Society of Critical Care Medicine Critical Care Self-Assessment Program III

Critical Care Medicine encompasses an extremely broad scope. Examination questions were, therefore, chosen to cover a wide variety of critical care topics. A near Gaussian distribution of scores was found for all physician groups studied. We believe the low mean score of 15% reflects the general difficulty of the examination as well as the tendency of many critical care practitioners to master knowledge poorly outside his or her primary specialty. Hopefully, this examination with rationales and references will expose the practitioner to topics and literature with which he or she has not been previously familiar. Only by integrating knowledge from each of the primary specialities can the practitioner provide optimal care for the critically ill. It is our hope that this examination represents a positive learning experience for its past and future participants. If we have stimulated thought, discussion, and further study in the area of critical care medicine, then our efforts in the preparation of this program have been worthwhile.