title: Impact of programmed reading on ABSITE performance. American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination.
abstract: To test the hypothesis that a program of regular reading and discussion would result in significant improvement in the surgical database as measured by the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE), we conducted a 2-year prospective study. The study group, which was comprised of 40 residents, was compared with a control group of 44 residents enrolled in the residency during the 2 years that preceded the study period. Neither reading effort nor discussion group attendance correlated strongly with ABSITE performance among first-year residents. At this level, ABSITE scores correlated best with National Board of Medical Examiners Part I scores (r = 0.699, p = 0.002). In contrast, second-year through fifth-year residents showed a cumulative improvement across the residency (80 versus 180 standard score points, p = 0.048). Individual resident improvement correlated highly with reading effort (r = 0.79, p less than 0.001). There was little measurable effect from attending discussion sessions. We conclude that the surgical database can be improved by a program of regular reading and that the magnitude of the improvement is directly proportional to the reading effort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, University of Connecticut, Hartford.
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Hirvela
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D004521:Educational Measurement; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011932:Reading; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*