title: Educational support for specialist international medical graduates in anaesthesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure specialist international medical graduates' (SIMGs) level of learning through participation in guided tutorials, face-to-face or through videoconferencing (VC), and the effect of tutorial attendance and quality of participation on success in specialist college examinations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tutorials were conducted at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital between 19 September 2007 and 23 August 2010, and delivered through VC to participants at other locations. Tutorials were recorded and transcribed, and speaker contributions were tagged and ranked using content analysis software. Summary examination results were obtained from the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tutorial participation and attendance, and college examination pass and fail rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transcripts were obtained for 116 tutorials. The median participation percentage for those who subsequently failed the college examinations was 1% (interquartile range [IQR], 0%-1%), while for those who passed the exams it was 5% (IQR, 2%-8%; P < 0.001). There was also an association between attendance and exam success; the median (IQR) attendance of those who failed was 24% (IQR, 14%-39%), while for those who passed it was 59% (IQR, 39%-77%; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of VC technology was found to be a feasible method to assist SIMGs to become aware of the requirements of the exam and to prepare more effectively.
authors.affiliation: Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. n.higgins@griffith.edu.au
authors.forename: Niall S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: Kersi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taraporewalla
authors.forename: Sisira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edirippulige
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ware
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steyn
authors.forename: Marcus O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011380:Programmed Instructions as Topic; D011793:Queensland; D049269:Videoconferencing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data