Wonder what Niels "remembered questions" Jensen would say about this

[pgg]

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Members don't see this ad.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/13/health/prescription-for-cheating/index.html


I'm not aware of anything similarly extensive existing in the anesthesia world, but maybe that's because there isn't the same perceived need. Since the ABA actually publicly releases old exams and sells the ACE product twice per year, I bet there are 2-3000 quality questions out there, most with explanations and references too.

There were questions on my actual written exam that I recognized as coming verbatim or nearly verbatim from the ABA's own published materials. I guess there are only so many different ways you can ask about induction agent pharmacology, anesthesia machine physics, or how myasthenia gravis vs myasthenic syndrome affect muscle relaxants ...

I still can't help but marvel at the flagrant stupidity of actually systematically conspiring with others to memorize questions and keep records to be handed down year after year.

Wonder how far this will go, and if anyone will have their board certification revoked.



ETA - also interesting that the American Board of Radiology is eliminating their oral board exam starting next year.

 

[Frank Rizzo]

Interesting story... I will be very intrigued to see how the lay public looks at this.

 

[nycitygas]

I asked my roommate about this (R3). He said every person he knows uses recall-and the only people that fail are the ones that don't.

 

[dhb]

"Webb, 31, said he failed the first radiology written exam" & "I got to where I was based on my own personal achievements, learning and educating myself"

douche...

 

[pgg]

I asked my roommate about this (R3). He said every person he knows uses recall-and the only people that fail are the ones that don't.

Interesting, the article says

Webb, 31, said he failed the first radiology written exam, which focuses on physics, in the fall of 2008.

Also interesting:

Jones, in his statement to CNN, said, "No adverse action has been taken against a radiology resident for revealing the use of the recalled questions. However, a resident was terminated from training by SAUSHEC [Webb's institution] in June 2011 for failure to meet professionalism standards after extensive due process procedures were followed. These termination procedures took place prior to our learning of complaints by a resident regarding the use of recalled examination questions by radiology residents."

Wonder if it was Webb who was dropped from the program ... failed first exam in 2008, fired in 2011 (for vague cause), whistle blown on the way out ("those guys cheated and passed and stayed, I didn't cheat and failed and got kicked out")?

Interesting story... I will be very intrigued to see how the lay public looks at this.

Check out the comments after the CNN article. Predictable.

 

[Gern Blansten]

Go to any book store and look at the study aids section. It is full of books of sample questions to assist in studying for standardized exams. One of the best ways to practice for an exam is to take sample exams after appropriate studying has already occurred. The ABA must condone this type of studying since it releases old questions. As mentioned, ACE questions are strikingly similar, in many cases, to the real exam.
If you are studying for a multiple choice exam, one of the best ways to prepare is to take some sample exams. If you are studying for an oral exam, it is best to practice some oral exams.

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

Heard about this earlier today from my wife (radiology resident). Odd story. It's pretty obvious that this is a widespread practice, has been going on for decades, and has in fact been endorsed by program directors if not the ABR itself. Regardless, the ABR can't have just learned about this from the fired radiology resident. So why is this coming out now?

I'm unclear as to the ethical ramifications of this. By definition, the ethics of a particular group are defined by that group. So if the majority of established leaders in that group (program directors) are telling you it's OK to use recall questions, it seems hard to argue that the practice is unethical.

 

[MrBurns10]

Go to any book store and look at the study aids section. It is full of books of sample questions to assist in studying for standardized exams. One of the best ways to practice for an exam is to take sample exams after appropriate studying has already occurred. The ABA must condone this type of studying since it releases old questions. As mentioned, ACE questions are strikingly similar, in many cases, to the real exam.
If you are studying for a multiple choice exam, one of the best ways to prepare is to take some sample exams. If you are studying for an oral exam, it is best to practice some oral exams.

Honestly, I'm sure the ABR has been aware of this for decades (yes, decades). This is really nothing new.

I'm a radiology resident but am only a first year, so I haven't (and won't) be taking the current written boards. But the way it's been described to me is that so many of the questions are so absurd and irrelevant to the practice of radiology (one told me he was asked what the chemical structure of Diamox was...) that the test has been looked at as just a hoop to jump through (one that makes an obscene amount of money for the ABR, by the way) rather than necessary to actually determine who is and who isn't fit to be a board-certified radiologist...if it were, no program director would think recalls were okay. This quote is particularly telling:

"If they had a test where you could study relevant radiology knowledge and they tested on it, that would be fine," Dieber said. "Part of the problem is the test and the questions that they ask. Because some of the questions are so obscure, that unless you know that they like to ask questions about that topic, you're not going to study it because some of them are completely irrelevant to the modern practice of radiology."

I agree that it's not exactly a wholesome practice, though, as we've all had seemingly irrelevant hoops to jump through (e.g. step 1) where such a practice would not be looked upon lightly. Then again, we're talking about a whistleblower whose ethics prohibited him from using the recalls but permitted him to make "sexual comments" and be fired for "conduct unbecoming." Sour grapes, perhaps.

Anyway, as for what the lay public will think after reading this article, clearly the answer is, "Why does the technologist who takes my x-rays need to take a test?"