Oral Exam

Eligibility

Candidates who have passed both parts of the Combined Written Examination-Physics and Diagnostic Imaging Exam are eligible to take the Oral Exam during their fourth and final year of training, or at any examination following training.

Requirements

At the time of application, you must submit the following to the AOBR:

• A completed application
• Examination fee

Exam Fees

The fee for the Diagnostic Radiology Oral Examination is $800.

*Physicians who began residency between July 1, 2015 and July 1, 2020 may have begun paying an annual fee for each year of residency (i.e. $400 per year for years one, two, three, and four). Physicians who began in this process just need to have submitted the first $800 by the time of the Diagnostic Radiology Written Examination application, and the other $800 by the time of the Diagnostic Radiology Oral Examination application.

Exam Dates and Deadlines

The Diagnostic Radiology Oral Exam is offered once each year, generally every May. The application period opens approximately six months and closes approximately three months prior to the exam date. For a list of currently scheduled exam dates, please visit our Important Dates page.

Exam Content

The oral exam is 4.5 hours long. Eight cases will be presented at oral film interpretation stations on the following topics:

• Neuroradiology
• Vascular/Interventional Radiology
• Cardiopulmonary
• Genitourinary Tract
• Gastrointestinal Tract
• Ultrasound
• Breast Radiology
• Musculoskeletal
• Pediatric Radiology
• Nuclear Medicine

Each case is 20 minutes long and will be presented with minimal or no history. Candidates are instructed to respond to each case as follows:

• Description of study
• Location of pathology
• Description of pathology
• Differential diagnosis
• Most likely diagnosis
• Work-up questions

Exam Scoring

Every effort will be made to release results within eight weeks of the exam window. Results are posted to the secure portal used to apply for the exam. Candidates will be notified by email of the results posting.

Exam Failure

A candidate has three consecutive attempts to take and pass (or condition) the examination. If a candidate fails to pass or condition the Oral Exam after three consecutive attempts, he or she may petition the board to reenter the certification process and will be required to start at the beginning of the certification process, with the Written Exam. Failure to accept an appointment, cancellation of an appointment or failure to appear for a scheduled oral examination will be regarded as forfeiture of one of the three opportunities.