D. Cassidy1, S. McKinley1, A. Mansur1, J. Mullen1, E. Petrusa1, R. Phitayakorn1, D. Gee1 1Massachusetts General Hospital,General Surgery,Boston, MA, USA
Introduction: Resident performance on the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) may correlate with passage rates on the American Board of Surgery Qualifying Examination. ABSITE scores are also an increasingly key component of fellowship applications. The best methodology for sustained study habits of residents and subsequent ABSITE performance is still unclear. Peer teaching increases motivation and knowledge acquisition and retention for both the learner and peer teacher. This pilot program introduced and tested the feasibility of a targeted, structured ABSITE review curriculum utilizing peer teaching from senior surgical residents.
Methods: An 8-week resident-led ABSITE review course was offered to surgical residents prior to the administration of the 2018 ABSITE exam. Topics were selected based on resident input and analysis of historic exam knowledge deficiencies within our institution. Each session was led by a volunteer senior surgical resident (PGY3 level or above). Participation was voluntary, and attendance was recorded at each session. 2018 ABSITE score reports were transcribed into a deidentified, digital database. ABSITE scores from residents who participated in 3 or more sessions were compared to all general surgery residents with no participation with subgroup analysis at each post-graduate level.
Results: Total preparation time for this course was 20 hours. Each session lasted 1 hour. There were 4 resident volunteer teachers. Out of 57 residents who took the ABSITE, 17 (30%) residents came to at least one session and 13 (23%) participated in 3+ sessions. Participants ranged from 50% of PGY1 residents (n=5) to 0% of PGY4 residents. Residents who participated in 3+ sessions did not have statistically significant higher ABSITE percentile scores (70.3 vs. 57.7; t=1.33, p=0.10) compared to residents who did not participate. The greatest difference in percentile scores was seen in PGY1 residents (85.6 vs. 67.8; U=8.5, p=0.23), although this was not statistically significant. A post-exam survey demonstrated high levels of resident satisfaction with the course and interest in continued participation.
Conclusion: A peer-taught ABSITE review course is both feasible and useful to participants with high rates of participant satisfaction. Residents who participated did not have statistically significant higher percentile scores than residents who did not participate. While the sample size prohibited findings of significance, future studies are underway to establish a more formalized program with analysis of a larger dataset for the 2018-2019 academic year.
