Appendix 2 — Other Certifying Boards

The American Osteopathic Board of Radiology (AOBR) [1] requires graduation from an osteopathic medicine college and offers initial certification and recertification. Applicants must pass a combined diagnostic imaging and physics examination in the third postgraduate year and then complete a 4.5-hour oral examination in the fourth year or later. For recertification, the AOBR has recently transitioned from an examination every 10 years to a continuous certification cognitive assessment format, requiring the completion of 15 self-assessment modules during each 3-year CME cycle.

The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) [2] also has a board of certification in radiology, with initial board certification in diagnostic radiology requiring both written and oral examinations. An ABPS time-limited certificate is valid for eight years. Recertification then requires 20 continuing medical education credits per year plus at least 50 self-assessment CME questions per year.

The National Board of Physicians and Surgeons (NBPAS) [3] offers a maintenance of certification product that includes radiology. However, as of March 23, 2020, just 132 hospitals, approximately 1% of hospitals nationwide, recognized the NBPAS MOC certificate, and no insurance company accepted it. NBPAS entering the marketplace has heightened awareness of issues related to MOC.

References


  1. The American Osteopathic Board of Radiology. The American Osteopathic Board of Radiology website. https://certification.osteopathic.org/radiology. Accessed July 14, 2020.
  2. The American Board of Physician Specialties. Board of certification in diagnostic radiology. https://www.abpsus.org/diagnostic-radiology. Accessed July 14, 2020.
  3. The National Board of Physicians and Surgeons. FAQs. https://nbpas.org/faqs. Accessed July 14, 2020.