Is the ACR strapped for money?
So a mere 3 weeks after the repeat of the diagnostic radiology written boards, I have received the results. I passed. In fact, I kind of kicked butt on them.
I cant exactly say I am all that excited, because most every passes. It was only this year that for the first time since time immemorial, that a significant number of people failed.
For years, pearls of wisdom passed down from senior residents to junior residents recounted that the only way to study for writtens is to study old questions. (Stupid concept for a test, huh? Somewhere around 25% of the questions are supposed to be direct repeats...so what does the exam actually test???) Every year, the seniors say, "Study old tests and pray that they (the ACR) doesnt change the format of the test."
This year the other shoe dropped and the test changed. No one knows why. As opposed to failing approximately 7% of the nation, they failed over 20%! Maybe it was a fluke? Supposition (by residents and medical students) on radiology resident geared websites (www.auntminnie.com) is that the ACR wanted to make more money. (It is important to realize that these tests cost $700 a piece.) While I am sure these rumors were not based on serious conjecture, but it kind of makes me wonder.