title: The utility of mock oral examinations in preparation for the American Board of Surgery certifying examination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Determine the utility of mock oral examinations in preparation for the American Board of Surgery certifying examination (ABS CE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2002 and 2012, blinded data were collected on 63 general surgery residents: 4th and 5th-year mock oral examination scores, first-time pass rates on ABS CE, and an online survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-seven residents took the 4th-year mock oral examination: 30 (52.6%) passed and 27 (47.4%) failed, with first-time ABS CE pass rates 93.3% and 81.5% (P = .238). Fifty-nine residents took the 5th-year mock oral examination: 28 (47.5%) passed and 31 (52.5%) failed, with first-time ABS CE pass rates 82.1% and 93.5% (P = .240). Thirty-eight responded to the online survey, 77.1% ranked mock oral examinations as very or extremely helpful with ABS CE preparation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although mock oral examinations and ABS CE passing rates do not directly correlate, residents perceive the mock oral examinations to be helpful.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Electronic address: rhiggins@mcw.edu.
authors.forename: Rana M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Deal
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rinewalt
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Edward F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Hollinger
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Imke
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Delores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rendina
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Francescatti
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Keith W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Millikan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison Street, Suite 785, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Minh B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Luu
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002568:Certification; D004521:Educational Measurement; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: American Board of Surgery certifying examination; Mock orals; Surgical education