By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager April 2024;18(2):10 As a youngster, Alisa Walz-Flannigan, PhD’s keen interest in math and science was strongly encouraged by her mother, who emphasized that studying those subjects was a path to intellectual and financial independence. “It burned into me a passion and resilience to pursue my interests in science,” Dr….
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager April 2024;18(2):9 There are career changes and there are career changes. Two decades ago, ABR volunteer Adina Alazraki, MD, made a huge switch in her work life. After completing training and working in the emergency room as an urgent care physician at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Dr. Alazraki rebooted…
By Geoffrey S. Ibbott, PhD, ABR Associate Executive Director for Medical Physics April 2025;18(2):6 To candidates for certification and even many diplomates, the ABR might appear to be a black box from which exams, requirements, and rules appear and decisions are handed down. However, nothing could be further from the truth. While the ABR has…
From Lebanon to Iowa to Oregon, ABR volunteer Nadine Mallak, MD, has built a career rooted in adaptability and a passion for innovation. Dr. Mallak, the clinical director of the PET/MRI program and associate professor of body imaging and nuclear medicine at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), came to the U.S. in 2013 from…
After filling numerous roles over two decades as an ABR volunteer, Cheri L. Canon, MD, is breaking new ground as the Board of Governors (BOG) president. Dr. Canon ran an ABR board meeting for the first time at the weeklong spring meeting in February. Even with all her experience, she said the task was a…
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager February 2025;18(1):12 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.” …
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager February 2025;18(1):11 During the NFL season, Brian Holly, MD, and a few of his colleagues at Johns Hopkins get together the day after Baltimore Ravens’ games to talk about the outcome. He jokingly calls it “solving all of the team’s problems.” “He’s a very passionate Ravens fan,” said Robert…
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…
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…
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 Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager December 2024;17(6):9 When asked to describe ABR volunteer Ryan Avery, MD, his committee chair keeps it simple. “He’s amazing,” said Derek Johnson, MD, who leads the Diagnostic Radiology Nuclear Radiology Subspecialty Committee. Dr. Avery, the chief of nuclear medicine in Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine’s Department of Radiology…
By Rodney Campbell, ABR Communications Manager December 2024;17(6):10 On her way to earning a PhD in education from Ohio State University, Ashley Cetnar, PhD, MS, concentrated on learning about oral exams. She started putting that experience to use as an ABR oral examiner for medical physics for the first time earlier this year. Looking back…
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.