ABR Core Exam study plan
ABR Core Exam · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Clinical practice domains across all imaging modalities
Map the full clinical practice domain into modality-based subtopics and rank each by personal weakness
Build a 60-question baseline self-assessment spanning all modalities and record percent correct per modality
Identify the three weakest modality areas and list the specific diagnosis categories driving each weakness
Your checkpoint
A one-page baseline score sheet with per-modality percent correct and a ranked list of the three weakest areas
Clinical practice domains across all imaging modalities
Review the highest-yield differentials in the two weakest modality areas and write short comparison tables for each
Practice structured image-search pattern recognition by writing a stepwise approach for five common findings
Log every missed concept into a running error journal with a one-line reason for the miss
Your checkpoint
Two completed differential comparison tables plus an error journal with at least 25 entries
Clinical practice domains across all imaging modalities & Imaging physics
Finish surveying the remaining clinical modality areas and close the first pass of the clinical domain
Begin physics by outlining the major subtopic blocks (radiographic, CT, MR, ultrasound, nuclear) into a study checklist
Define the core physics quantities and units for each modality in a personal glossary
Solve introductory physics problems on x-ray production and beam quality
Your checkpoint
A completed clinical-domain checklist with all modality areas marked first-pass complete, plus a physics glossary of at least 30 terms
Imaging physics
Work through CT physics problems covering detector design, pitch, and dose metrics
Derive and apply the relationship between exposure, dose, and image noise
Practice MR physics problems on relaxation times, pulse sequence timing, and contrast weighting
Recite the safety limits and screening requirements for MR and ionizing radiation from memory
Your checkpoint
A worked problem set of at least 40 physics questions with corrected answers and annotated mistakes
Imaging physics
Complete ultrasound physics problems on transducer frequency, resolution, and Doppler principles
Complete nuclear medicine physics problems on radiotracer decay, collimation, and detector performance
Review image quality metrics (contrast, spatial resolution, noise, artifacts) and match each artifact to its physical cause
Build a one-page formula sheet covering all modality physics equations
Your checkpoint
A single-page formula sheet plus a table matching at least 15 imaging artifacts to their physical causes
Imaging physics & Noninterpretive skills
Re-test physics with a timed 50-question block and compare scores against the week-1 baseline
Begin noninterpretive skills by outlining quality improvement, patient safety, and error-category frameworks
Summarize key regulatory and accreditation concepts and contrast their scopes
Practice informed-consent and communication scenarios by writing model responses
Your checkpoint
A timed physics re-test score report showing improvement over baseline, plus a noninterpretive skills outline
Noninterpretive skills & Clinical practice domains across all imaging modalities
Work through statistics and study-design problems covering sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and bias types
Review contrast safety, radiation safety programs, and sedation protocols and list decision rules for each
Revisit the error journal and re-solve every previously missed clinical concept
Complete a mixed-modality practice block to test cross-domain retention
Your checkpoint
A revised error journal with every entry marked resolved or flagged for final review, plus a mixed-block score
Clinical practice domains across all imaging modalities & Imaging physics & Noninterpretive skills
Take two full-length timed practice exams under exam conditions and record per-domain scores
Triage all remaining flagged concepts and resolve the highest-frequency misses first
Condense all three domains into a final one-page rapid-review sheet
Simulate exam-day pacing and confirm timing strategy per question block
Your checkpoint
Two full-length practice exam score reports with per-domain breakdowns and a completed one-page rapid-review sheet
Milestones
Week 2: Baseline per-modality scores recorded and at least 25 error-journal entries logged
Week 4: Clinical domain first pass complete and at least 40 physics problems worked and corrected
Week 6: Timed physics re-test score exceeds week-1 physics baseline by a self-set margin
Week 8: Both full-length practice exams completed with per-domain scores at or above target threshold