Name of the project
- mproving the Board Pass Rate of a Pediatric Residency Program
Project abstract/brief description
- Objective: The American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) certifying exam is the final step that pediatric residency graduates must complete in order to achieve certification in their specialty. The national pass rate on this exam for first-time test-takers is approximately 80%.(1) The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a series of targeted educational interventions in improving the ABP exam pass rate of graduates from the pediatric residency training program at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA).
Methods: ABP exam scores of former residents prior to, during, and after the intervention were reviewed and compared. A retrospective analysis of the data was performed to determine whether a significant difference in mean ABP exam scores and pass rate existed between the three groups of graduates. PL-1 In-training exam scores were also examined to ensure that any noted increase in ABP exam performance was not attributable to a difference in baseline knowledge or test-taking ability between the different groups. Finally, recent graduates were surveyed to determine their perceptions regarding the utility of the individual interventions.
Results: The ABP exam pass rate and mean scores of the post-intervention graduates were significantly higher than those in the preceding years (p < 0.001). After adjusting for slight differences in PL-1 ITE scores, the pass rate and mean ABP scores remained significantly higher than in the preceding years (p<0.004). Housestaff ranked PREP Self-Assessment Question & Answer Books and our home institution’s Board Review Course as the most useful tools in preparing for the ABP examination.
Conclusions: A comprehensive and proactive approach, involving both housestaff and training program, can help identify targeted areas for intervention to help ensure the success of graduates on their certifying examination.
Name of Principal Investigator
Department/division/center/school in which the project is based
- CHLA Pediatric Residency Program
Primary institution in which this project is based
- Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)
Name and email address for the Project Director / Manager, or person responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities of this project
If we were to request additional information about this project, pelase provide the name of the person to contact and his/her email address
- Project Director / Manager listed above
Are there any Co-Investigators on this project?
Please name all Co-Investigators and their institutional affiliation
- Co-Investigator - Institutional affiliation
- Michelle Thompson -- CHLA
Which, if any, of the following institutions are you partnering with for this project?
For each partner institution listed, please indicate the specific department / division / institute / center with which you are partnering
Are you collaborating with any other academic, clinical or community organizations on this project?
List any academic, clinical and / or community organizations with which you are collaborating. Please include each partner organization's location
Which institutional IRBs have reviewed and approved this project?
- Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)
Which of the following best characterizes the agency(ies) funding this project? (IF THIS IS A SUBCONTRACT, PLEASE IDENTIFY THE CORE FUNDING SOURCE, e.g., NIH, CDC, etc.)
What month and year does / did funding begin?
What month and year does/did funding end?
Which of the following best describes the project's thematic focus?
- Quality/performance improvement
- Provider training
- Other (please specify)
In what context do your project activities (e.g. data collection) take place?
- Hospital/in-patient setting
How would you classify this project?
Please indicate which of the following best characterizes the type of research you are conducting?
- Intervention/service evaluation research
Which of the following best characterizes your study design?
What type of data collection methods are used?
- Data collected from existing dataset (secondary data collection/analysis)
- Surveys
Which services does your program provide?
- Individual/small group education
How many participants will be/were recruited to participate in your research or service program over the funding/study period?
Which of the following best describe the population this project targets?
Which of the following best describes the age groups this project targets?
Which of the following best describes the racial/ethnic characteristics of the project participants?
Please provide any additional characteristics of your project participants that are specific to the goals of the project, e.g., low-income, un-insured, incarcerated, pregnant/parenting teens, populations with disabilities, specific conditions, etc.
Which of the following best describes the location(s) in which this project takes/took place?
In which LA County Service Planning Area (SPA) do/did your project activities take place?
In which locations outside LA County do your project activities take place?
Does this project have an advisory board?
How often does your advisory board meet?
Please indicate which of the following best describes the membership of this project's advisory board?
Which of the following best describe the type of guidance your advisory group provides for your project?
In what ways, if any, has your project disseminated information about your project, including findings and lessons learned?
- Web-based dissemination
- Presentations/in-service training to academic audiences
Which dissemination activities do you/did you find to be most effective?
- We were turned down by four separate academic journals
How useful do you think a CTSI Research/Service Clearinghouse will be to the following audiences?
How likely are you to use the CTSI web-based clearinghouse?
How would you envision using a resource like the CTSI web-based clearinghouse?
What specific information would you want in the CTSI web-based clearinghouse to maximize its utlility to you, other researchers, and representatives of the community?
What would you like to see in terms of the CTSI web-based clearinghouse design and functionality that would maximize the clearinghouse's utility for you and others?
