Vascular and Interventional Radiology

In 2012, the American Board of Radiology was approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) to begin issuing specialty certification in interventional radiology/diagnostic radiology (IR/DR). As a result, the ABR issued the last vascular and interventional radiology (VIR) subspecialty certificates in 2016. The initial IR/DR certificates were issued in late 2017 to those who pass the inaugural IR/DR Certifying Exam in October 2017. The VIR subspecialty certificate will become a legacy certificate at that time. Candidates completing an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited diagnostic radiology residency, and then completing an ACGME-accredited VIR fellowship in 2016 and beyond, have two options for gaining Interventional Radiology/Diagnostic Radiology (IR/DR) certification:

Option One:¹

• Take the DR Certifying Exam in the fall immediately following completion of fellowship.
  • If passed, candidate is awarded DR certification.
• Take the IR/DR Certifying Exam (oral component only) in the fall of the next year after completion of fellowship.
  • If passed, candidate is awarded IR/DR certification
• Fees: five DR annual fees, plus $3,270 IR/DR application fee

Option Two:¹

• Wait until fall of the next year after completion of fellowship and take the IR/DR Certifying Exam (computer-based component and oral component) in Tucson.
  • If passed, candidate is awarded IR/DR certification.
• Fees: five DR annual fees, plus $ 3,270 IR/DR application fee

¹Candidates will be required to complete one year of post-fellowship training practice experience in IR (minimum 33 percent of a 1.0 FTE) to be eligible for the IR/DR Certifying exam. If you have questions about the IR/DR certificate, go to this page.