Delaying the American Board of Emergency Medicine Qualifying Examination Is Associated With Poorer Performance

作者：Marco Catherine A^*; Counselman Francis L; Korte Robert C; Purosky Robert G; Whitley Cameron Thomas; Reisdorff Earl J

来源：ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, 2014, 21(6): 688-693.

DOI：10.1111/acem.12391

Objectives: The initial step in certification by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) requires passing a multiple-choice-question qualifying examination. The qualifying examination is typically taken in the first year after residency training. This study was undertaken to determine if a delay in taking the qualifying examination is associated with poorer performance. The authors also examined the relationship between in-training examination scores and qualifying examination scores. %26lt;br%26gt;Methods: This was a pooled time-series cross-section study. Primary measurements were initial qualifying examination scores, the timing of the qualifying examination, and in-training examination scores. The three groups, based on qualifying examination timing, were immediate, 1-year delay, and %26gt;= 2-year delay. In-training examination scores were analyzed to determine the relationship between intrinsic ability, examination timing, and qualifying examination scores. For analysis, a generic pooled ordinary least-squares dummy variable model with robust standard errors was used. A pre hoc level of significance was determined to be alpha %26lt; 0.01. %26lt;br%26gt;Results: There were 16,353 qualifying examination test administrations between 2000 and 2012. In-training examination scores were positively correlated with qualifying examination scores (p %26lt; 0.001). The group pass rates were 98.9% immediate, 95.6% 1-year delay, and 86.6% %26gt;= 2-year delay. After controlling for in-training examination scores, delay taking the qualifying examination of 1 year was associated with a decrease in score of -0.6 (p = 0.003). A delay in taking the qualifying examination %26gt;= 2 years was associated with a decrease in score of -2.5 points (p %26lt; 0.001). %26lt;br%26gt;Conclusions: After accounting for innate ability using in-training examination scores, delay taking the qualifying examination was associated with poorer performance. This effect was more pronounced if the delay was %26gt;= 2 years.

• 出版日期2014-6