title: The use of test results from ASA workshops to evaluate workshop effectiveness.
abstract: Results of tests given to participants in  six American Society of Anesthesiologists workshops were analyzed to detemine whether attendance at the workshops increased the participants' scores on sequential tests. Those who attended the workshops took the  same test prior to, immediately after, and three months after the workshop. Two control groups of anesthesiologists took the tests in the same time sequence for comparison. Both workshop and control  groups increased their scores with each successive test. In only one instance did those who attended the workshop improve their scores significantly more than did the control group. Because of difficulties inherent in designing valid and reliable tests, further development of the testing technique currently used at the workshops is necessary to make it a useful measure of workshop effectiveness.
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education*; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States