Should There Be A Part II ABPMR Examination?: A Psychometric Inquiry

Abstract

Background Certification by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR) requires passing both a written multiple choice examination (Part I) and an oral examination (Part II), but it has been unclear whether the two examinations measure the same or different dimensions of knowledge. Objective To evaluate the concordance between the Part I and Part II examinations for ABPMR initial certification with regard to candidate performance on the examinations and their subsets. Our question is whether the Part II examination provides additional assessment of a candidate beyond what Part I provides. Design Retrospective psychometric evaluation of deidentified board examination scores. Setting ABPMR database of Part I and Part II examination scores. Participants Candidates for the ABPMR Part I and Part II examinations after 2005, with a more detailed analysis of candidates for the Part I examination from 2014 to 2016. Examination scores of candidates who took the Part II examination both before and after the examination was standardized in 2005 were also used for an additional analysis. Methods Correlations, simple linear regressions, and principal components analysis. Main Outcome Measurements Correlation coefficients, variance analysis, and unexplained variance in the principal components analysis. Results There is a weak to moderate correlation between performance on the Part I and Part II examinations: r = 0.33, P < .001. There is an additional dimension of assessment that is demonstrated on the Part II examination, with this being primarily in the domains of systems‐based practice and interpersonal communication skills. Conclusion The Part I and Part II examinations, although with some overlap, contribute different and meaningful components to the overall evaluation of candidates for board certification in PM&R. Level of Evidence III.

Taking Leave During Residency

“…First-time candidate data for part I and part II board examination performance were pulled for all residents in the study period. The ABPMR board examinations have demonstrated validity 6,7 and are designed to test knowledge (part I) 8 and its application to patient care (part II). 9 Last, information on reasons for an LOA was reviewed and coded into categories for analysis.…”

Key Findings From Peer-Reviewed Published Research by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Review

“…The Part I and Part II Examinations, although with some overlap, contribute different and meaningful components to the overall evaluation of candidates for board certification in PM&R. There was only a weak to moderate correlation between performance on the Part I and Part II Examinations: r = 0.33, P < 0.001. There is an additional dimension of assessment that is demonstrated on the Part II Examination, with this being primarily in the domains of systems-based practice and interpersonal communication skills 4 …”

“…There is an additional dimension of assessment that is demonstrated on the Part II Examination, with this being primarily in the domains of systems-based practice and interpersonal communication skills. 4…”

Interrater Reliability in the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Part II Certification Examination

“…The ABPMR Part II Examination has been using a standardized format of structure, content, and scoring since 2005. From 2005 to 2019, Part II was administered as a series of three sessions, each with a different single examiner, during each of which a candidate was presented with three standardized examination vignettes 8 . In response to the pandemic, in 2020, the ABPMR implemented a new format for the Part II Examination, requiring two sessions, each with two examiners, administering four standardized vignettes, all over a virtual platform.…”