How Does the Sequence of the American Board of Surgery Examinations Impact Pass/Fail Outcomes?

OBJECTIVE: Historically, the American Board of Surgery required surgeons to pass the qualifying examination (QE) before taking the certifying examination (CE). However, in the 2020-2021 academic year, with mitigating circumstances related to COVID-19, the ABS removed this sequencing requirement to facilitate the certification process for those candidates who were negatively impacted by a QE delivery failure. This decoupling of the traditional order of exam delivery has provided a natural comparator to the traditional route and an analysis of the impact of examination sequencing on candidate performance. METHODS: All candidates who applied for the canceled July 2020 QE were allowed to take the CE before passing the QE. The sample was then reduced to include only first-time candidates to ensure comparable groups for performance outcomes. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between the order of taking the QE and the CE, controlling for other examination performance, international medical graduate status, and gender. RESULTS: Only first-time candidates who took both examinations were compared (n=947). Examination sequence was not a significant predictor of QE pass/fail outcomes, OR=0.54; 95% CI, 0.19-1.61, P =0.26. However, examination sequence was a significant predictor of CE pass/fail outcomes, OR=2.54; 95% CI, 1.46-4.68, P =0.002. CONCLUSIONS: This important study suggests that preparation for the QE increases the probability of passing the CE and provides evidence that knowledge may be foundational for clinical judgment. The ABS will consider these findings for examination sequencing moving forward.

Association Between American Board of Surgery Initial Certification and Medical Malpractice Payments.

OBJECTIVE: To measure associations between surgeons' examination performance and obtaining American Board of Surgery certification with the likelihood of having medical malpractice payments. BACKGROUND: Further research is needed to establish a broader understanding of the association of board certification and patient and practice outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective analysis using propensity score-matched surgeons who attempted to obtain American Board of Surgery certification. Surgeons who completed residency between 2000 and 2019 (n=910) and attempted to become certified were categorized as certified or failing to obtain certification. In addition, groups were categorized as either passing or failing their first attempt on the qualifying and certifying examinations. Malpractice payment reports were dichotomized for surgeons who either had a payment report or not. RESULTS: The hazard rate (HR) of malpractice payment reports was significantly greater for surgeons who attempted and failed to obtain certification [HR=1.87; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.28-2.74] than for surgeons who were certified. Moreover, surgeons who failed either the qualifying (HR=1.64; 95% CI, 1.14-2.37) or certifying examination (HR=1.72; 95% CI, 1.14-2.60) had significantly higher malpractice payment HRs than those who passed the examinations on their first attempt. CONCLUSIONS: Failing to obtain board certification was associated with a higher rate of medical malpractice payments. In addition, failing examinations in the certification examination process on the first attempt was also associated with higher rates of medical malpractice payments. This study provides further evidence that board certification is linked to potential indicators for patient outcomes and practice quality.

Outcomes of the First Virtual General Surgery Certifying Exam of the American Board of Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To Study the Outcomes of the First Virtual General Surgery Certifying Exam of the American Board of Surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The ABS General Surgery CE is normally an in-person oral examination. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the ABS was required to reschedule these. After 2 small pilots, the CE's October administration represented the first large-scale remote virtual exam. The purpose of this report is to compare the outcomes of this virtual and the previous in-person CEs. METHODS: CE candidates were asked to provide feedback on their experience via a survey. The passing rate was compared to the 1025 candidates who took the 2019-2020 in-person CEs. RESULTS: Of the 308 candidates who registered for the virtual CE, 306 completed the exam (99.4%) and 188 completed the survey (61.4%). The majority had a very positive experience. They rated the virtual CE as very good/excellent in security (90%), ease of exam platform (77%), audio quality (71%), video quality (69%), and overall satisfaction (86%). Notably, when asked their preference, 78% preferred the virtual exam. There were no differences in the passing rates between the virtual or in-person exams. CONCLUSIONS: The first virtual CE by the ABS was completed using available internet technology. There was high satisfaction, with the majority preferring the virtual platform. Compared to past in-person CEs, there was no difference in outcomes as measured by passing rates. These data suggest that expansion of the virtual CE may be desirable.