Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Rotations and Correlation With Orthopaedic In-Training Examination Performance

Abstract

The Orthopaedic In-Training Examination (OITE) is administered annually and is used to assess medical knowledge of orthopedic surgery residents. Beginning in the 2013 to 2014 academic year, the ACGME expanded the postgraduate year (PGY)-1 curriculum from 3 to 6 months of orthopedic surgery rotations. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of increased PGY-1 orthopedic surgery exposure on medical knowledge as measured by the OITE. From 2011 to 2013, 24 PGY-2 residents completed 3 months of PGY-1 orthopedic training (Group 1). From 2014 to 2016, 24 PGY-2 residents completed 6 months of PGY-1 orthopedic training (Group 2). The effect of an initial PGY-2 pediatrics rotation (Sub-group A), compared to a trauma rotation (Sub-group B) was also analyzed. The hypothesis of this study is that Group 2 scores higher on the OITE than Group 1. Raw percentage and overall percentile scores for all PGY-2 residents from 2011 to 2016 for the pediatrics subsection, the trauma subsection, and for the overall OITE test in our program were recorded. Group 1 versus Group 2, and Sub-group A versus Sub-group B were compared (Student's t-test). University of Minnesota (Institutional, Tertiary); Gillette Children's Hospital (Institutional, Tertiary); Regions Hospital (Institutional, Tertiary). 48 PGY-2 residents from 2011 to 2016 were included in the study. Group 2 achieved higher raw and percentile scores on the OITE during their PGY-2 year than Group 1. Sub-group B scored higher than Sub-group A on all OITE subsections and overall. This study suggests that raw percentage and percentile OITE scores improve with an additional 3 months of orthopedic training in the PGY-1 year. Clinical exposure, specifically in orthopedic trauma, correlates with higher OITE performance in our residency program.