How important are the board pass rates posted on the ABP website when ranking programs? I know there are "other reasons" for people to fail boards that do not necessarily reflect the quality of the program and the national average is ~75%, but when is it just too low? A couple of places I interviewed at addressed the issue of their board pass rate and stated they are "working with the residents and curriculum to improve it" but that really doesn't tell me much.
Board pass rates
- Thread starter Peds9753
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I think they are important to look at along with all the other factors, but I also believe many people put a huge amount of weight on them. I firmly believe passing the boards are a function of the individual and unless a program has a 0% pass rate (not literally but you get my point), then an ACGME-approved program should give you the tools needed to pass it as long as you take advantage of them and study.
I went to a program that historically had fine pass rates but had gone through a few years prior where the residents didn't do well for whatever reason (talking 55-60% pass rates). In a way I think it made me work harder at studying for the boards which obviously helped.
Either way good luck!
I went to a program that historically had fine pass rates but had gone through a few years prior where the residents didn't do well for whatever reason (talking 55-60% pass rates). In a way I think it made me work harder at studying for the boards which obviously helped.
Either way good luck!
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I think that trends (particularly if the trend is for consistent low pass rates) should raise more concern than an isolated "bad year". I agree with the responder who said that the pass rate probably has more to do with the individual candidate than the training program. However, if a program has consistently low pass rates, does that mean that they consistently get residents who aren't able (or sufficiently motivated) to pass the boards? Certainly there is much more to being a good resident (or Pediatrician) than one's test-taking ability, but it is one of the few bits of "hard data" that exist and are accessible.
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I would avoid a program that has a < 50% pass rate.... I was covering temporarily at an institution in which pediatric board pass rate was 20%. And quite honestly, I could see why. The inpatient census was always low, the hospital was broke and could not hire all the specialists needed -- this therefore meant that interesting cases were transferred out and also meant that there was minimal teaching of residents. The program director cared deeply, but (of course) was unable to provide all of the teaching and experience that the residents needed....Only so much you can read in a book.
