRO and the ABR, and as a leader of ARRO, it is important that I can go to the ABR with questions or concerns brought to us by residents.”
Dr. Campbell and her fellow committee members help ensure that the initial certification process continues evolving as necessary and appropriate. The ABR’s move to remote exams this year is a good example of this evolving process.
“Now that the ABR has the most modern administration of board exams, with all written and oral exams being virtual, my hope for the advisory committee moving forward is to evaluate the necessity of three separate radiation oncology written exam parts in addition to an oral certifying exam,” she said. “Many years ago, there was a single written exam, which was split up at the request of stakeholders. However, with any good process, continued critical evaluation in search of areas for improvement should be considered.”
