American Board of Radiology just cancelled/postponed their oral exams due to COVID-19

[ChemPetE]

That was an interesting email to get today. Will be really interesting to see what the Royal College will do/how they will react with everyone’s specialty exams coming up soon.

[ellorie]

Christ. What the fuck will we even do? I am ready to be done residency and if I have to be in supervised practice for another year I swear to God I will lose it. 

[ChemPetE]

I think if they do postpone they’ll accept PD letters and hopefully the colleges will grant a temporary exemption until people can be certified. Another year or even months of supervised practice would be bonkers

[ellorie]

I mean they wouldn't extend our residencies, but if you don't have your FRC you have to practice with a supervisor.  Like if you fail or don't write for some other kind of reason.

God.  I would literally HAVE coronavirus rather than deal with another year of this hell.

I literally just want to be left alone.  I am so tired and so burned out and so over it and all I want is just to be done with the hell that is postsecondary education and be left the heck alone.

[rmorelan]

sorry I am confused

There are no oral exams from the ABR(?)  It is all multiple choice at least for the radiology core exam

and:

ABR leadership met March 5 to assess the latest reports regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) and determined that the DR Core Exam scheduled for May 28-29 and June 1-2 is still scheduled as planned. Exam registration is approaching, and we will email all eligible candidates with a save-the-date message soon. 

We are developing plans in case there is a disruption to the upcoming Core Exam. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and post regular updates at theabr.org. As always, our primary concern is for the health and well-being of our candidates, staff, and the public.

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by rmorelan

[ellorie]

6 minutes ago, rmorelan said:

sorry I am confused

There are no oral exams from the ABR(?)  It is all multiple choice at least for the radiology core exam

and:

ABR leadership met March 5 to assess the latest reports regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) and determined that the DR Core Exam scheduled for May 28-29 and June 1-2 is still scheduled as planned. Exam registration is approaching, and we will email all eligible candidates with a save-the-date message soon. 

We are developing plans in case there is a disruption to the upcoming Core Exam. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and post regular updates at theabr.org. As always, our primary concern is for the health and well-being of our candidates, staff, and the public.

 

Below that, it looks like they cancelled some of their subspecialty stuff?  I'm not sure how the rads pathway works.

[rmorelan]

5 minutes ago, ellorie said:

Below that, it looks like they cancelled some of their subspecialty stuff?  I'm not sure how the rads pathway works.

yeah but that is misleading I guess

First off that isn't radiology, it is rad onc and med physics. There are no oral exams for radiology 

Next those are not the core exams - those are all MC and done prior. The oral exams are capstone exams, and I believe like radiology you can still practice without having them yet - that is in fact common. Thus there is no real significant issue here in that regard. 

It isn't at all like our system in Canada where there is a single brutal winner take all exam with massive consequences for failure. 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by rmorelan

[ellorie]

4 minutes ago, rmorelan said:

a single brutal winner take all exam with massive consequences for failure. 

 

Ugh thanks for reminding me.

PGY5 is the straight up worst.

[rmorelan]

2 minutes ago, ellorie said:

Ugh thanks for reminding me.

PGY5 is the straight up worst.

oh yes, PGY5 is like smashing your hand with a hammer for 12 straight months while trying to figure out better and better ways to hit harder along the way. 

and it really does feel really good when you stop. You wake up the day after the exam and realize you have literally NOTHING to do that evening. 

 

[ChemPetE]

They cancelled orals for rad onc. With all of the travel restrictions, none of the examiners could attend the exam.

[bearded frog]

3 hours ago, rmorelan said:

There are no oral exams for radiology.

Makes, sense as long as you said "cannot exclude pathology, clinical correlation required" you'd get full marks. 

[ChemPetE]

The ABR just cancelled their orals for the medical physicists too.

[rmorelan]

8 hours ago, bearded frog said:

Makes, sense as long as you said "cannot exclude pathology, clinical correlation required" you'd get full marks. 

and to follow the stereotype also recommend another imaging study so the cycle can continue. 

[Hanmari]

They'd never even try to cancel or postpone the exams if they legally had to compensate every potential graduate for lost staff income / psychological damage until the exams were re-instated.

I know. Life doesn't work that way. I'm sorry PGY5s. Us juniors are terrified of one day having to imitate your knife-tip balance of sanity and skill. Hang in there, I hope things don't go down that path.

[NLengr]

On 3/6/2020 at 12:02 AM, ellorie said:

Ugh thanks for reminding me.

PGY5 is the straight up worst.

Hang in there. It's an awful year and now complicated by an awful situation. You will get through it.

Like my grandfather used to say to my dad, my dad to me and now me to my own kids when everything looks bleak: "This too shall pass".

[ChemPetE]

US ophthalmology just cancelled their orals that were scheduled next week. 
 

I hope that Royal College will offer clarification soon for current writers

[ellorie]

I’m just praying they at least allow my written to happen on March 24th. I just need this to be over even if the oral gets deferred. 

[ChemPetE]

I see written exams going ahead. Doesn’t have as much as a vector risk for proctors or writing or transport restrictions as orals would.

[ChemPetE]

Ophthalmology is refunding some fees to those that were writing. Their rationale included those those who were expectedly quarantined unable to travel to the exam. That is a risk too for those planning to write Royal College. 

[ellorie]

Got an email from the RC today saying that exams will go ahead - they are offering a refund for anyone who needs to cancel due to quarantine or inability to travel, and that it will not count as one of your attempts. 

[ellorie]

RC, MCC, and CFPC have all announced that exams are cancelled. 
 

Fffffffffff. Just kill me now. 

[Leon]

I'm so sorry to hear this is happening. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to be in this limbo without new exam dates set. Canada is around 200 confirmed cases I think and if the curve is flattened as they're trying to do it looks like it may take several weeks if not months before seeing the peak caseload? So much uncertainty. 

[islam620]

Imagine if they just cancelled all royal college and CFPC exams.....

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-italy/italy-rushes-to-promote-new-doctors-to-relieve-coronavirus-crisis-idUSKBN214245

This means immediately releasing into the National Health System the energy of about 10,000 doctors, which is fundamental to dealing with the shortage that our country is suffering,” he said in a statement.

The graduates will be sent to work in general practitioners’ clinics and at old peoples’ homes, freeing up more experienced colleagues who will be sent to the rapidly filling hospitals.

[rmorelan]

On 3/13/2020 at 3:30 PM, ellorie said:

RC, MCC, and CFPC have all announced that exams are cancelled. 
 

Fffffffffff. Just kill me now. 

flat out cancelled? or just postponed? Their website is still pretty vague - something out the written exams moved which will impact the orals etc. 

[rmorelan]

Also as of now they really have cancelled the ABR radiology exams - now to be held no earlier than sept 1. So that is quite a delay really - huge buffer.