February 2025;18(1):14 By David Laszakovits, MBA, ABR Communications Director, and Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, ABR Executive Director Diplomates have answered more than 12 million OLA questions since the platform was introduced in 2019. In the first few weeks of 2025, more than 94% of diplomates with a December 31, 2025, Part 3 deadline have already…
ABR Executive Director Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, recently sat down to answer a few questions about some of the many initiatives the organization will undertake in 2025. There’s been a lot of discussion about the new diagnostic radiology oral certifying exam, which starts in 2028. What are the biggest priorities in 2025 regarding preparation for…
Growing up in small-town Pittsburg, Kansas, Jessica Clements wanted to be helpful. In elementary and middle school, she was a Girl Scout and part of a mentorship group. As a high school student, she was active in many clubs, including student government where she was elected class president. Her desire to help makes Jessica, who…
When he started at Rush Medical College in Chicago, Armaan Mazra, MS, had a goal: In 2025, he would be matching into a surgical residency, possibly orthopaedic surgery. “I joined almost every surgical Interest group I could because I didn’t have a lot of perspective on medicine, family members in medicine, or general exposure,” he…
With two older sisters planning to go into medicine, young Katherine Tzou was looking for a separate career. “Because I’m the youngest and wanted to be different, I thought there was no way I was going into medicine,” she said. “I was going to be an oceanographer.” Instead, the seas parted, and life changed for…
Going overseas allows visitors to have adventures and experience new and exciting cultures. Going overseas to attend medical school can be risky, sometimes making it tougher for students to find a residency spot in the U.S. when they finish their studies. Robert Liddell, MD, experienced nothing but positives when he went abroad for medical school…
The New Year has arrived, and our associate executive directors are poised to continue their task of improving the initial and continuing certification processes for candidates and diplomates. We recently asked the four part-time staff for their 2025 personal and professional goals. Geoffrey Ibbott, PhDMedical Physics In the New Year, I’m looking forward to working…
Annelise M. Silva, MD, EdM, is taking a year off between completing medical school and starting her residency. But this is far from a gap year. After graduating from the Wright State University School of Medicine this past April 28, Dr. Silva started as national president of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) on May…
The holidays have arrived and the ABR is especially grateful for the efforts of its more than 1,300 volunteers. In the spirit of the season, we asked a few of our Trustees to talk about what this time of year means to them. Kalpana M. Kanal, PhD (Medical Physics, Diagnostic Medical Physics) The holidays are…
As a youngster, Randa Tao, MD, found her passion for medicine while caring for a relative who was experiencing health issues. “My grandmother had diabetes for most of her life and had to be on insulin,” she said. “When I was growing up, I would help with her insulin injections. Having that interest and exposure…
By Jennifer Stickel, PhD, ABR Trustee December 2024;17(6):8 In 2019, the ABR implemented Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) as Part 3 of the four-part Continuing Certification (CC, formerly MOC) program. For medical physicists, the OLA program began in January 2020 and thus is about to complete its fifth year. Medical physicist diplomates are required to answer 52…
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.