[Intl_DxMedPhys] Are CAMPEP residency and ABR board really necessary for Diagnostic and NM Physics?

[Bob Pizzutiello]

!-------------------------------------------------------------------|
  This Message Is From an External Sender
  This message came from outside your organization.
|-------------------------------------------------------------------!

I am a bit surprised that no one has yet addressed the bigger picture in the first part of the last sentence of this post: what is the advantage (value) of a residency?

>From my perspective, residencies provide a huge value with their structured and reasonably standardized process for training individuals to function as professional medical physicists in a specific discipline (Diag Imaging, Rad Onc or NM Physics). 

Years ago, hiring someone out of grad school was highly uncertain because it is so difficult to differentiate between academic success and functional performance in one of those disciplines. New grads needed extensive training and not every good MP is a good teacher. Results were uneven. 

Those who complete a CAMPEP-accredited residency are, on the whole, much more ready to function in practice, from my experience.

Looking at the value of residency purely from the perspective of ABR Board certification misses the point. 

Just my $0.02.

Bob
>From Bob Pizzutiello, typos courtesy iPhone

> On Nov 24, 2025, at 8:03 PM, 1 via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu> wrote:
> 
> There are alternative boards in MR and NM that you can get without a
> residency, but through job training.
> 
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://abmpexam.com/test-information/application-downloads/__;!!KGKeukY!11G60kSjlNtFNAVK-NMt7V4fpCyXCTEB4MQev7xhwEfC9j3UM_CG8N-p5_kgfDPf9YEAPMm20Rny6ISXm6sf-3tNJRFSdyR7E-WKwQ$
> 
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.absnm.org/examinations-and-certification.html__;!!KGKeukY!11G60kSjlNtFNAVK-NMt7V4fpCyXCTEB4MQev7xhwEfC9j3UM_CG8N-p5_kgfDPf9YEAPMm20Rny6ISXm6sf-3tNJRFSdyRnq1ipWw$
> 
> Also, most of the states do not require ABR board certification for
> regulatory testing. Only 3 states strictly require you to hold ABR
> Board Certification to get a license to practice. In the other 47
> states, you can generally perform regulatory testing without board
> certification if you meet alternative “Qualified Medical Physicist”
> criteria (usually a Master’s degree + 2–3 years of experience).
> 
> For ACR compliance testing, alternative options are available. In CT,
> MR and NM/PET, you can go through the non-board-certified track with 3
> years of experience. In mammography, you can go through the state
> license track. There is no physicist requirement for ultrasound and
> radiography.
> 
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://accreditationsupport.acr.org/support/solutions/articles/11000055869-medical-physicist-ct-revised-12-12-19-__;!!KGKeukY!11G60kSjlNtFNAVK-NMt7V4fpCyXCTEB4MQev7xhwEfC9j3UM_CG8N-p5_kgfDPf9YEAPMm20Rny6ISXm6sf-3tNJRFSdyS6QmzgDQ$
> 
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://accreditationsupport.acr.org/support/solutions/articles/11000056183-medical-physicist-nuclear-medicine-and-pet-revised-12-12-19-__;!!KGKeukY!11G60kSjlNtFNAVK-NMt7V4fpCyXCTEB4MQev7xhwEfC9j3UM_CG8N-p5_kgfDPf9YEAPMm20Rny6ISXm6sf-3tNJRFSdyQ9SvP4dw$
> 
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://accreditationsupport.acr.org/support/solutions/articles/11000055863-medical-physicist-mr-scientist-mri-breast-mri-revised-12-12-19-__;!!KGKeukY!11G60kSjlNtFNAVK-NMt7V4fpCyXCTEB4MQev7xhwEfC9j3UM_CG8N-p5_kgfDPf9YEAPMm20Rny6ISXm6sf-3tNJRFSdyQiazi1dA$
> 
> I wonder what the actual advantage is of doing a residency to obtain
> ABR board certification in Diagnostic and NM physics.