When she started medical school in her native Brazil, Isabel Cortopassi, MD, stood out. She was 16 years old. Brazil allows students to start medical school as soon as they graduate high school. After getting moved ahead in elementary school, Dr. Cortopassi had a jump on most classmates. “There was another person in my med-school…
The diagnostic radiology residency program director at the University of Michigan Medical School, Kara Udager, MD, is passionate about education. That commitment was the inspiration for her involvement with The Radiology Vault, a YouTube account that she and colleagues from the department’s education team established two years ago to help residents and medical school students….
There are times when Brandi Nicholson, MD, is content sitting in a dark reading room, listening to background music over a cup of coffee as she studies patient images. But that’s only part of her job as a breast imager. She also is responsible for delivering imaging and biopsy results to patients. That news is…
By Kalpana Kanal, PhD; Jennifer Stickel, PhD; Matthew Podgorsak, PhD; and Geoffrey Ibbott, PhD The ABR has three medical physics trustees who specialize in diagnostic medical physics (DMP), nuclear medical physics (NMP), and therapeutic medical physics (TMP), respectively. This fall, the ABR welcomed Sameer Tipnis, PhD, who has replaced Kalpana Kanal, PhD, as the DMP…
By the time she reached the eighth grade, Lauren Hui, MS, knew she wanted to be a physician. She was even certain about the specialty. When her class was assigned to give presentations about what they wanted to do in 20 years, Lauren was specific: she was going to be a neurosurgeon. She found their…
As a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force, Justin Peacock, MD, lives a life of service. He brings that commitment to his duties as an ABR volunteer. Dr. Peacock, who writes questions for the Diagnostic Radiology (DR) Certifying Exam and DR Nuclear Radiology Subspecialty Exam, was developing content in his work life to…
By the time Kalpana Kanal, PhD, rotates off herABR Trustee duties in October, she will have started board appointments with the American Association for Physicists in Medicine and the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs. However, she says that the work will not fill the gap created by the end of her days…
When asked what he thinks of rotating off his ABR Trustee spot after two terms and eight years this October, Brian Davis, MD, PhD, turned to the world of music and movies for a reply. “Well, what is the song? ‘Breaking Up Is Hard to Do.’ That’s one,” he said. “Then there’s the line from…
The ABR is sponsoring three American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Scholars in this year’s cohort. The Scholars, each of whom will receive a $15,000 grant from the ABR, are: Abdullah Alshreef, PhD, MS, MSc, a medical physics resident at Loma Linda University Medical Center. His research project is titled: “Enhancing Clinical Readiness and Board…
One of the effects of the pandemic for ABR candidates was the temporary limbo they faced in pursuing board certification. There were several months when exam centers were closed for in-person gatherings or greatly restricted because of COVID’s rapid and deadly spread. Kristen McConnell, PhD, was one of those candidates. On track to earn her…
ABR Trustee Catheryn Yashar, MD, was voted president-elect by the membership of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) in July. She will begin her term during the organization’s annual meeting next month and will become president in September 2026. Dr. Yashar is a professor of radiation medicine and applied sciences at the University of…
Marc Mendonca, PhD, learned a lot in his more than 20 years as an ABR volunteer. One of his biggest takeaways was that even the best physicians, biologists, and physicists require time to learn how to create relevant exam questions. Even longtime question writers can occasionally struggle. “I love the fact that these are some…
The ABR is a not-for-profit organization and member of the American Board of Medical Specialties. Our mission is to certify that our diplomates demonstrate the requisite knowledge, skill, and understanding of their disciplines to the benefit of patients. Our vision is to positively impact the lives of all patients as the foremost trusted certifying body assuring the highest standards of specialty expertise and professionalism in the radiological sciences.