Program Factors Associated With Improved American Board of Surgery Examination Pass Rates

Abstract

Introduction The American Board of Surgery awards board certification after successful completion of both the Qualifying Exam and Certifying Exam. Although multiple studies have evaluated board performance at the resident level, fewer studies have evaluated board performance at the program level. Methods Program pass rates, available through the American Board of Surgery, for 2019-2021 were compared to program information through the American Medical Association Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access (FREIDA). Results A significant positive correlation of Certifying Exam performance to residency length, resident class size, and number of total physician faculty within the program was seen. Greater average hours of didactics per week had a significant positive correlation to improved Qualifying Exam performance but not Certifying Exam. Programs with higher percentages of residents graduating from a United States MD program, compared to international or DO schools, were associated with improved performances. It also appears that more established programs performed better than younger programs <20 years old. Programs in the West and Midwest performed significantly better on the Qualifying Exam than programs in the South and Northeast. Conclusion Board certification serves as the capstone for surgeons after completing general surgery residency. Multiple program factors demonstrate a significant correlation to board performance.