21. Efficacy of Commonly Utilized Resources in Preparation for the Plastic Surgery In-Service Examination

Abstract

Background: The Plastic Surgery In-Service examination is a critical aspect of trainee evaluation and board preparation yet is understudied1. There is currently no standardized study plan. Improved understanding of the efficacy of commonly utilized resources is useful for program and independent study plans. Purpose: This study seeks to assess what proportion of questions on the 2019-2021 examinations could be answered correctly using commonly utilized educational resources. Methods: Syllabi from previous In-Service examinations (2019-2021) were examined to determine if correct answers could be found within common educational resources consisting of: previous examination syllabi, Plastic Surgery by Neligan, Grabb and Smith’s Plastic Surgery, Green’s Operative Hand Surgery, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Resident Education Curriculum (REC) and relevant cited continuing medical education (CME) articles from Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Journal (PRS). Each of these resources were searched and categorized by whether or not the correct answer could be found within each resource. Results: A total of 750 questions underwent analysis. Overall, Neligan’s Plastic Surgery was the highest yield, comprising 57.6% of total averaged questions correct. This was followed by the REC which yielded 57.2%. The remaining resources from highest to lowest yield were as follows: Grabb & Smith’s Plastic Surgery (56.3%), previous year’s syllabi (33.7%), Green’s Operative Hand Surgery (30.1%), and CME articles (28%) respectively. When the exam was broken into subcategories (Comprehensive, Hand & Lower Extremity, Craniomaxillofacial, Breast & Cosmetic, and Core Surgical Principles), the order of highest to lowest yield did not vary significantly with the exception of the Hand & Lower Extremity section, for which Green’s Operative Hand Surgery contributed approximately 72% answers correct. Conclusion: Overall, Neligan’s Plastic Surgery and the Resident Education Curriculum were the highest yield resources for all topics averaged, with Green’s Operative Hand Surgery being the highest yield for the Hand and Lower Extremity section. Some resources, particularly the Resident Education Curriculum, may not be frequently utilized despite its high yield nature. This study serves to identify gaps in resident study material and is a tool to identify top resources when devising a study plan to achieve the best performance possible on the examination.