The development and validation of a standardized in-training examination for pediatric surgery

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Pediatric Surgery

Background:

• Standardized assessments are crucial for evaluating graduate medical education.
• Pediatric surgery training requires robust methods for assessing trainee competency and program effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a standardized in-training examination for pediatric surgery programs.
• To provide an external data source for program and educational evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Development and validation of a standardized examination.
• Equating procedures across examination years and ensuring content relevance.
• Comparative analysis of performance across four groups with varying training levels.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in mean performance were observed across all four groups.
• The greatest performance disparity was between general surgery trainees and early-stage pediatric surgery trainees.
• Minimal performance differences were found between first and second-year pediatric surgery trainees, suggesting specialized skill acquisition.

Conclusions:

• The developed examination is a valid tool for assessing pediatric surgery trainees.
• The examination can differentiate between various training levels, supporting program evaluation and development.
• Performance gains in the second year of pediatric surgery training appear to be subject-specific.