Answers

Medical students enrolled in a U.S. or Canadian approved program who have an interest in becoming a diagnostic radiologist, interventional radiologist, radiation oncologist, nuclear medicine physician or medical physicist are eligible for complimentary ACR membership.

Yes! Verification can be in the form of a transcript, a letter from an advisor or some other document on school stationary. Enrollment verification must include that you are a student in good standing, the date you started medical school and your expected graduation date.

You can oftentimes get a letter of verification from your school’s Admissions Office or from an advisor who is familiar with your academic standing. You can also request a certificate from the National Student Clearinghouse.

No. Once you apply, your membership will be renewed automatically each year until you graduate from medical school. If you become a radiology resident, your complimentary membership will continue throughout your training. Your medical student membership will end if you do not match into a diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology or radiation oncology residency program.

You can still apply for membership; in fact, we encourage you to apply! Learning more about the profession will help you decide if radiology is the field for you and even if it is not, as a referring physician, you will likely have to order imaging for patients and we want you to learn as much as possible about radiology while you are in medical school. ACR has resources that will be beneficial to you no matter what field of medicine you choose. As a member-in-training, you will have an opportunity to become familiar with those resources in case you have a need for them in the future.

Individuals who go from a medical educational program to an approved radiology residency program will continue as a member-in-training.

You are required to be enrolled in a U.S. or Canadian medical school to be a member and as such will reside in the country where you attend so will be eligible for membership. Your membership will continue as long as you enroll in a U.S. or Canadian fellowship or residency program. If you enroll in a fellowship or residency program outside of the U.S. or Canada, you can become an International Member-in-Training for $125/year.

Please contact the membership department at 1-800-347-7748 or membership@acr.org to request your member number, reset your password or update your login email.

If you are having trouble logging in to the website or accessing your benefits, please contact the membership department at 1-800-347-7748 or membership@acr.org.

You can log in to acr.org and go to the “My ACR” page to update your information. You can also email us at membership@acr.org. We suggest you log in to “My ACR” and include a personal or cell phone number so that we can ensure your free membership continues through your training years.

Radiologists are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases using medical imaging (radiology) procedures (exams/tests) such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET) and ultrasound.

Radiologists complete at least 13 years of training, including medical school, a four-year residency, and most often, an additional one- or two-year fellowship of very specialized training, such as radiation oncology, pediatric radiology, or interventional radiology. The American Board of Radiology certifies them, and they have exacting requirements for continuing medical education throughout their practicing years.

Diagnostic radiologists use a variety of imaging procedures to see inside the body and assess or diagnose the patient’s condition. Your radiologist plays an important role in your health by acting as an expert consultant to your referring physician (the doctor who sent you for testing) by choosing the proper exam and directing radiology technologists (those who operate the equipment) in properly performing quality exams. They interpret and report on the resulting images, recommending treatment and, only when appropriate, additional tests.

Diagnostic radiologists, through extensive clinical work and related research, may also specialize in these radiology subspecialties:

• Breast imaging (mammograms)
• Cardiovascular radiology (heart and circulatory system)
• Chest radiology (heart and lungs)
• Emergency radiology
• Gastrointestinal radiology (stomach, intestines and abdomen)
• Genitourinary radiology (reproductive and urinary systems)
• Head and neck radiology
• Musculoskeletal radiology (muscles and skeleton)
• Neuroradiology (brain and nervous system; head, neck and spine)
• Pediatric radiology (imaging of children)

These radiologists are doctors who diagnose and treat patients using image-guided, minimally invasive techniques such as X-rays and MRI. They carefully guide instruments through tiny incisions in the body, reaching the source of a medical problem and delivering targeted treatments. These treatments are for conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and uterine fibroids, offering less risk, pain and recovery time compared to traditional surgery.

A radiation oncologist is a specialist physician who uses ionizing radiation in the treatment of cancer. Radiation oncologists are responsible for monitoring the patient and organizing imaging and other tests, in order to create an action and management plan for a patient and work closely with radiation oncology medical physicists and radiation therapists to plan and deliver radiotherapy.