58. ENTER THE MATRIX; A STANDARDIZED, ACCOUNTABLE APPROACH TO RESIDENT BOARD PREPARATION

Abstract

Background Balancing clinical and board relevant education is a common struggle for residency programs. The ACGME mandates that programs maintain a > 70% first-time board pass rate but does not dictate how this is achieved. In-training exam (ITE) scores are reliable predictors of certifying board scores, but remediation success remains variable within and across institutions. Our program developed an educational aide, “the Matrix”, to guide and hold residents accountable for board preparation with flexible study activities based on individual learning preferences. It provides a starting point for determining remediation need and activities for those at risk of board failure. Objective Develop an educational aide based on adult learning theory to improve board pass rates of categorical pediatric residents. Methods Beginning intern year, pediatric residents completed the intervention “Matrix” throughout the academic year, with learning activities including practice question banks, article reviews and didactic attendance (Exhibit A). Residents discussed “Matrix” compliance with advisors every 3 months over 3 years. Board pass rate of residents for the 3 years after institution of the matrix is compared to prior 5 years of pass/fail data. Results First-time board pass or failure data was obtained for 60 residents over an 8-year period and divided into a pre- and post-intervention group (36 control and 24 intervention subjects). Pre-intervention had a composite pass rate of 70% compared to the intervention group with a pass rate of 92%, which is statistically significant (p value 0.01). Conclusion Our program has early success in increasing yearly board pass rates. Fewer have failed in the past 3 years post-intervention than in the 1 year prior. Adult learners require self-driven, relevant methods of study. Those at risk for exam failure need accountability. Applying these concepts to resident education improved pass rates with a small resident cohort taking the certifying boards. Our aide is easily adapted by other intuitions looking for a flexible but standardized method of board preparation.