The state of performance on the American Board of Surgery Qualifying Examination and Certifying Examination and the effect of residency program size on program pass rates

摘要

Examinees must pass both the American Board of Surgery (ABS) Qualifying Examination (QE) and the ABS Certifying Examination (CE) to become board certified. The Residency Review Committee (RRC) expects that residency programs maintain a 65% first-time examinee pass rate on the ABS Examinations. Higher individual performance on the ABS QE and ABS CE has been linked with Alpha Omega Alpha status, medical class rank, the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 score, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 score, and the ABS In-Training Examination performance. Overall residency program pass rates on the ABS QE and the ABS CE from 2006 to 2011 are electronically published. Predictors for residency program performance are unknown.