I'm a third-year medical physics resident working toward my Part 1 ABR exam. I've been told everything from "6 months is plenty" to "you need a full year minimum" and I honestly can't tell who's being realistic versus overcautious. My program is demanding so I can realistically put in about 2–3 hours of dedicated study most weekdays and more on weekends, averaging 15–18 hours a week total.
My biggest weak spots right now are radiation biology and the more theoretical dosimetry concepts. Imaging physics feels strong because we cover it heavily in clinical rotations, but the nuclear medicine and health physics sections are where I'm bleeding points on practice questions. I'm averaging around 63–65% across full-length practice exams — the general benchmark I've heard is consistently above 75% before sitting.
I've been using a combination of Khan Academy videos, the Bushberg textbook, and a commercial question bank. The question bank is helpful but explanations vary wildly in quality. Some residents swear by the RAPHEX questions; others say they're too old to reflect the current exam. Anyone have a take on that?
Also wondering how many people retake Part 1 — I'd rather push my date back 3 months than sit at 65% and hope for the best, but I don't know if a retake looks bad professionally or if it's just treated as a normal part of the process.
RAPHEX is still relevant but you're right that some sets are dated. The physics principles don't change but the technology questions can be off. Use RAPHEX for concept reinforcement but lean on a current commercial bank for realistic question format and difficulty calibration.
I prepped for 9 months and passed on first attempt with around a 78%. The radiation biology section I'd genuinely study as its own subject — it's tested more deeply than most people expect. Khan Academy is fine for basics but you'll want Hall's Radiobiology for the Radiologist for anything beyond surface level.
The nuclear medicine section always felt underweighted in study materials but heavily tested on the actual exam. Make sure you understand PET physics, decay chains, and dosimetry for common radiopharmaceuticals at a detailed level. That's where I lost the most points I didn't expect to lose.
Retakes are more common than people admit. I know at least 4 people from my residency cohort who sat twice. It doesn't derail careers. That said, at 63–65% with time still available, pushing your date back 3 months and hitting 75–78% consistently before sitting is the smarter play.