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 Exam Preparation through Virtual Education Resources for Medical Physics.”
- Oluwatimileyin Ojo, MD, a radiation oncology resident at Northwell Health Cancer Institute. Her research project is titled: “Evaluating and Enhancing Systemic Therapy Education in Radiation Oncology Residency Programs.”
- Joseph Lee, MD, a diagnostic radiology fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System. His research project is titled: “Agentic AI Platform to Enhance Radiology Oral Board Preparation and Certification Readiness.”
ABMS Scholars is a year-long, part-time research program that supports early career physicians and researchers and facilitates their evolution as leaders within and across the ABMS community.
Grants are awarded by ABMS Member Boards to support research and travel expenses associated with program participation and research deliverables.
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 medical physics (MP) certification during the pandemic, she was concerned about timing. Fortunately, she had an insight and voice as a member of the ABR’s MP Initial Certification Advisory Committee. Her group, along with similar committees that included representatives from diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, and radiation oncology, served as conduits between the ABR and candidates and saw how the organization was tackling the challenge.
“We had a meeting with the (MP) Trustees where we put all the medical physics students’ concerns together,” she said. “It was very collaborative. The committee could see how much value there was because we had a direct line to the ABR.”
She and her colleagues had front-row seats during the ABR’s development of a remote exam platform that rolled out as a pilot in January 2021. The setup enabled hundreds of candidates to get certified that year, including Dr. McConnell.
“That was a huge undertaking,” said Dr. McConnell, who passed her MP Part 1 and 2 exams in late 2020 and Part 3 in August 2021. “It was done quickly. The committee was offering its thoughts and I liked that (the ABR was) able to implement remote testing.”
One of the committee’s highlights was a visit to the ABR headquarters in 2023. The members came to Tucson for two days of meetings that included a building tour, presentations from department heads, and chances to ask questions.
“It was a good chance to not be distracted and just see what was going on,” she said. “We were able to get in and out on these topics and understand all the things that were happening at the ABR, which was a lot.”
Excited about her committee work, Dr. McConnell jumped at the opportunity to stay involved with the ABR when her term ran out and she was asked to serve on the organization’s MP Continuing Certification Advisory Committee.
“I really like these committees and I like working with the ABR,” she said.
Her group looks at all elements of Continuing Certification, including Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA). The platform started in 2019 as a replacement for the point-in-time Maintenance of Certification Exam given every 10 years. MP diplomates started participating in 2020.
Dr. McConnell said she enjoys getting OLA questions every week and finds them relevant to her work.
“It fits the profile of everything that we learned for the PhD qualifying exam, the ABR Part 1 Exam, and our residency,” she said. “The questions are little tidbits that are walking-around knowledge.”
ABR Trustee Kalpana Kanal, PhD, is chair of the Continuing Certification Advisory Committee and the person who approached Dr. McConnell about joining. She has been impressed by what she’s seen from her colleague, who is a senior proton physicist at Baptist Health South Florida with a background in mechanical and nuclear engineering.
“Over the years, she has been a valued member of not just one, but two committees, consistently bringing energy and insight to the discussions,” Dr. Kanal said. “Her willingness to contribute her time and talent, even amidst the demands of residency and now a full-time career, speaks volumes about her character and passion for giving back. We’re incredibly fortunate to have had her as a volunteer of the ABR, and we are grateful for everything she’s done.”
Dr. McConell has ABR plans that go beyond her current duties.
“I want to make it to the point where I can be an oral examiner,” she said. “Being on the other end of the exam was one of the most memorable parts of my career. I would like to be able to examine and get good at it because it is a skill.”
A proud ABR diplomate, she appreciates seeing the organization from a closer perspective. Serving on two committees has given her a better appreciation of the ABR’s mission.
“I like being part of something that sets the standard,” Dr. McConnell said. “There are like-minded people volunteering and we make good connections. We also get an understanding of the other fields … radiation oncologists and diagnostic and interventional radiologists. There’s a wider scope that you have to think about and how they’re all interrelated. I enjoy being part of the organization.”
August 2025 | Volume 18, Issue 4
Between a rock wall and a cement driveway, these zinnias found an opportunity to grow and flourish. Photo by ABR Governor and Beam Editor Desiree Morgan, MD.
Opportunities Popping Up Everywhere for ABR Stakeholders
By Desiree Morgan, MD, ABR Governor
2025;18(4):1
“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle
I really like this quote — it’s all about action. At the ABR, some opportunities are known commodities, like volunteering for a question-writing committee for one of our four disciplines. In the pandemic, the “opportunity” to revamp testing to a remote administration took much energy on the part of volunteers and ABR staff. And maybe we weren’t so excited about executing that tremendous pivot, but the processes employed today because of that “opportunity” have enabled a more personalized testing environment for our candidates and diplomates, and more versatility for our volunteers. From creating the Image Quality Committee, providing more paths to certification, and changing the preparation of trainees, to heeding the call to volunteer for the ABR at different career junctures, this issue of The Beam is all about opportunities. Enjoy!
In this issue . . .
ABR Executive Director Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, discusses the essential role of volunteers and staff in developing and maintaining the relevance and robustness of the Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) platform.
ABR Trustee Daniel C. Davis, MD; Governor Stephen F. Simoneaux, MD; Trustee Brian J. Davis, MD, PhD; Associate Director of Exam Services Lydia Warg; and Director of IT Scott Segal describe how the ABR Image Quality Committee sets standards for image submission and editing to ensure the highest quality for images used on ABR assessments.
Click HERE to read more.
ABR Staff and Volunteers Contribute to OLA Relevance and Robustness
By Brent Wagner, MD, MBA, ABR Executive Director
2025;18(4):2
A major part of the ABR’s Continuing Certification program is Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA), in which approximately 38,500 diplomates are enrolled. Collectively, they have answered 14 million questions. Since the introduction of the platform for diagnostic radiologists in 2019, we have received positive comments about most of its features. This is a testament to the efforts of approximately 200 talented and committed volunteers who develop the content in a committee setting; their careful deliberations attempt to avoid minutiae but encourage all of us to be better at what we do in our daily work.
Developed between 2017 and 2019 as an alternative to the “every 10-year MOC Exam,” OLA represents evaluations that are not only summative (assessment of learning) but also formative (assessment for learning). The formative function allows individuals to identify and correct knowledge gaps by providing a rationale for the correct answer and, if a diplomate offers an incorrect answer, by revisiting the subject matter after a few weeks with a related (but not identical) question.
Click HERE to read more.
Committee Puts Emphasis on Image Quality for Exams
By Daniel C. Davis, MD, ABR Trustee; Stephen F. Simoneaux, MD, ABR Governor; Brian J. Davis, MD, PhD, ABR Trustee; Lydia Warg, ABR Associate Director of Exam Services; and Scott Segal, ABR Director of IT
2025;18(4):3
The Image Quality Committee, which has representatives from all four disciplines the ABR certifies, is one of several standing committees that meet semiannually during ABR Board meetings. The committee makes recommendations regarding image quality and works behind the scenes to offer best practices regarding image submissions.
ABR Governor Stephen Simoneaux, MD, noted variation in image quality while serving as the diagnostic radiology Trustee for pediatrics. To improve image quality and standardize acquisition, he formed an Imaging Task Force in 2019 that eventually became the Image Quality Committee.
Quality is a vital element in the image-rich diagnostic radiology and interventional radiology/diagnostic radiology qualifying and certifying exams, as well as in OLA. Radiation oncology and medical physics exams, especially the oral certifying exams, also include images. The ABR strives to use high-quality images that don’t include extraneous information or distractions, such as patient motion, poorly positioned views, or secondary diagnoses. Technical artifacts may be intentionally included if the concept is relevant to that discipline and part of the assessment. Cross-sectional imaging has improved considerably in the last 20 years, so we work to use images that are contemporary.
Click HERE to read more.
New Oral Exam Will Change Pedagogy in DR Residencies
By Desiree E. Morgan, MD, ABR Governor; Kate Maturen, MD, MS, ABR Trustee; and Michelle Miller-Thomas, MD, future ABR Trustee
2025;18(4):4
Since the 2023 announcement that the current Diagnostic Radiology (DR) Certifying Exam would be transitioning from a computer-based exam focused on subspecialization to an oral exam in general diagnostic radiology beginning in 2028, the radiology community has been focused on the effects of this change on trainees, faculty, and programs.
Educators across the U.S. have rightly pointed out that the change in format will require alterations in radiology training programs to effectively equip candidates for the new DR Oral Exam. These changes will involve faculty, education teams, department leadership, and academic institutions.1 The transition to the oral board format offers an opportunity to enhance radiology education by reinforcing the importance of clinical reasoning and communication skills.2 Implementation of programmatic modifications will also augment the significance of radiologists as indispensable members of multidisciplinary teams.1 Concrete suggestions include re-envisioning and revamping case review conferences,3 encouraging resident participation in multidisciplinary conferences, and changing daily resident checkouts.4 Indeed, having the resident approach each clinical case in a structured way, as if it were a board exam case, may help cultivate critical skills necessary for effective clinical practice and successful exam performance.2 Finally, DR faculty can lean on interventional radiology, medical physics, and radiation oncology faculty, who have been continuously preparing their trainees for oral exams, because the certifying exams for those ABR disciplines never changed from an oral format.
Click HERE to read more.
Alternate Pathway to Board Certification for Foreign-Trained Medical Physicists
By Matthew B. Podgorsak, PhD, ABR Board of Trustees Chair; Geoffrey S. Ibbott, PhD, ABR Associate Executive Director for Medical Physics; Kalpana M. Kanal, PhD, and Jennifer Stickel, PhD, ABR Trustees; and Sameer Tipnis, PhD, future ABR Trustee
2025;18(4):5
The ABR’s mission is to “certify that our diplomates demonstrate the requisite knowledge, skill, and understanding of their disciplines to the benefit of patients.” During the board certification process, the ABR applies several instruments to assess a candidate’s knowledge, skill, and understanding of their field. To become a board-certified medical physicist (ABR diplomate), a candidate must pass three computer-based qualifying exams (Part 1 General, Part 1 Clinical, and a specialty-specific Part 2 exam) along with the oral certifying exam in their specialty.
The usual pathway to eligibility for these exams includes matriculation into a medical physics graduate program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) followed by completion of a North American CAMPEP-accredited medical physics residency in the chosen specialty: diagnostic medical physics (DMP), nuclear medical physics (NMP), or therapeutic medical physics (TMP). The two Part 1 qualifying exams are usually taken during a candidate’s study in their graduate program, while the Part 2 qualifying exam and the oral certifying exam can be taken once a candidate becomes board eligible after passing the Part 1 exams and completing their residency. Most candidates currently enrolled in the board certification process follow this pathway.
Click HERE to read more.
Her Pursuit of Radiology Career Was Worth the Wait
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager
2025;18(4):6
It took Riddhi Borse, MD, until her fourth year of medical school in India to decide which medical specialty she wanted to pursue.
A family health crisis was the deciding factor when she ultimately chose radiology. Dr. Borse’s father fell ill and needed a lymph node biopsy performed by an interventional radiologist to determine the cause.
The experience was life-changing for father and daughter.
“Luckily, the interventional radiologist had trained in the United States and let me watch the procedure,” she said. “It was an important thing for me to see because it was a crucial diagnosis. People thought it was lymphoma, and it turned out my father had tuberculosis. The procedure made all the difference in his prognosis, and he’s healed today.”
Inspired by what she learned, Dr. Borse set her sights on radiology training in the United States. She did a few electives, including one in radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) that she completed in February 2018.
Click HERE to read more.
Experienced Diplomate Doing Her Part to Serve ‘Beautiful Field’
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager
2025;18(4):7
When she writes nuclear radiology questions for the ABR’s Qualifying (Core) Exam, Arti Gupta, MD, taps into her more than three decades of experience to develop appropriate content.
But that knowledge only went so far to boost her confidence as a new volunteer producing questions for the challenging Initial Certification exam. Dr. Gupta started her ABR committee work in 2024 after years of considering the possibility.
“I was kind of intimidated in the beginning because I had been in radiology for more than 30 years and never had a chance to do it,” she said. “I was a little nervous about how things were going to be, but I couldn’t have imagined a better group … all the support staff and everybody. They’re just amazing people.”
A clinical professor in the department of radiological sciences at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, Dr. Gupta can already see the benefits of her volunteerism. Meeting her colleagues in person last year in Tucson to finalize their questions for the exam was a valuable opportunity.
“It’s good to be connected with various programs and give back to your field that has given you so much,” she said. “It’s a very pleasant and soulful experience.”
Click HERE to read more.
Longtime Volunteer Ready for New Duties
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager
2025;18(4):8
After 17 years as an ABR volunteer, Will Breeden, MS, wasn’t ready to stop contributing when his term as a committee chair was recently set to end.
He had spent all his volunteer time working on Continuing Certification committees, including the past five years as the Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) Nuclear Medicine Physics Chair. Even with those duties coming to a close, he wanted to keep contributing.
“I still wanted to be active with the ABR,” Will said. “I feel like I’ve been doing it almost my whole career. I would feel lost if I weren’t doing something with the ABR.”
The ABR was equally motivated to keep him on board. The good news is that both sides got what they wanted when Will moved to an oral exam question writing committee in January, ensuring that a tenured and knowledgeable volunteer wouldn’t be going away.
Click HERE to read more.
Dr. Yashar Voted in as ASTRO President-elect
2025;18(4):9
ABR Trustee Catheryn Yashar, MD, was voted president-elect by the membership of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) in July.
Dr. Yashar is a professor of radiation medicine and applied sciences at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where she also serves as chief medical officer and associate dean for UCSD Health. She specializes in brachytherapy and treating patients with breast and gynecologic cancers. A nationally recognized expert in health policy and economics, she serves on ASTRO’s board as health policy council chair.
Dr. Yashar is past president of the American Brachytherapy Society and vice chair of the Uterine and Cervical Cancer Panel for the National Cancer Comprehensive Network. She became an ABR Trustee in 2020.
Dr. Ibbott Receives AAPM William D. Coolidge Gold Medal
2025;18(4)10
ABR Associate Executive Director for Medical Physics Geoffrey Ibbott, PhD, was awarded the William D. Coolidge Gold Medal by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) in July. The award recognizes distinguished careers and significant impact on the practice of medical physics.
Dr. Ibbott is a professor and chair emeritus in the department of radiation physics at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He was an ABR Trustee and Governor from 2007 to 2017, including time as secretary-treasurer, and was named AED in 2020.
The award honors William D. Coolidge, who in 1913 produced the first practical x-ray tube employing a “hot” cathode. The introduction of this revolutionary tube served as the basis for the development of diagnostic x-ray tubes in common use today.
Dr. Kanal Earns AAPM Lifetime Achievement Award
2025;18(4):11
ABR Trustee Kalpana Kanal, PhD, was named the recipient of the AAPM’s Edith Quimby Lifetime Achievement Award in July. The honor recognizes members whose careers have been notable based on their outstanding achievements.
Dr. Kanal has worked in the department of radiology at the University of Washington since 2000 and is professor and director of the diagnostic physics section as well as director for the imaging physics residency program. She is also the university’s chair of the radiation safety committee.
Dr. Kanal, who has been an ABR Trustee since 2017, has served as the chair of the American College of Radiology (ACR) CT Dose Index Registry, has published more than 70 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and has made several scientific presentations. She has also been recognized as a fellow by the AAPM, ACR, and Society of Advanced Body Imaging.
Dr. Stickel Named AAPM Fellow
2025;18(4):12
ABR Trustee Jennifer Stickel, PhD, was named an AAPM fellow in July. The honor recognizes exceptional contributions to the field through research, education, or leadership.
Dr. Stickel is vice president of diagnostic/nuclear medicine physics at Colorado Associates in Medical Physics in Colorado Springs. She has served as the AAPM liaison to the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission Nuclear Medicine and Positron Emission Tomography boards of directors since 2012.
Dr. Stickel became an ABR Trustee in 2024.
August 12 Blog
After Two Decades as Volunteer, He Knows Good Exam Questions Take Time
August 5 Blog
Trustee: ABR Volunteer Roles Made Me a Better Physician
July 29 Blog
Program Director Jumps Into ABR Advisory Committee Work
July 22 Blog
Retirement No Time to Slow Down for Former Board President
July 15 Blog
Physicist: OLA ‘Better Method’ for Gauging Diplomate Knowledge
July 8 Blog
Transition Year Complete, New Resident Ready for Reading Room
