Certification Exam

Eligibility

To be eligible for subspecialty certification in Neuroradiology, candidates must meet the criteria below:

• Hold primary AOBR certification in Diagnostic Radiology.
• Have completed one year of formal, AOA-approved or ACGME-accredited concentrated study in Neuroradiology.
• Hold an active license to practice in a U.S. state or territory or Canada.
• Adhere to the AOA Code of Ethics.

Requirements

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

• A completed application
• Examination fee

Exam Fees

An examination fee of $900 must accompany your completed application. No application will be considered complete until all fees have been paid.

Exam Dates and Deadlines

The Neuroradiology Subspecialty Certification Exam is offered once per year, in the fall. For a list of currently scheduled exam dates, please visit our Important Date page.

For more information on what to expect on exam day, please visit our Remote Proctored Examination information page.

Exam Content Outline

The Neuroradiology Certification Exam consists of approximately 33 cases with a total of 100 questions representative of neuroradiology. It is a computerized, image-rich exam. Candidates will have three hours to complete the examination, which includes the following topics:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Methods of examination
• Technique
• Indications and contraindications
• Pharmacology of contrast agents, where applicable
• Radiation safety and protection
• Elements of normal and abnormal interpretation applicable to vascular and interventional radiology

Exam Scoring

Scoring Criteria

AOA reports candidates’ certification results using standardized scaled scores. Scaled scores are more valid and reliable compared to raw scores and make scores comparable across different forms of the exam. The AOA reports scores on a 200 to 800-point scale with a scaled score of 500 or higher required to pass.

• A scaled score of 500 represents the minimum level of knowledge and skill necessary to pass the exam as established by AOA Certifying Boards.
• The highest possible scaled score is 800.
• The lowest possible scaled score is 200.
• Overall scores are based on the total number of items answered correctly, regardless of content area.

Results by Content Area

• When possible, a breakdown of exam scores by content area is provided to help you identify your areas of strength and areas that may need more development.
• The number of items for each content area indicates the relative amount of test questions on the exam for that content area.
• Content area scores are not weighted to calculate your overall score; each content area is scored separately after the overall analysis is complete.

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.