RO Orals in October cancelled

[Chartreuse Wombat]

Email just recieved

Colleagues:

When I notified you of the postponement of the May 2020 oral exam administration to October 10-13, I said that the ABR would follow the status of the global COVID-19 pandemic closely, and that although we were proceeding with planning for an October administration, all plans might be disrupted by events beyond our control. ABR senior staff have been convening on a daily basis to track the virus activity, CDC and various state guidance, institutional travel policies, and on-the-ground logistical issues while practicing social distancing and other precautions. Throughout the process, our focus has been the health and safety of examiners, staff and candidates, and the ability to deliver fair, reliable and consistent exams.

Upon consideration of all factors, the ABR Board of Governors has made the decision to cancel the October RO oral exam administration. We fully understand the disruption and anxiety caused by further postponements and will announce plans for administration of those exams as soon as possible. I can assure you that ABR staff and volunteers have carefully considered a variety of alternatives for oral exam administration, and at this time, none are considered feasible.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

Paul Wallner, D.O.

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[GapCalc]

ARRO: "Virtual exam, please"
SCAROP: "Virtual exam, please"
ASTRO Board: "Virtual exam, please"

ABR: "lol no"

 

[scarbrtj]

ABR reading book How to Win Friends and Influence People... and Sh *t In Their Wig

 

[taserlaser]

To no one’s surprise. What a gigantic ****show and cluster**** (Sorry for the vulgarity mods). I’m sorry, but if other specialties are doing remote exams, the ABR of all people should be able to organize it as well. This just highlights their ongoing incompetence and lack of leadership.

 

[thecarbonionangle]

Paul Wallner strikes again. You’re welcome folks!!

 

[scarbrtj]

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

Paul Wallner, D.O.

Can we just go with Darth Sidious now or is it still "Wallner"

 

[thecarbonionangle]

Can we just go with Darth Sidious now or is it still Wallner

can someone with mildly k photoshop skills make this meme happen. Im picturing wallner in full Sidius outfit. This needs to happen. YUGE priority

 

[Neuronix]

(Sorry for the vulgarity mods).

To keep with the professional tone of the forum, I will state that this situation is ****ing ridiculous.

 

[RadOncLazers]

This is absurd. We will be so far out of residency and most of us treating one or two areas only.

We need to petition for a change. We need faculty support at academic institutions.

This class has been screwed too hard by the ABR and it’s BS if we roll over once again.

 

[thecarbonionangle]

This is absurd. We will be so far out of residency and most of us treating one or two areas only.

We need to petition for a change. We need faculty support at academic institutions.

This class has been screwed too hard by the ABR and it’s BS if we roll over once again.

agreed. You need to grab metaphorical pitchforks and raise hell

 

[RadOncLazers]

agreed. You need to grab metaphorical pitchforks and raise hell

“We” need to push for a change.
Including all of the faculty and PDs who read this thread each day.

 

[Grubbe-a-dub-dub]

What do you propose? Should we riot as well?

Nothing will ever change...

 

[metallica81788]

We could just not show up how about that. They can keep my (insert $$$ amount) but they can never take my freedom!

 

[scarbrtj]

can someone with mildly k photoshop skills make this meme happen. Im picturing wallner in full Sidius outfit. This needs to happen. YUGE priority

you had me at photoshop

 

[radOresident]

Class of 2020: "You told us we would finally be done in October! That was the deal!"

Darth Wallner: "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."

 

[thecarbonionangle]

you had me at photoshop

lmao! I can always count on you scarb. Clutch skills!

 

[thecarbonionangle]

“We” need to push for a change.
Including all of the faculty and PDs who read this thread each day.

absolutely. This is everyone’s fight!

 

[w00tz]

ARRO: "Virtual exam, please"
SCAROP: "Virtual exam, please"
ASTRO Board: "Virtual exam, please"

ABR: "lol no"

I laugh. And I cry.

 

[w00tz]

I do appreciate them telling us early, but still....I just want to get this over with!!!

 

[Gfunk6]

ASTRO: We strongly recommend that you make the ABR oral exam virtual this year - just like every other medical specialty
Darth Wallner: Are you threatening me Master Jedi?
ASTRO: The SCAROP Executive Committee [Senate] will decide your fate.
Darth Wallner: I AM THE SENATE!

ASTRO: This scheme of yours has failed, Lord Wallner. The opportunity to cancel ABR orals is finished. We dare not go against SCAROP.
Darth Wallner: ASTRO, I don't want to see this stunted slime in my sight again. This turn of events is unfortunate. We must accelerate our plans. Begin deploying the announcemnt.
ASTRO: Ah, my lord, is that... legal?
Darth Wallner: I will make it legal.

 

[salubalu]

The ABR is a pathway to many abilities that some consider to be unnatural.

 

[Gfunk6]

The ABR is a pathway to many abilities that some consider to be unnatural.

Q: Is it possible to learn this power?
A: Not from ASTRO/SCAROP.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Feels bad for class of 2019 man.

But thank you to those who have transitioned the thread so excellently.

Darth Wallner 2020

 

[seper]

I don’t think they are able to create a professional virtual exam on this short a notice. Therefore, considering Covid, the decision to cancel is the only correct one.

 

[Chartreuse Wombat]

I don’t think they are able to create a professional virtual exam on this short a notice. Therefore, considering Covid, the decision to cancel is the only correct one.

Perhaps but other Boards are making the change to virtual.

Oral Exam | American Board of Ophthalmology

The oral examination is the second evaluation in the Board certification process. Upon successful completion of the Written Qualifying Examination (WQE)...

abop.org

2020 General Surgery Qualifying Exam To Be Administered Virtually

The July 2020 ABS General Surgery Qualifying Examination will be taken by candidates remotely, rather than at a testing center.

www.absurgery.org

 

[Gfunk6]

Perhaps but other Boards are making the change to virtual.

Exactly. To quote from the SCAROP letter:

"The SCAROP leadership group recently convened a call to discuss this topic, and it was the unanimous opinion of the SCAROP leadership group that the ABR should move forward with both virtual written and oral exams. While we can appreciate that there are concerns about security, we could imagine that you could seek advice from other ABMS Boards who have researched this subject thoroughly and decided to move forward with virtual exams. "

 

[DebtRising]

Sucks for boards but let’s be a bit careful about glorifying SCAROP.

The chairs care about getting and eating cheap labor to make up for their financial hits (now covid enhnced) and see the boards as a barrier to productivity in that regard. They have no care for the well being, equity, or future of the field beyond keeping their gig going as long as possible. Maybe hyperbole to extend that to al chairs, but see fellowship opening and resident expansion as exhibits a and b.

Scarop is like grifter 2 complaining that grifter 1 has made it harder to keep the con going.

 

[medgator]

Sucks for boards but let’s be a bit careful about glorifying SCAROP.

The chairs care about getting and eating cheap labor to make up for their financial hits (now covid enhnced) and see the boards as a barrier to productivity in that regard. They have no care for the well being, equity, or future of the field beyond keeping their gig going as long as possible. Maybe hyperbole to extend that to al chairs, but see fellowship opening and resident expansion as exhibits a and b.

Scarop is like grifter 2 complaining that grifter 1 has made it harder to keep the con going.

And abms is at the top of the syndicate

 

[seper]

ABS just did their exam over Zoom, but I doubt feedback was positive.

Perhaps but other Boards are making the change to virtual.

Oral Exam | American Board of Ophthalmology

The oral examination is the second evaluation in the Board certification process. Upon successful completion of the Written Qualifying Examination (WQE)...

abop.org

2020 General Surgery Qualifying Exam To Be Administered Virtually

The July 2020 ABS General Surgery Qualifying Examination will be taken by candidates remotely, rather than at a testing center.

www.absurgery.org

 

[Carotenoid]

absolutely. This is everyone’s fight!

are they gonna charge people the fees?

 

[thecarbonionangle]

are they gonna charge people the fees?

Paul Wallner has to eat somehow!

 

[elementaryschooleconomics]

Paul Wallner has to eat somehow!

Can I just cut him a personal check?

 

[medgator]

Can I just cut him a personal check?

 

[GapCalc]

ABR IRS 990 tax filing: American Board Of Radiology Incorporated - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica

There is a PDF from the 2018 filing. Highlights:

Total ABR income = $12.7M
# of tests administered (all specialties): 4970
Certificates "maintained": 30,000 (i.e. $$$$$$$)

Where does that money go?

Valerie Jackson (CEO, stepped down, new boss = same as old boss) - $784,842 plus $50k in additional compensation
Karyn Howard (Managing director; also love that she's a Karen) - $176,210 plus $33k in additional comp
Scott Segal (IT Director AKA the reason there aren't virtual exams) - $173,604 + $35k in additional comp
Aaron Gudenkauf (Exam services director/what does the rest of the company do?) - $168,056 plus $14k in additional comp

The list goes on...

Oh, I forgot about "Paul Wallner, MD" [sic]

First column: hours per week (if you believe he actually spends 20 hours a week doing ABR stuff, I've got a bridge to sell you)
Total compensation = $262,684

Good gig if you can get it!

 

[thecarbonionangle]

Don’t forget about the 21C money, how much is making off that? Guy is totally corrupt!

 

[Haybrant]

Paul Wallner DO is the reason not to go into Rad Onc. None of the other leaders in Rad onc have any spine to stand up it seems either. A lot of good that Twitter has done

 

[thecarbonionangle]

Paul Wallner DO is the reason not to go into Rad Onc. None of the other leaders in Rad onc have any spine to stand up it seems either. A lot of good that Twitter has done

i dont get It. Everyone seems to be scared crapless of this guy. Does he have the whole group blackmailed Trump style or something?

 

[StIGMA]

i dont get It. Everyone seems to be scared crapless of this guy. Does he have the whole group blackmailed Trump style or something?

It's not about blackmail. It's about knowing someone can ruin/hurt you if you cross them. We had a professor tell a story where he asked at the time the current ASTRO president to broach making nationwide changes that would affect how radonc is reimbursed- who reportedly said he would be killed if he did anything serious about the subject. I think the response was only a little sarcastic.

 

[thecarbonionangle]

It's not about blackmail. It's about knowing someone can ruin/hurt you if you cross them. We had a professor tell a story where he asked at the time the current ASTRO president to broach making nationwide changes that would affect how radonc is reimbursed- who reportedly said he would be killed if he did anything serious about the subject. I think the response was only a little sarcastic.

Sure sounds like the mob.

 

[Lamount]

Elementary School teachers across the country created an online curriculum overnight. The ABR has demonstrated no ability/willingness to change, sacrifice, or adapt...

 

[seper]

Online learning in schools was absolute garbage this spring. Telling you as a parent. ABR can make a good virtual exam, it's just gonna take awhile

 

[medgator]

Online learning in schools was absolute garbage this spring. Telling you as a parent. ABR can make a good virtual exam, it's just gonna take awhile

Bingo. ABR absolutely can do this correctly and probably need the time to do it... they need to make it clear that's their plan though if they are cancelling this year's test. Until then, they are going to just keep getting trashed online and rightfully so

 

[Carotenoid]

i dont get It. Everyone seems to be scared crapless of this guy. Does he have the whole group blackmailed Trump style or something?

Nobody has stood up to him or to the rest of the corrupt ABR. If you look on Twitter, everyone is so timid and polite "We hope... in the future it gets better". It won't, I'm placing bets!

 

[Carotenoid]

Bingo. ABR absolutely can do this correctly and probably need the time to do it... they need to make it clear that's their plan though if they are cancelling this year's test. Until then, they are going to just keep getting trashed online and rightfully so

This is just a bunch of hot air.

 

[RadOncMegatron]

For those of you who have not taken the boards if they make you take it in the hotel you will be infuriated when you see that the exam is computer based with slides and what not. When I took it way back when it looked like they had 10 or cases they could choose from. They scanned a case they wanted and then it would pop up on the screen. It’s not like they had a piece of paper or handouts. Again, it would be so hard to cheat as the test would still be about the same difficulty open book or not. Unbelievable it’s not virtual.

 

[KHE88]

Absurd reasoning, but we have a common enemy I suppose.

The exam absolutely should be open book. Because that's how we actually practice. We look up things and check ourselves and produce a final product (plan). Give us all the resources we normally use and see what we come up with. Why play these make believe games where we memorize scripts and say things that aren't actually what we do?

Lets be honest. The ABR's objection to a virtual and/or open-book exam is two-fold:

1. The feelz. Nothing based in science. Just feelz that anything other than the old school way of doing things is letting us off easy and we are going to somehow "cheat." (the only way we could meaningfully cheat is if we had a doppelgaenger take the exam.
2. $$$ and maintaining their racket.

By the way, the ABR will NOT be extending eligibility for everyone affected by this. You heard that right. Everybody else gets 6 attempts at the exam before their career is over. The class of 2019 gets 5 attempts, because, well "f*ck the class of 2019 in general," said Paul Wallner (you know, the guy from that generation of old-timers that got grandfathered into permanent certification -- it's all about protecting the public! (well of course for the ones making the rules -- they're exempt. Kind of like the politicians posturing and lecturing about social distancing and masks then doing none of it themselves when nobody is looking. See how this works?)).

 

[scarbrtj]

The feelz. Nothing based in science. Just feelz that anything other than the old school way of doing things is letting us off easy and we are going to somehow "cheat."

Maybe the ABR still has a little cheating PTSD; old story but there are old-timers at the board who prob still feel stung

Exclusive: Doctors cheated on exams

Doctors nationwide routinely cheat by memorizing test questions for exams that would board certify them as radiologists, CNN has learned.

www.cnn.com

 

[KHE88]

Maybe the ABR still has a little cheating PTSD; old story but there are old-timers at the board who prob still feel stung

Exclusive: Doctors cheated on exams

Doctors nationwide routinely cheat by memorizing test questions for exams that would board certify them as radiologists, CNN has learned.

www.cnn.com

You mean the cheating problem (systematic recalls) that still goes on and the ABR ignores?
Wallner told me the 30% failure rate in 2018 was due to poor resident quality and education at small programs. Nothing else contributed. Wallner has spoken. Move along.

Why, in the current state of society, do we continue to allow authoritarian dictator-like behavior in our profession?

 

[Chartreuse Wombat]

 

[medgator]

Last part of the letter ignored rad onc altogether. I'm shocked, shocked i tell you