Core Exam 2023 dates (Remote)

Remote Exam Information

Since 2021 and the COVID crisis, the core exam has taken the form of a remote exam. The Qualifying Core Exam will be held over 3 days. It is currently scheduled for November 15-17. The registration opens in September 2023.

About Radiology Core exam

The Qualifying (Core) Exam is designed to assess a candidate's core body of knowledge and clinical judgment in the practice areas of diagnostic radiology and integrated interventional radiology/diagnostic radiology.
The following categories are covered:

Breast Imaging
Cardiac
Gastrointestinal (GI)
Interventional Radiology (IR)
Musculoskeletal (MSK)
Neuroradiology
Nuclear Radiology
Pediatric Radiology
Physics
Reproductive/Endocrinology
Thoracic
Ultrasound
Urinary
Computed Tomography
Magnetic Resonance
Radiography/Fluoroscopy
Vascular
Noninterpretive Skills
 

Preparing for and passing the Core Exam remain a challenge for radiology residents. Recent high failure rates (reaching almost 16% in 2019) and the high stakes of the examination underscore the need to understand factors leading to underperformance. Since the beginning of board certification, there has been much discussion about the validity of the Qualifying (Core) Exam. A study conducted in 2022¹ shows a significant correlation between lower subjective faculty evaluation scores and failure of the ABR Qualifying (Core) Examination.

IMAIOS Resources to prepare the Core exam

You can review using QEVLAR RadCore, a bank of questions exhaustively covering all categories. But it is also very efficient to review anatomy at the same time. 
Testimonials
Nick Broadbent, MD, IR resident at the University of Illinois in Peoria
“IMAIOS e-Anatomy: If you haven’t been using this in residency, you are missing out. I had this app open as I was studying as a means to review anatomy. There are plenty of anatomy questions on this test, usually shown in a plane you have never thought about. I used the app to review various anatomy in multiple planes and modalities, which helped immensely. At a minimum, you should do this for Neuro and MSK. The anatomy questions tend to be easy points, so don’t overlook the basics.”

Ben White, MD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
“Fantastic app, the only product that actually mirrors the style of the Core Exam with multiple-part linked questions, checklists, etc. Works well on phones, tablets, and also works from an actual computer. It’s also the only question source with cross-sectional series that you scroll through, zoom-able images, etc. Honestly it puts the actual Core Exam software to shame. If IMAIOS can make this all work well on my phone, then what’s the ABR’s excuse? Exam material is downloaded to your phone, so can be done offline, another perk.” 

Question bank - Radiology Core exam

QEVLAR RadCore questions were created by physicians from the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School (top hospitals). It contains over 2,000 board-style, image-rich questions. 

To put it in a nutshell, use a wide range of resources and give yourself at least three months to study for the exam.
Best of luck!