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New Information About the ABR
(American Board of Radiology) Examinations
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| Current and future practice models in Radiology
are emphasizing subspecialty expertise to match the clinical demands of
specialists in surgery and medicine. Because medical knowledge in subspecialty
fields is advancing rapidly, radiologists must commit to life-long learning,
periodic self-assessment and continuing practice improvement to keep pace.
Training programs already have begun to evolve in this direction, and it
is important that the initial certification process in diagnostic radiology
reflect these changes. Accordingly, as a result of these issues and extensive
discussions by the ABR diagnostic radiology trustees over the past 18 months,
the ABR plans to change the structure, content and timing of future initial
certification examinations in Diagnostic Radiology. These changes in
content, timing and examination structure will not affect residents currently
in training. Rather, they will affect residents entering diagnostic radiology
training in the near future – likely the class that begins their training
in 2010 – depending on the readiness of the new examinations. |
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| The principal changes that are planned are
as follows: |
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1. A new image-rich, computer-based radiology
core examination will be given 30 months after the beginning of radiology
residency training. The exam will probably be administered as an
integrated single examination of practical physics and clinical components
(to replace the ABR Physics exam currently given in September of the second
year of Radiology residency and the ABR Written exam currently given in
September of the third year of Radiology residency). This examination will
require knowledge of anatomy, pathophysiology and principles of radiological
physics. The examination will include case presentations. The examination
will be approximately 10 hours long, on computer, with practical physics
interwoven into the exam. Eleven clinical categories (GI, GU, ultrasound,
chest, cardiac, nuclear, pediatric, neuro, IR, MSK and mammo) will be examined
and each must be passed. |
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2. A computer-based and image-rich final certifying
examination in diagnostic radiology will be administered 15 months after
the completion of the diagnostic radiology residency (yearly in
September/October). (This will replace the current ABR Oral examination
given at the end of the fourth year of Radiology residency). The ABR plans
to make this examination available widely through commercial examination
centers. This exam will probably take 4 to 5 hours to complete. This examination
will be tailored to reflect the training emphasis, experience and the corresponding
planned practice emphasis of the individual resident, who will be allowed
to specify up to four areas of concentration. These areas of concentration
will not, however, constitute the entire examination. Every examination
also will include material pertinent to all diagnostic radiologists. For
example, a resident may select to be examined on this certifying exam either
in general modules (all of diagnostic radiology) or in 1 general content
module and 4 clinical content modules. These 4 clinical content modules
may be different, the same, or a combination of both. For instance, a resident
may select: |
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- 1 general module + 4 neuroradiology modules
- 1 general module + 4 pediatric radiology modules
- 1 general module + 2 GI + 2 GU modules
- 1 general module + 1 GI, 1mammo, 1 neuro and 1 mammo modules
- Any variations of the above OR
- 5 general modules
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Sandra A. A. Oldham,
MD, FACR |
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