Examinations are part and parcel of any training program and curriculum regardless of what industry or field of study you will undertake.
Examinations are a means of testing your knowledge and understanding of the subject material, and assessing if you were able to successfully absorb concepts, procedures, and important information which will be absolutely critical to how you carry out your duties in your chosen profession.
Exams gauge your knowledge
In the medical industry, written examinations are also part of the training process.
While much of the training in the medical sciences revolves around actual application of stock knowledge, diagnostic tests and assessments are still a must for aspiring health care professionals.
They are a gauge of how much they have retained in their memory, something that would indeed be important especially considering how sensitive the nature of their job is.
Who Administers Radiology Exams?
Radiology training exams are prepared and administered by different certifying organizations and authorities within this branch of medical science. In particular, the American College of Radiology (ACR) administers two specific radiology in-training exams every year, namely the Diagnostic Radiology In-Training exam (DXIT) and the Radiation Oncology In-Training exam (TXIT).
DXIT
The DXIT is a computer-based examination which is given out every January in the United States, with an exam window for Canada and International within the same month as well. This is a voluntary exam for radiology residents-in-training measuring their general achievement. The results are used to assess their progress, and also to gauge the residency program.
TXIT
The TXIT, meanwhile, is more specific to the subcategory of radiation oncology and is usually administered in March.
CoAP
A more rigorous examination that measures competency specifically in the area of cardiac imagery is the Cardiac CT Certificate of Advanced Proficiency (CoAP) Examination, also administered by the ACR. The exam’s format is entirely computer-based, combining both a knowledge-based multiple choice questionnaire format and practical, cardiac CT case assessments.
ABR-Administered Exams
The American Board of Radiology (ABR) also administers several examinations as part of the radiology residency training, namely, the Core Exam (taken 36 months after starting radiology residency) and the Certifying Exam (after diagnostic radiology residency is finished).
Both exams cover general aspects of diagnostic radiology. The Core Exam, in addition, includes a portion of the RadioIsotope Safety Exam (RISE).
The Certifying Exam, meanwhile, emphasizes on synthesis of information, differential diagnosis, and patient management, with three modules dealing specifically with clinical practice areas preselected by the individual. The Certifiying Exam also includes the second portion of the RISE.