Cross-institutional Virtual Mock Oral Examination: A New Paradigm?

Mock oral examinations (MOEs) are shown to be valuable in preparation for national board oral examinations. Although traditionally conducted in-person, improved technological advances have supported exploring virtual alternatives. Furthermore, the cornoavirus disease 2019 pandemic has necessitated virtual learning. We hypothesized that the virtual platform would improve and expand the MOE experience to include collaborative institutions while approximating a board examination environment.

Sixteen senior plastic surgery residents and 14 faculty from three separate programs participated in a cross-institutional virtual MOE. Over a single day, each trainee was evaluated by two faculty from a separate institution on six scenarios, including digitally interactive photographs. Immediate postexamination debriefing with feedback was performed. All participants were subsequently invited to complete an anonymous survey regarding MOE experience, accuracy, and stress level, with responses graded on a Likert scale (1-5).

Twenty-three participants completed the survey, with 87% having prior MOE experience; however, only 26.1% of participants had virtual MOE experience. Most found the virtual platform more convenient (4.18 + 1.18; 5-far more convenient, 1-far less convenient) and less stressful (2.32 + 0.65; 5-far more stressful, 1-far less stressful) than in-person. All participants found the examination fair, and participants found the examination valuable (4.65 + 0.57) in preparing trainees for the American Board of Plastic Surgery oral examination.

The majority of participants found the virtual MOE experience valuable and comparable to in-person. These results reinforce that a virtual MOE provides an acceptable alternative with greater convenience and improved cross-institutional collaborative efforts.