Sequential Participation in a Multi-Institutional Mock Oral Examination Is Associated With Improved American Board of Surgery Certifying Examination First-Time Pass Rate.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine whether sequential participation in a multi-institutional mock oral examination affected the likelihood of passing the American Board of Surgery Certifying Examination (ABSCE) in first attempt.


METHODS
Residents from 3 academic medical centers were able to participate in a regional mock oral examination in the fall and spring of their fourth and fifth postgraduate year from 2011 to 2014. Candidate׳s highest composite score of all mock orals attempts was classified as risk for failure, intermediate, or likely to pass. Factors including United States Medical Licensing Examination steps 1, 2, and 3, number of cases logged, American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination performance, American Board of Surgery Qualifying Examination (ABSQE) performance, number of attempts, and performance in the mock orals were assessed to determine factors predictive of passing the ABSCE.


RESULTS
A total of 128 mock oral examinations were administered to 88 (71%) of 124 eligible residents. The overall first-time pass rate for the ABSCE was 82%. There was no difference in pass rates between participants and nonparticipants. Of them, 16 (18%) residents were classified as at risk, 47 (53%) as intermediate, and 25 (29%) as likely to pass. ABSCE pass rate for each group was as follows: 36% for at risk, 84% for intermediate, and 96% for likely pass. The following 4 factors were associated with first-time passing of ABSCE on bivariate analysis: mock orals participation in postgraduate year 4 (p = 0.05), sequential participation in mock orals (p = 0.03), ABSQE performance (p = 0.01), and best performance on mock orals (p = 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression, the following 3 factors remained associated with ABSCE passing: ABSQE performance, odds ratio (OR) = 2.9 (95% CI: 1.3-6.1); mock orals best performance, OR = 1.7 (1.2-2.4); and participation in multiple mock oral examinations, OR = 1.4 (1.1-2.7).


CONCLUSIONS
Performance on a multi-institutional mock oral examination can identify residents at risk for failure of the ABSCE. Sequential participation in mock oral examinations is associated with improved ABSCE first-time pass rate.
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: abbey.fingeret@gmail.com.
Abbey L
AL
Fingeret
New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York.
Tracey
T
Arnell
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
John
J
McNelis
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
Mindy
M
Statter
State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.
Lisa
L
Dresner
State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.
Warren
W
Widmann
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods*; D008007:Licensure, Medical; D008297:Male; D000066908:Simulation Training / Q000379:methods; D013044:Specialty Boards / Q000592:standards*; D058013:Test Taking Skills / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States
American Board of Surgery Certifying Examination; Graduate Medical Education; Interpersonal and Communication Skills; Medical Knowledge; Professionalism; mock orals; oral examination