Abstract
Introduction
The purpose of this research was to determine what, if any, relationship existed between in-training exams (ITE) given during the categorical years of anesthesiology residency training and first attempt performance on Part One of the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) certification examination (CE). Additionally, several variables available to residency program directors, to include gender, medical degree, medical school, and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores, were analyzed to determine if a predictive relationship existed between any variable(s) and the Part One CE. Current research in anesthesiology only looked at PGY-II ITE scores, while other specialties have found relationships in later years of training not yet studied in anesthesiology.
Methods
The authors studied data from one US anesthesiology residency program. In total, there was data from the residency files of 79 residents. First attempt ABA CE results were coded as a binary dependent variable, either pass or fail. ITE scores at all three categorical years of training, as well as other available variables, were used to see if any predictive relationship exists.
Results
The PGY-IV ITE was found to be the only year of ITE that was statistically significant in predicting eventual first attempt performance on the ABA Part One CE. Logistic regression, utilizing the backward elimination technique, returned a model utilizing three variables: PGY-IV ITE, gender, and USMLE Step 2 CK scores. This model correctly predicted 89.9 % of eventual performance.
Discussion
The major finding in this study is that higher ABA/ASA ITE scores taken at the end of the final year of anesthesiology residency served as a statistically significant predictor of first attempt performance on the ABA Part One CE. Future studies should be performed at a national level to identify whether this finding is applicable to a wider population.
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Abbreviations
- ABA:
-
American Board of Anesthesiology
- ACGME:
-
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
- CE:
-
Certification examination
- CMS:
-
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- ERAS:
-
Electronic Residency Application Service
- GME:
-
Graduate Medical Education
- IRB:
-
Institutional review board
- ITE:
-
In-training examination
- PGY:
-
Post-graduate year
- RRC:
-
Residency Review Committee
- UMMC:
-
University of Mississippi Medical Center
- USMLE:
-
United States Medical Licensing Examination
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Schmitz, T.W., Bailey, J.H. Determining Predictors of Success on the American Board of Anesthesiology Written Certification Exam. Med.Sci.Educ. 24, 195–200 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-014-0044-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-014-0044-z