Exams
by Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
PRESENT Resident Editor
Botsford General Hospital
Farmington
Hills, MI
Clearly it’s exam
time at my residency program. Our first years are studying hard for the PM
Lexis, while my class has been diligently studying (cramming?) for the ABPS Foot
and Reconstruction exams. A couple of days ago I took the first exam, Foot
Surgery. Sorry, I’m not going to tell you any questions! You don’t need any
forewarning anyway; you’ll do just fine. After finishing the first exam I came
away with a few impressions and some questions, too.
I know the Board exams are necessary in our current medical
environment. We’re almost forced nowadays to be board certified to attain
hospital privileges and some insurance company plans. I have to wonder, though,
how much do these exams truly test our knowledge and clinical acumen? Like many
of you I wasn’t sure what to expect, and like many of you I’ve taken the
In-Training Exam, which in theory should be similar to the actual Boards. I did
find one glaring similarity to the In-Training Exam: we’re not given enough
information during several questions to come up with a legitimate answer, and
the test requires one black and white answer. This isn’t a criticism of the exam
itself. I honestly don’t know how it could be any different. I mean this is a
multiple-choice test with a time limit. If we were given a full history,
physical exam, and lab data it would take too long to read the question. And
with a multiple-choice test you do have to have specific answers to choose from.
Does this represent the real world? I don’t think so.
Should the exams be different? Probably. What should they be? I’m not sure. I’ve
heard recommendations that the In-Training Exams, if passed, should confer Board
Qualification upon graduation. That sounds fine. Two less exams would be great!
But the In-Training Exams also don’t test clinical skills. So how about an oral
exam like the Certification? No thanks!
Either way, we have to live with these exams for the time
being. I’ll take whatever exams I need to and not complain too much as long as
the tests are fair. Besides, with the training we receive today we should have
no trouble passing the Boards. Good luck to all of you taking the Boards!!
|
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