학술논문

Predicting and modifying success on the NBME surgery subject exam
Document Type
Original Paper
Source
Global Surgical Education - Journal of the Association for Surgical Education. 3(1)
Subject
NBME
Surgery subject exam
Self-regulated learning
Microanalytic assessment and training
Prediction
Surgery clerkship
Self-assessment
Language
English
ISSN
2731-4588
Abstract
Purpose: The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) surgery subject exam (SSE) is a high-stakes exam with few predictors of success. We hypothesized that performance on a mid-clerkship NBME surgery self-assessment (SSA) practice test would predict performance on the SSE and could be used to selectively intervene with struggling students.Methods: Participating students completed the SSA at the mid-point and the SSE at the end of their clerkship. All students were offered a test-taking skills intervention using the framework of self-regulated learning theory with microanalytic assessment and training (SRL-MAT). The relationship between SSA and SSE scores and effect of the intervention were investigated using linear correlation, logistic regression, and difference in differences analysis.Results: Clerkship students (n = 314) completed both the SSA and the SSE. SSA and SSE scores positively correlated (r = 0.48, p < 0.001). Students who failed the SSA were ten times more likely to fail the SSE compared with students who passed the SSA (OR 9.94, 95% CI [2–45], p = 0.03). Twenty-one students underwent the SRL-MAT intervention with a surgical nurse educator. These students showed significantly greater improvement from SSA to SSE compared to those who did not participate (mean difference of 9.1 vs − 0.7 points, respectively; p < 0.0001).Conclusion: The NBME surgery self-assessment score correlates moderately well with the NBME surgery subject exam score. The SSA results should be considered for selective intervention with at-risk students to improve their NBME-SSE scores. Interventions targeting test-taking ability could improve NBME-SSE scores.

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