Lugubrious leader of ABR:
“It’s urban legend that our long certification process is scaring off applicants”
Said today at ABR townhall.
So glad we give our money to these scoundrels.
...what?
Does that even make logical sense if you have ever:
1) lived as a human?
2) known other living humans?
Becoming a physician in the United States is an incredibly long, difficult, and expensive process.
If you are someone who could see yourself practicing in at least a few different specialties - you know, like 95% of us - and you're looking at pros and cons of each, do PW et al REALLY think our board certification process isn't noticed?
Four exams over three years, two of those exams in basic science, one oral exam at least a year after finishing residency?
Unchanged pass rates year after year despite a huge increase in average Step 1 score? A "bad" year pre-crash where a HUGE number of people failed and the ABR's response was the resident quality was dropping...with absolutely zero evidence to back up that claim? The actual board exams themselves a black-box process with no feedback and no accountability?
What an absolutely crazy statement. It's not like people are out here picking specialties ONLY based on the certification process, but...I have absolutely heard people say they loved RadOnc and went elsewhere specifically because of physics boards.
Objectively, RadOnc is:
5 years long
With no integrated intern year
Meaning you might/probably will have to move twice
Difficult job prospects
The most elaborate board exam process in all specialties medical students can directly Match into
Wow, what an appealing prospect.