Improved Testing Results for International Medical Graduates

Although it is well known that low scores by residents in their in-training examinations predict failure at eventual certification, there is a paucity of information regarding results with focused intervention.

Over a two-year period, international medical graduates (IMGs) accepted as CA-1 residents in the Department of Anesthesiology were provided an intensive one-month text-based teaching program focusing on anesthesia-specific medical knowledge. The Anesthesia Knowledge Test® (Metrics Associates, Inc., Chelmford, MA) as a surrogate for the American Board of Anesthesiology In-training Examination was administered on the first day (AKT-1), after the one-month training period (AKT-1), and after six months (AKT-6). AKT test results were reported as percentiles of all anesthesia residents taking the test. After two years, a retrospective review of test results was performed with repeated measures ANOVA.

IMG residents increased their percentile test performance on the AKT-1 from 31.2 ± 6.3% baseline (mean ± SEM) to 56.8 ± 6.4 % after the one month session (p<0.05). This increased performance was maintained with the AKT-6 at six months: 62.8 ± 7.8 %.

An intensive anesthesia text-based one-month didactic program can improve the test performance of IMGs. This effect is sustained after six months.