Does the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Self-Assessment Examination for Residents Predict the Chances of Passing the Part 1 Board Certification Examination?
Each year, residents in accredited United States Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) residency programs can take the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) Self-Assessment Examination for Residents (SAE-R). This 150-question, multiple-choice examination is intended for self-assessment of physiatric knowledge, but its predictive value for performance on the part 1 American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Certification Examination (ABPMR-CE) is unknown.



To investigate the predictive value of the SAE-R in relation to the part 1 ABPMR-CE.



Retrospective study.



Data were analyzed from first time takers of the part 1 ABPMR-CE during a 5-year period from 2010 through 2014 who took at least 1 SAE-R in the third or fourth postgraduate year (PGY) of residency.



Raw scores from the SAE-R were compared with scaled scores on the part 1 examination. Regression models analyzed the predictive value of the SAE-R total score for each PGY level.



SAE-R raw scores increased an average of 5.5 points between the PGY 3 and PGY 4 year. PGY3 SAE-R raw scores accounted for 24.8% and PGY4 SAE-R scores for 27.1% of the variance in part 1 ABPMR-CE scores (P < .0001). Residents who obtained a raw score greater than 80 (53% correct) on the SAE-R had an 80% or greater chance of passing the ABPMR-CE. Scores greater than 90 (60% correct) on the SAE-R were associated with a 95% chance of passing the ABPMR-CE.



The SAE-R scores provide some information regarding the likelihood of passing the part 1 certification examination. This study supports the SAE-R as a means of providing PMR residents with feedback regarding their level of knowledge.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital, Mailstop OB.8.410, 4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105(∗). Electronic address: Massagli@uw.edu.
Teresa L
TL
Massagli
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital, Department Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL(†).
Michelle S
MS
Gittler
American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rochester, MN(‡).
Mikaela M
MM
Raddatz
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada(§).
Lawrence R
LR
Robinson
D002568:Certification; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine / Q000193:education*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012647:Self-Assessment; D014481:United States