Novel Formative Approach of the ESAP-ITE Provides Strong Predictive Value for ABIM Certification Outcomes.

Background: The Endocrine Self-Assessment Program In-Training Examination (ESAP-ITE) has the novel formative approach of allowing open access to all questions and answers after secure examination administration is complete, resulting in the creation of an entirely new in-training examination annually.

Objective: To determine whether scores on the novel ESAP-ITE predict pass/fail outcomes on the American Board of Internal Medicine Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Certification Examination (ABIM-ECE).

Methods: All endocrine fellows-in-training who took the ESAP-ITE between 2016 and 2019 and then subsequently attempted the ABIM-ECE within the same calendar year were included (n = 982).

Association of Use of the NEJM Knowledge+ Product and Performance on the ABIM IM-MOC Exam.

Internal medicine physicians in the United States must pass the American Board of Internal Medicine Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification (ABIM IM-MOC) examination as part of their ABIM IM-MOC requirements. Many of these physicians use an examination product to help them prepare, such as e-Learning products, including the ACP's MKSAP, UpToDate, and NEJM Knowledge+, yet their effectiveness remains largely unstudied. We compared ABIM IM-MOC examination performance among 177 physicians who attempted an ABIM IM-MOC examination between 2014-2017 and completed at least 75% of the NEJM Knowledge+ product prior to the ABIM IM-MOC examination and 177 very similar matched control physicians who did not use NEJM Knowledge+.

Correlations Between the USMLE Step Examinations, American College of Physicians In-Training Examination, and ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Examination.

Purpose: To assess the correlations between United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) performance, American College of Physicians Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) performance, American Board of Internal Medicine Internal Medicine Certification Exam (IM-CE) performance, and other medical knowledge and demographic variables.

Method: The study included 9,676 postgraduate year (PGY)-1, 11,424 PGY-2, and 10,239 PGY-3 internal medicine (IM) residents from any Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited IM residency program who took the IM-ITE (2014 or 2015) and the IM-CE (2015-2018). USMLE scores, IM-ITE percent correct scores, and IM-CE scores were analyzed using multiple linear regression, and IM-CE pass/fail status was analyzed using multiple logistic regression, controlling for USMLE Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, and Step 3 scores; averaged medical knowledge milestones; age at IM-ITE; gender; and medical school location (United States or Canada vs international).

The Association Between Maintaining American Board of Emergency Medicine Certification and State Medical Board Disciplinary Actions.

Background: In certain medical specialties, board certification is associated with a lower risk of state medical board disciplinary actions.

Objective: The association between maintaining American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) certification and state medical disciplinary actions had not been studied. This study was undertaken to determine if maintaining ABEM certification was associated with a lower risk of disciplinary action.

The American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification Examination and State Medical Board Disciplinary Actions: a Population Cohort Study.

Background: Some have questioned whether successful performance in the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program is meaningful. The association of the ABIM Internal Medicine (IM) MOC examination with state medical board disciplinary actions is unknown.

Objective: To assess risk of disciplinary actions among general internists who did and did not pass the MOC examination within 10 years of initial certification.

Performance on the Nephrology In-Training Examination and ABIM Nephrology Certification Examination Outcomes.

Background And Objectives: Medical specialty and subspecialty fellowship programs administer subject-specific in-training examinations to provide feedback about level of medical knowledge to fellows preparing for subsequent board certification. This study evaluated the association between the American Society of Nephrology In-Training Examination and the American Board of Internal Medicine Nephrology Certification Examination in terms of scores and passing status.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: The study included 1684 nephrology fellows who completed the American Society of Nephrology In-Training Examination in their second year of fellowship training between 2009 and 2014.

Does Having Open Access to Care Improve Patient Experience? A Case-Control Study.

This study investigated whether primary and specialist care practices utilizing open access to care (OA) receive better patient experience scores than propensity-matched control practices without OA. From March 2010 to December 2014, 711 physicians classified as having OA in their practice, indicated by scoring 15 or higher on the OA checklist, were propensity matched to practices without OA. Patient experience was measured with 5 composites: timely care, communication, staff quality, care coordination, and overall physician rating.

Performance on the Cardiovascular In-Training Examination in Relation to the ABIM Cardiovascular Disease Certification Examination.

The American College of Cardiology In-Training Exam (ACC-ITE) is incorporated into most U.S. training programs, but its relationship to performance on the American Board of Internal Medicine Cardiovascular Disease (ABIM CVD) Certification Examination is unknown.

Medical Knowledge Assessment by Hematology and Medical Oncology In-Training Examinations Are Better Than Program Director Assessments at Predicting Subspecialty Certification Examination Performance.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Next Accreditation System requires training programs to demonstrate that fellows are achieving competence in medical knowledge (MK), as part of a global assessment of clinical competency. Passing American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certification examinations is recognized as a metric of MK competency. This study examines several in-training MK assessment approaches and their ability to predict performance on the ABIM Hematology or Medical Oncology Certification Examinations.

Pulmonary and Critical Care In-Service Training Examination Score as a Predictor of Board Certification Examination Performance.

Rationale: Most trainees in combined pulmonary and critical care medicine fellowship programs complete in-service training examinations (ITEs) that test knowledge in both disciplines. Whether ITE scores predict performance on the American Board of Internal Medicine Pulmonary Disease Certification Examination and Critical Care Medicine Certification Examination is unknown.

Objectives: To determine whether pulmonary and critical care medicine ITE scores predict performance on subspecialty board certification examinations independently of trainee demographics, program director competency ratings, fellowship program characteristics, and prior medical knowledge assessments.

Specialty Certification Status, Performance Ratings, and Disciplinary Actions of Internal Medicine Residents.

Purpose: Little is known about the attrition of physicians trained in internal medicine (IM). The authors sought to examine career paths, disciplinary actions, and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) certification status of IM residents.

Method: Three datasets were combined to study 66,881 residents in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited IM residency programs nationwide from 1995 to 2004.