Preparing for success in final summative medical specialist examinations: The case for RACE

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Ophthalmology Training
• Professional Development

Background:

• High failure rates in Australian medical specialist examinations impact trainees and the healthcare system.
• Ophthalmology trainee examination success is crucial for workforce growth and patient outcomes.
• Understanding preparation factors can improve ophthalmology trainee success rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore preparation factors contributing to ophthalmology trainee success in final summative examinations.
• To identify key themes associated with passing the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists Advanced Clinical Examination (RACE).

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with 29 ophthalmology trainees and Fellows.
• Participants had recently sat or supervised preparation for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists Advanced Clinical Examination (RACE).
• Interviews were thematically analysed after audio-recording and transcription.

Main Results:

• Six themes emerged: strategic planning and adherence to study plans.
• Building strong personal and professional support networks ('It takes a village').
• Thorough understanding of the examination ('Get to know your opponent'), intensive study (12-18 months), peer benchmarking, and self-assessed readiness are vital.

Conclusions:

• Improving medical specialist examination pass rates benefits trainees, Colleges, and the healthcare system.
• Trainees must proactively plan, commit to intensive, long-term study, and realistically assess their readiness.
• Facilitating successful preparation is a shared responsibility among trainees, Colleges, and health systems.