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Greetings! 
Welcome to the ABR's new electronic version of The Beam! We hope you will enjoy reading our newsletter in this format. If you have questions or suggestions about how we can improve
our newsletter to better meet your needs, please email newsletter@theabr.org. |
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Letter from the Editor |
 It's that time again! Spring has arrived, and so has The Beam. This edition promises gobs of new information about the ABR and your role as diplomates (or diplomates-to-be). Dr. Gary Becker starts us off with a statement of celebration. . . the ABR just turned 75 years old. You can garner a little bit of the history from Dr. Becker and even view a new video chronicling the annals of our certification process.
I would urge you to read the article about Drs. Eric Brandser and Gary Schmitt, focusing on how a large private practice in Northern Kentucky adapted to Maintenance of Certification (MOC). I would imagine that most of you in practice would experience some of the same concerns as you embark on this journey. In the end, this 32-member radiology practice realized that MOC is the right thing to do, and that achieving the milestones was not as daunting as initially feared.
The section on finances ("Where Does Your Money Go?) is an important milestone for the ABR. In our quest to be transparent, we wanted to provide you with a snapshot of how the money you send us is spent. I think you will be surprised by the high costs of assembling examinations, ensuring adequate staffing, and maintaining a substantial building. And I can assure you that we still rely very heavily on volunteer efforts to run the enterprise.
In our physics, residents, and radiation oncology sections, our writers have tackled some of the issues that are likely to be of concern for these distinctive groups. The physics group deals with the evolution of a written board examination question. Dr. Mezwa simplifies the issue of Practice Quality Improvement (PQI) at the resident level. Dr. Haffty brings us up to date on the new certificate issued by the ABR in hospice and palliative medicine. It sounds like this is a highly valued certificate if we use numbers of applicants as an indicator.
In our continued efforts to recruit volunteers, there is a short section about opportunities. We realize that your time is valuable, but we need your help. If you can spare some time and you want to work with others who are motivated to contribute back to our specialty, please reply.
Finally (almost), the FAQ section returns. . . this time most of the questions deal with the Personal Data Base (PDB) and MOC. These are truly based on questions that our staff must field on a near-daily basis.
On one last note, this will be my last issue as editor. As I rotate off the ABR, I can leave you with a couple of thoughts. It has been a great 8 years! In some ways I feel like I am leaving my second family. I will miss all of my interactions with a tireless, enthusiastic staff and an incredibly thoughtful group of friends and colleagues. But, it is time for a change. Dr. Tom Berquist will be assuming the role as editor of The Beam. His skills will far surpass mine, and I am confident that I am leaving the ABR in great hands.
George S. Bisset, III, MD
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Message from the Executive Director: Celebrating 75 Years
By Gary J. Becker, M.D. |
 On January 31, 2009, the American Board of Radiology (ABR) turned 75. Prior to the inception of the specialty board movement, there were no standards governing the practice of any specialty in the United States. Medical school standards were beginning to advance following publication of the Flexner Report (1910) on the abysmal state of medical education in North America. Dr. Becker explains how this all changed and what role the ABR played in the process. Read on. |
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'Grandfathers' Join MOC Together |
 "Why should we do extra paperwork and agree to stress out about a test like the oral boards when we don't have to?" was the question that started the discussion concerning MOC (Maintenance of Certification) enrollment for a 32-member radiology practice in the greater Cincinnati area. The discussion continued: "Payers aren't going to give us more money. Lawyers might use the results of MOC when they sue us. I am NEVER going to take the Oral Boards again." But that's not the end of the story. . . Read on. |
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ABR Activities and Finances: Where Does Your Money Go? |
 As a diplomate or "diplomate-hopeful" of the ABR, you may have wondered why you are charged to take your initial certification examination, or to participate in the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Doesn't the ABR have any other sources of income? How is the money spent? What determines the amount of my fees? To answer these questions, we gathered some information from the ABR's 2007-08 fiscal year. Read on. |
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Focus on Radiation Oncology: Hospice and Palliative Medicine |
By Bruce G. Haffty, MD, ABR trustee
and president elect
 Dr. Haffty reports on the first group of radiation oncologists to sit for official American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) certification in hospice and palliative medicine, October 29, 2008. More than 1,400 candidates from 10 distinct specialty boards, including the American Board of Radiology, sat for the exam. Read on. |
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Focus on Radiologic Physics: The Life of an ABR Physics Exam Question |
By the ABR radiologic physics trustees
 Radiology residents who sit for the physics examination for diagnostic radiologists often wonder about the source of the questions. Sometimes wild rumors circulate about these items. This article describes how the questions are written and reviewed. The process for the examination in physics for radiation oncology residents is very similar. Read on. |
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Focus on Residents: How to Get Started on a PQI Project |
By Duane G Mezwa, M.D., ABR Trustee
 This is one of the most frequent questions asked of the ABR. As you should be aware, the ACGME's Residency Review Committee (RRC) requires that residents be involved with a quality improvement project during their residency training. Similarly, the ABR's Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process requires its diplomates to select and complete a project. The ABR website has an extensive section on PQI, offering a great deal of useful information. But, really, is there a simple, practical way to find a project? Read on. |
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ABR Offers Many Volunteer Opportunities |
 If you're interested in becoming more involved with the ABR, we want to hear from you! The ABR is working hard to keep pace with current developments in U.S. certification processes. In order to achieve our goals, we depend on a large volunteer effort, and that includes volunteers from the private and academic practice communities. Volunteers may choose from opportunities of many types to contribute to the future of their specialties. Read on. | |
Thank you for reading this issue of The Beam. If you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, please email newsletter@theabr.org.
Sincerely,
Gary J. Becker, M.D., Executive Director
American Board of Radiology |
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