Physics boards

[xraymd]

Hi,

I hope that I will get an answer here since nobody paid attention to my post at Aunt Minnie's.

I am starting at a Canadian rad program and would like to get some clear info about the US certification exams. Checked the ABR website but it is a bit confusing.

So, how many physics exams do you write and when's the best time to do them ? Do you do all the three parts of the certificate (written + orals) ?

Second, when's the best time to do the written and oral rad boards ?

Thanks,
X-md

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[f_w]

You will have to pass the following components of the ABR exam
- physics written (1 day, mid september)
- diagnostic written (2days, mid september)
- oral (10 stations, 25 min each, early june )

Typically, people will sit for the physics portion early during 2nd year and the written diagnostic either early during 3rd or early during 4th year.

Orals are in June of 4th year.

It is possible to do physics and written diagnostic during the same year, the passing rate is however considerably lower in that setting. You have to pass physics and written diagnostic in order to be eligible to register for orals.

People who have taken both exam series have told me that the ABR was a lot more difficult, I have no direct comparison. One thing to keep in mind is that for 90% of the jobs in the US, you would be just fine with the RCPSC, it is just some insurance companies who don't get the concept and refuse to put you on their roster.

The physics portion of the ABR contains quite a bit of regulatory mumbo-jumbo which you would have to study in addition to the pure physics. The radiology is the same and you could do it in parallel to the RCMP boards.

 

[xraymd]

Hi f_w,

Thanks for your reply ! Are you saying that the physics exam is different for those who do it in their 2rd vs 3th year ?

 

[f_w]

The exam is the same whether you take it in 2nd or 3rd year (physics and written diagnostic are during the same week on consecutive days).

It is just much harder to concentrate on studying for physics while you have a mountain of reading to do for the 'written diagnostic'. Physics alone is eminently doable, in combination with 'written diagnostic' people tend to fail more often.

 

[Flankstripe]

The only caveat I'll add is that in the US, we refer to the radiology years only. In Canada, fresh out of med school, you are a "first year resident in radiology", even though you are actually doing your clinical medicine year. In the US, your PGY-2 year is when they start calling you a first year resident in radiology.

So you take the Physics boards in September of PGY-3 or PGY-4, Writtens in September of PGY-4 or PGY-5, and Orals in June of PGY-5.

In contrast to f_w, I'd heard that the Canadian boards are significantly more difficult than the US ones, but I also have no basis for comparison.