Let's Not Throw the Baby Out with the Bath Water – Keep the ABSITE a Numerically Scored Exam

Abstract

The American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) is a low-stakes, validated, objective measure of the medical knowledge of our surgical residents and is an important predictor of ABS Qualifying Exam (QE) passage. It was never intended to serve as a global assessment of resident performance or aptitude, to assess any competency other than medical knowledge, or to serve as the sole criterion by which to judge resident promotion to the next PGY level. Though the scoring of the ABSITE and the use of the exam by some PDs and fellowship directors may be imperfect, let's not throw the baby out with the bath water and destroy the utility of the ABSITE by changing its grading to pass/fail. Rather, let's set rigorous, high standards for our residents in preparation for the ABSITE, as well as for PDs and fellowship directors in the proper interpretation of the ABSITE as a formative assessment of resident knowledge progression as opposed to a high-stakes summative exam.