Letter to the Editor of JACR: Recalls are NOT Cheating
A Letter to the Editor of the Journal of the American College of Radiology
Dear Editor:
I was appalled recently by the coverage of radiology “test recalls” by CNN, amplified by Dr Gary Becker of the American College of Radiology (ACR). For decades, residents have studied for their rites of passage Board examinations at the end of residencies. Radiology being no exception, I vividly remember spending innumerable hours with my co-residents, heads buried in books, papers and other study guides, to ready ourselves for the magic moments of test-taking. Never once did we feel that any of that excruciating time spent was “cheating.”
The public’s perception of radiologists has been unfairly diminished by the recently published media report. The fact that the ACR has latched onto the issue as a topic of serious import is all the more disturbing. “Recalls,” if my memory serves, were simply study guides by previous test-takers who attempted to regurgitate salient facts based on information they studied leading up to and including the board examinations. These techniques form the basis of such well-known programs as Kaplan and Bar-Bri.
In contradistinction to the popular perception of cheating, “recalls” were in no way the same or even similar to the sordid test-stealing that we have all read about, where a student sneaks into the teacher’s drawer, copies the test and distributes it to friends before the test.
Who determined that “recalls” are a form of cheating? Are we to say that all studying not sanctioned by reviewing a published text is cheating? Is it legitimate to point to a particular type of study guide and eliminate it as a reasonable way to learn the material? Why is a published text more “ethical” to use than a document containing just the “bold-faced items?”
I maintain that “recalls” help students to learn the material that was originally intended for them to learn by their attending physicians, professors and other educators. The fact that some people may not appreciate their benefit should not have led the ACR to denounce such forms of learning as “cheating.” Such a false determination and judgment has diminished us all, regardless of the short supportive comment to the contrary by the Trustees of the American Board of Radiology following the CNN report.*
* A Message from the ABR
The ABR was approached by CNN, which aired a recent report on the use of recalls in preparing for ABR diagnostic radiology written examinations. This coverage has stimulated discussion within our community. The ABR regrets that anyone’s impression of radiologists may have been diminished by this report, and expresses concern for any distress caused by CNN’s report. While the ABR has had policies in place for several decades which prohibit the sharing of examination content, the practice of using prior test material as a study guide, as is the case in a variety of educational settings, has occurred. We stand by the fact that you are well-trained and qualified to practice with skill and safety for the benefit of your patients. The ABR truly does recognize the years of hard work, diligence, and study signified by the designation of “board certified.”
As to the future, the Board committed in 2007 to a new certification paradigm in diagnostic radiology by developing innovative examinations that are image-rich, computer-based, and designed to test knowledge important in daily practice. We recognize that in this new model it is important for our candidates to have study guides and practice tests to prepare for these examinations, and are putting these in place well before the first residents will take the new examinations in October 2013. Enhancements are also being made in the radiation oncology and medical physics examinations.
Our profession’s authority to self-regulate through the board certification process is a privilege granted to us by the public. That privilege is entirely dependent upon the public’s confidence in the high quality and integrity of our certification decisions. In fulfilling this mission, the board and you, the diplomates, assume a mutual responsibility to maintain the public’s trust in the certification process. Together, we will provide for the continued assurance of professional excellence in Radiology.
The Trustees of the American Board of Radiology
Paul Dorio
