Exam Scoring and Results

Learn how ABR exams are scored, when results are released, and what to expect if you need to retake an exam or request feedback.

  • Explore how scoring works across all ABR exams, including what it means to pass or fail, how results are calculated, and how we keep the process fair and consistent. You’ll also find timelines for when to expect your results and instructions on how to request feedback if you don’t pass an oral exam.

    How Scoring Works

    Criterion-Referenced Scoring

    All ABR exams are scored using a criterion-referenced scoring method.

    Your exam is scored based on how well you do compared with a fixed standard — not how everyone else does. In other words, if you meet the passing standard, you pass. It doesn’t matter how many others pass or fail.

    Example

    Sally and John both take an ABR exam. Sally’s scaled score is 375 and John’s is 360.

    The passing standard is 350. Though Sally scored higher than John, both pass. They’re not being ranked against each other. They’re being measured against a clear benchmark — in this case, 350.

    Passing or failing is not dependent on how others perform on the test, it is strictly dependent on if your score is at or above the benchmark.

    This is different from norm-referenced scoring (used on tests like the SAT or GRE), where your score is compared with everyone else’s. In norm-referenced scoring someone is always in the bottom 25%, no matter how good the overall group is.

    Why This Matters

    Because ABR exams use criterion-referenced scoring, there’s no “curve” and no preset number of people who must fail. Everyone can pass if they meet the standard. This approach is fair, transparent, and focused on real-world competence — just like getting a driver’s license. You’re not competing with the person next to you; you’re proving you know enough to practice safely and effectively.

    Setting the Passing Standard

    Before each exam administration, a group of expert volunteers — including residency program directors and practicing physicians and medical physicists — reviews every question. They help determine how hard questions are and what the minimum passing score should be. These experts come from a wide range of practice settings to make sure the exam is fair and relevant.

    After the exam, every question is reviewed again. If a question does not perform well or seems unclear, it may be removed from scoring altogether. That way, the results truly reflect your knowledge.

     

    Exam Scoring Process

    All ABR computer-based exams go through six scoring phases.

    Phase 1: Collect

    • Upload candidate responses to scoring system.
    • Confirm that all candidate responses are uploaded.

    Phase 2: Initial Scoring

    • Begin initial computerized scoring routine.
    • Psychometric staff manually check the computerized scoring output to ensure and confirm accuracy.

    Phase 3: Quality Assurance

    • Psychometric staff identify poor performing questions.
    • ABR volunteer subject matter experts review poor performing questions.
    • Based on these analyses, some questions may be eliminated from scoring to ensure fairness.

    Phase 4: Secondary Scoring

    • If questions are removed, the system will re-execute the scoring routine to recalculate scores.
    • Psychometric staff manually analyze new re-executed output to ensure and confirm accuracy of final exam results.

    Phase 5: Validation

    • Validate that exam results and feedback are correctly displayed in myABR for each candidate.

    Phase 6: Release Results

    • Post results to myABR and notify candidates, approximately one month after the exam.
    While your computer-based exam is being scored, you’ll see a progress bar on your discipline-specific page that shows the current phase of scoring. Be sure to check your exam page for the latest updates.

     

    Passing, Conditional Passing, and Failing Exams

    The passing, conditional passing, and failing process works differently across the ABR exams.

    Computer-Based Exams

    Computer-based exams are scored by parts, and the result is either pass or fail.

    • For most* computer-based exams, all categories or modules in an individual part must be passed together.
    • If you don’t meet the overall standard, you must retake the entire part of that exam.
    • For Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics, the qualifying computer-based parts are scored separately. You must pass all parts to pass overall. You can re-take them separately if you only fail one.
    • For the Interventional Radiology/Diagnostic Radiology Certifying Exam, the computer-based and oral components are scored separately. You must pass both parts to pass overall. You can re-take them separately if you only fail one.

    *You can achieve a conditional pass for the Neuroradiology Subspecialty Exam if you fail one module.

    Oral Exams

    This applies to:

    • Radiation Oncology Oral Certifying Exam
    • Interventional Radiology/Diagnostic Radiology Certifying Exam — oral component
    • Medical Physics Oral Certifying Part 3 Exam

    Oral exams include multiple content categories. Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics oral certifying exams offer a conditional pass result, while Interventional Radiology does not. If you receive a conditional pass, you’ll only need to retake the portions you did not pass — not the entire exam — at the next available opportunity, provided you remain board eligible. Two examiners will re-evaluate you in each conditioned category. If both pass you, the condition will be removed.

    Visit your discipline’s exam process pages to learn more about how your next exam will be scored.

     

    Results

    Results are posted in myABR approximately one month after the last day of the exam for computer-based exams and two weeks for oral exams. You’ll be notified by email when your results are ready.

    Program directors and chairs also receive your results to support their efforts in continually improving their training programs.

     

    Request Feedback for Oral Exams

    You can request feedback on your most recent exam result if you fail or condition one of the following:

    • Radiation Oncology Oral Certifying Exam
    • Interventional Radiology/Diagnostic Radiology Certifying Exam — oral component
    • Medical Physics Oral Certifying Part 3 Exam

    We provide summative feedback based on your examiners’ notes to help you understand general areas in which you could improve. Please note that detailed feedback on individual responses will not be provided. This is not an opportunity to revise or review your score.

    The cost to request feedback if you fail the overall exam is $150. However, if you condition one or two categories, you can request feedback at no charge.

    Request feedback here. Results will be sent to you via email within 90 days.

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.

New look. Same mission.

Welcome to our redesigned site — simpler, faster, and built for you.