title: The new Interventional Radiology/Diagnostic Radiology dual certificate: "higher standards, better education".
abstract: The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has approved a "new" residency: dual Certification in Interventional Radiology (IR) / Diagnostic Radiology (DR). This IR/DR program intends to better prepare future IR doctors. Residency programs can apply for the IR/DR program beginning in 2015, with full nationwide implementation of the IR/DR residency likely to ramp up by 2022. The IR/DR dual certificate can be attained via an "Integrated" or "Independent" IR/DR residency pathway. The IR/DR training pathway may lead the way to the future training of IR/DR physicians worldwide. Certainly, the ABMS approval of a "new" residency is rare and worth attention; however, as with all things new, questions and concerns will be raised.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • The ABMS approved a "new" residency, the IR/DR dual Certification. • This IR/DR program intends to better prepare future IR doctors. • Full nationwide implementation of the IR/DR Residency is likely by 2022. • The IR/DR certificate can be attained via the Integrated or the Independent residency pathway. • These programs may lead the way to the future training of IR/DR physicians worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Dijon France and Visiting research scholar Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Marco
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. michaelbret.anderson@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michael Bret
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Anderson
keywords: Certification; IR/DR certificate; Internship and residency; Medical education; Radiology, interventional