ABR

The exam is taken after 36 months of residency. In limited circumstances, your program director - or your program chair if you are in the IMG Alternate Pathway - can request permission for you to take it earlier. It is offered twice a year, typically in late May or early June and in November.

It is a computer-based exam administered remotely over three days, taking approximately five and a half hours per day. Most items are multiple choice; drag-and-drop items ask you to identify an anatomical site by clicking the correct spot on an image. Plan for a full working day on each of the three days.

No. There is no standalone physics exam. Physics questions are embedded throughout the Qualifying (Core) Exam and reflect the fundamental medical physics radiologists encounter when interpreting images, performing procedures, and consulting with colleagues. Performance on physics-related questions is factored into your overall score, so physics cannot be skipped.

Scoring is criterion-referenced: your result is compared with a fixed standard, not with other examinees. The exam is scored as a whole and the result is pass or fail. You pass if your combined performance across all categories meets or exceeds the passing standard, so there is no module-by-module credit.

You must retake the entire exam. Because the Qualifying (Core) Exam is scored as a whole rather than by category or module, a failed attempt cannot be partially carried forward - there is no conditioning on individual domains. Keep your board eligibility window in mind when scheduling a retake.

Computer-based exam results become available in myABR about one month after the exam, and you receive an email notification when they are posted. While scoring is in progress, a progress bar on the ABR's page shows the current phase, so you can check back for real-time status.

Once eligible, the ABR emails an invitation three to four months before the exam date with instructions for completing registration in myABR. Certification applications can be submitted between July 1 and October 31, and the application fee is due at the time you apply. All exam fees must be paid before registering.

Start with the published domain blueprint and critical concepts for your training level to set scope, then layer in the Noninterpretive Skills, Physics, and Radioisotope Safety Content study guides, which are tested alongside the clinical domains. Finish with the sample questions to practice the remote interface and drag-and-drop format.

Within a section you can flag items to revisit if time allows, but once you leave a section you cannot return to it - so banking unflagged guesses for later does not work. Do an Exam Readiness Check on the same computer and in the same location you will test from, and repeat it if either changes.