ABR-APDR UPDATE:
PRESENT AND FUTURE (EOF)
EXAMS
Kay Vydareny, M.D.
April 2011
Outline
 Exam of today
 Qualifying (aka written/physics)
 Certifying (aka oral)
 Exam of (near) future
 Core
 Certifying
Qualifying exams: Physics and
Clinical
 Registering for exam – will be notified via
website when able to register at Pearson
Vue
 Erroneous reporting of results –
 Affected those who checked physics results
before receiving email from ABR
 Have changed processes and are certain will
not happen again
 Electronic payment for initial certification
 Top priority for ABR
 Process will be complete by end of 2011
Certifying exam: oral
 Core pilot exam
- 2011
 6 modules will be piloted in May (MSK ,




Breast, Peds, Cardiac, IR, Neuro,)
Candidate can choose to take before or after
exam
Passing score can raise conditioned score
but will not allow a failing candidate to pass
Will allow evaluation of time, software
interface, questions, etc
Will not represent actual modules to be given
during core exam
 Will be a second pilot May 2012 to include
all modules
 Appointments for oral and for core pilot
were sent at end of last week
Certifying exam - oral
 Results
 To be posted electronically Friday May 27
 Letters will be mailed in late June
 Candidates must make sure we have up-to-
date contact information.
EOF Core exam, purpose
 To validate that a diagnostic radiology
candidate has acquired knowledge, skill,
and understanding of the entire field of
diagnostic radiology, including physics
EOF, Core exam - Timing
 Residents expected to take at 36 months
 Exception – research residents with >9
months research in first 3 years can delay
 Would be few other exceptions granted
 First exam September 30-October 4, 2013
 Subsequent exams – third week of June
EOF, Core exam, structure
 Image-rich
 Will assess knowledge and
comprehension (40%) and application,
analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (60%)
 Level of expertise expected for the exam
is basic to intermediate
EOF – Core exam, structure
 18 categories, each must be passed
 Organ system: MSK, Cardiac, Thoracic,
Gastrointestinal, Urinary, Repro/Endo, Neuro,
Pediatric, Breast, Vascular
 Modality: Ultrasound, Interventional, Nuclear
Radiology/Molecular Imaging, CT, MRI,
Rad/Fluoro
 Fundamental concepts: Patient safety, physics
 Items presented in random order
RISE (RadioIsotope Safety Exam)
 Will be embedded in Core exam
 Rationale: radioisotope safety is important
for all DR not just for AU’s
 50-60 scorable units
 25-30 already contained in NM, Safety,
Physics
 25-30 additional radioisotope safety items
 If fail RISE, can re-take if desire AU-E
status; don’t need to retake if don’t
qualify/want AU-E
 Must pass this virtual exam + NRC
requirements before end of residency to
have AU-E on certificate
 Must pass Core exam before RISE counts
towards AU-E status
Core exam, general
 Study guides posted on ABR website
(www.theabr.org) January 2011
 Exam will take two half days
 Given in central locations – Chicago,
Tucson – 2x year
Breast
Cardiac
GI
MSK
Neuro
Peds
Thorax
Repro /
Endo
Urinary
Vascular
Q#
CT
60
IR
60
MR
60
NM/Molecul
ar
60
Rad/Fluoro
60
US
60
Physics
90
Safety
60
Q#
60
60
60
60
60
60
60
60
60
minimum 60 questions per row/column
60
EOF, Core exam, Physics
 Practical, image based
 More questions than other categories
 Physicist included on each of the
item-writing committees
EOF, Core exam - Scoring
 Criterion-referenced exam
 Must pass each row/column
 Condition exam = fail of 1-5 categories
(including physics)
 RISE will not count as one of these categories,
but will be scored separately
EOF, Core exam – transition
 If fail last attempt at clinical exam- go to
core
 If fail last attempt at oral – go to core
EOF, Certifying exam, Purpose
 To validate that the candidate has acquired
and is able to apply the requisite knowledge,
skill, and understanding that:
 every practicing physician should possess. (20%)
( NIS)
 every practicing radiologist should possess. (20%)
(Essentials)
 this particular practicing radiologist should
possess to begin independent practice in chosen
clinical practice area(s). (60%) (CPA’s)
EOF, Certifying exam, Timing
 To be taken 15 months after finishing
residency
 Will be given 2x/year
EOF, Certifying exam - Structure
 Image-rich exam
 Emulate practice
 Focus assessment on application,
analysis, synthesis, and evaluation
 Level of expertise expected for the exam
is intermediate to advanced
 Will include normals, normal variants,
artifacts
 Each module at least 60 scorable units
 Exam will be ~ 5 hours long
 Administered 2 X / year
 Is both the first MOC exam and the
certifying exam for the residency
EOF, Certifying exam, NIS
 What every physician should know
 Domain includes:, ethics, governmental
regulations, systems-based practice, etc.
EOF, Certifying exam, Essentials
 What every radiologist should know
 Includes but not limited to Emergency
Radiology, common on-call dx
EOF. Certifying exam, CPA
 Candidate chooses 3 modules
 If more than 1 in an area, will contain more
advanced content
 CPA’s: Breast, Cardiac ,GI ,MSK, Neuro,
Pediatric, Thoracic,
Reproductive/Endocrine, Urinary,
Vascular-Interventional, Nuclear Medicine,
Ultrasound, and General Radiology.
 Each will include relevant Peds, Physics
EOF, Certifying exam, Scoring
 Criterion referenced
 Will be pass/fail only
 Must pass NIS, Essentials and CPA’s (as
a group)
 If fail, must keep CPA’s the same for next
administration of the exam
EOF, Certifying, Transition from
present
 If condition oral on last attempt – take one
module in each conditioned section +
NIS+Essentials
 If fail, take entire Certifying exam (5 modules)
How can the APDR help?
 Help establish a culture shift from “how many
questions can I remember?” to “I am honor
bound not to share reminiscences”
 Much time and effort to write new exams
 Want certificate to be worth something
 Avoid analysis/management items becoming recall
only
 Public would expect no less
 Should be part of professionalism competency
How can APDR help? (2)
 More complete evaluation of resident’s
abilities since can’t evaluate
communication, etc on CBE
 Milestones may help with this