News
Discover inspiring stories from our volunteers, candidates, and community, and stay up to date with important news and announcements on exams, policies, and more.
He Got Quick Education on Board Certification
When he arrived in Pittsburgh last September for the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Conference, Abdullah Alshreef, PhD, was just becoming familiar with the importance of board certification. Dr. Alshreef had recently been selected as an ABMS Scholar, one of three funded last year by the ABR. They each received $15,000 grants to be part of the year-long, part-time program that supports early career physicians,…
Coming to America Gave His Family a Fresh Start
When he was 14 years old and living in Kosovo in 1990, Dukagjin “Duke” Blakaj, MD, PhD, and his family were in a dangerous spot. Ethnic tensions were rising and the country seemed destined for civil war. Dr. Blakaj’s parents, both physicians, decided to move the family to Connecticut. Eight years later, fighting erupted between…
DR Oral Exam Pilot Added to 2027 Schedule
Dates for the 2028 Diagnostic Radiology (DR) Oral Exam and DR and the Interventional Radiology/Diagnostic Radiology (IR/DR) Qualifying (Core) Exam have been finalized. The schedule also includes an opportunity for up to 220 eligible candidates to take the DR Oral Exam in 2027 as part of a pilot group. Candidates are eligible for the pilot if they have passed the Qualifying (Core) Exam prior to June 2027, are either a resident or an alternate pathway candidate, and are on track to complete training by June 30, 2027. …
His First Sessions as an Oral Examiner Prove ‘Seamless’
Getting the opportunity to serve as an ABR oral examiner has long been a goal for Dev Butani, MD. He’s among the diplomates who went through the in-person Initial Certification orals process in Louisville. After sitting on the other side of the desk as an examiner on a remote platform earlier this year, he sees the current process as a great improvement. “If I were going through the current schema as a…
Blogs | Diagnostic Radiology | Interventional Radiology | Medical Physics | News | Radiation Oncology
A Few FAQs About the ABR and AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at a pace that is prompting reflection across the medical community, including within organizations responsible for certification and establishing lifelong professional standards. For the American Board of Radiology (ABR), this moment presents an opportunity to consider how emerging technologies may intersect with our mission — not only in terms of potential innovation, but also…
Successful Candidates Reflect on Their Qualifying Exam Experience
This past June, a record 1,589 candidates sat for the Diagnostic Radiology (DR) & Interventional Radiology/Diagnostic Radiology (IR/DR) Qualifying (Core) Exam. Most of the field (93%) passed, putting those successful DR candidates on track to take the DR Oral Exam when it starts in 2028. More information on that exam is available in the candidate…
Advisory Committee Member Was Born to Become a Physician
One ABR volunteer’s path to medicine started before he was born. As a child, Dru Curtis, MD, noticed a scar on his father’s abdomen and wondered what caused it. Before he understood the seriousness of the incident, he knew there was a medical connection. “Growing up, I heard stories about how my father was saved by a surgeon,” he said. His father was shot during a robbery…
Blogs | Diagnostic Radiology | Initial Certification | Interventional Radiology | Medical Physics | News | Radiation Oncology | Volunteer – Diagnostic Radiology
Elements of a Valid ABR Computer-based Exam Question
What goes into creating an appropriate question for an ABR computer-based exam? More than you might think. In this video, current and former volunteers who have worked on content explain the exacting process that ensures rigor and fairness on Initial Certification exams.
He Finds Medical Physics to Be a Sound Career
After the Titanic sank in 1912, it took 73 years for the wreckage to be found. What was considered cutting-edge sonar technology in 1985 was key to finding the ship at the bottom of the vast Atlantic Ocean. That search and the methods used inspired ABR volunteer Jaydev Dave, PhD, to pursue a career in medical physics (MP). The science of sound was music…
Like Her Fellow Volunteers, She Makes Time to Give Back
Rachel Jimenez, MD, has spent much of the past decade serving the radiation oncology field by working as an ABR volunteer. Her colleagues are happy that she finds the time despite a busy professional schedule. “She has great insight into the academic process and has brought this knowledge to the ABR as she advocates for residents and early career physicians,” said Michael…
His ABR Work Is All About Helping Trainees
Brian Covello, MD, has been a member of the ABR’s Interventional Radiology Initial Certification Advisory Committee since early in his residency. His committee experience over the past several years has given him insight into how the organization plans exams and sets certification goals. “The ABR makes changes that help trainees,” said Dr. Covello, who earned his board certification this past April. “Being able to serve on the committee has been important for me to…
Lone Radiologist Duties Enriched His Career
Fresh off his diagnostic radiology residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Jason Wagner, MD, had a military commitment to satisfy before moving on to his planned fellowship. His assignment? Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City needed a radiologist who could fly solo. “They didn’t need a hospital; there are multiple ones within miles of the base,” said Dr. Wagner, who worked at Tinker from 2005…
Two ABR Representatives Join ABMS Committees
By Mimi Newell, MD ABR Associate Executive Director, Diagnostic Radiology Each year, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Governance Committee seeks nominations for open positions from among its Member Boards, of which the ABR is one. We are proud to announce that this cycle, two of our diplomates have been chosen for impactful positions. Robert M. Barr, MD, FACR, has been selected to serve on the ABMS Governance Committee. The committee is responsible for overseeing all…
Hospice Duties Changed His Career Course
Three years into earning a chemical engineering degree at the University of Kansas, Ronald Chen, MD, MPH, took a sharp turn. He paused his studies to spend a year volunteering at a hospice in North Carolina. The inspiration came when he attended a conference session hosted by a volunteer group from the facility. “It made me realize that I was missing something and not doing exactly what I wanted,” Dr. Chen said. Shortly after the conference, he packed…
ABR Trustee to Become Radiology Chair at University of Utah
ABR Trustee David B. Larson, MD, MBA, has been named chair of the department of radiology and imaging sciences for the University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, effective September 14. A pediatric radiologist by training, Dr. Larson joins University of Utah Health from Stanford University, where he served in numerous leadership roles over the past decade, including executive vice chair and acting chair…