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Constructing a Validity Argument and Exploring Implications for the American Board of Anesthesiology's Basic
Riley S Carpenter Lide1, Rachel Moquin1, Erin Green1
1is an Associate Professor and Residency Program Director in the Department of Anesthesiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR. Rachel Moquin is an Associate Professor and Associate Vice Chair for Faculty and Educator Development, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Erin Green is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Assistant Dean for Clinical Learning, Medical College of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Green Bay, WI.
The American Board of Anesthesiology Basic Exam has varied uses in residency programs, including resident dismissal. Further validation is needed to support decisions based on exam results, especially concerning equity.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Anesthesiology Training
- Assessment Validity
Background:
- The American Board of Anesthesiology implemented the Basic Examination in 2014 for anesthesiology trainees.
- While exam validity is supported by performance on other tests, its use in decision-making requires further scrutiny.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utilization and consequences of the Basic Examination within anesthesiology training programs.
- To develop a comprehensive validity argument for the exam's application.
Main Methods:
- Conducted semistructured interviews with 20 program directors.
- Performed thematic analysis on interview transcripts using a 56-item codebook.
Main Results:
- Identified varied programmatic policies, including resident dismissal based on exam performance.
- Exam purposes included "weeding out" residents, supporting remediation, and signifying accomplishment.
- Observed implications for recruitment, operations, curricula, resident stress, and clinical distraction.
Conclusions:
- The validity argument supporting dismissal based on Basic Exam results is underdeveloped.
- Further research is needed to address implications for future validation efforts, particularly regarding equity.
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