I suppose you're right
im having a hard time though picturing how someone can be graduated from a residency, not know a single thing, then pass boards which are hard and then somehow stumble in orals because someone tricked them during the breast section? (supposedly one of the most failed sections, seriously?). Oral boards is an outdated system completely open to all sorts of conscious and unconscious biases. The example was brought up of someone having an accent and how that may affect them negatively during boards. Most specialties who don't have them are able to produce competent doctors. Its also a huge waste of time and money.
The current crisis has only exposed how redudant things are. the ACGME is even saying, hey it doesn't matter if you don't get all your cases, just graduate if your PD/Program is OK. This makes sense because the program should know if you're ready, but it exposes the sillyness of their requirements. Rather than using this as an opportunity to get rid of FOUR board exams we have to take, they do nothing.
This whole residency and board exam system is supposedly in place to protect the public from incompetent doctors. However, now we have:
1) The ACGME coming out and repeatedly saying case load doesn't matter, just the subjective judgement of the PD/CCC.
2) Written boards postponed.
3) Oral boards postponed.
- but -
4) Everyone will seemingly be allowed to move forward with their careers unhindered.
I know, I get it - extraordinary circumstances. However, would a commercial airliner be allowed to fly with passengers if it didn't pass a final safety inspection? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say no. That final safety inspection is essential. Someone who survives 4 years of medical school and 5 years of residency doesn't need all these hoops - and most specialties seem to recognize that.
FOUR board exams is ridiculous. Do PGY-2 Internal Medicine residents have to take board exams where the mechanisms of fluoroquinolone Q-T prolongation are tested? Are they studying cutaway diagrams of ventilators and their mechanical parts? Being asked about the historical materials used to build a chest tube? What would be the reaction if this was proposed?
At a minimum, this should be an opportunity to do away with RadBio/Physics and roll a few small, key concepts from those exams into a single exam taken at the end of residency. The relative merits (or lack thereof) of oral boards is a whole different debate that also deserves attention, but still.
Come on, ABR. This is your chance to embrace change and save face while doing it.