scholarly journals The National Board of Medical Examiners: Testing and evaluation in the United States and internationally

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-12
Author(s):  
Miguel A. Paniagua ◽  
◽  
Peter Katsufrakis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Craig ◽  
Xiaolin Wang ◽  
Jeanne Sandella ◽  
Tsung-Hsun Tsai ◽  
David Kuo ◽  
...  

Abstract Context The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States of America (COMLEX-USA) is a three level examination used as a pathway to licensure for students in osteopathic medical education programs. COMLEX-USA Level 2 includes a written assessment of Fundamental Clinical Sciences for Osteopathic Medical Practice (Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation [L2-CE]) delivered in a computer based format and separate performance evaluation (Level 2-Performance Evaluation [L2-PE]) administered through live encounters with standardized patients. L2-PE was designed to augment L2-CE. It is expected that the two examinations measure related yet distinct constructs. Objectives To explore the concurrent validity of L2-CE with L2-PE. Methods First attempt test scores were obtained from the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners database for 6,639 candidates who took L2-CE between June 2019 and May 2020 and matched to the students’ L2-PE scores. The sample represented all colleges of osteopathic medicine and 97.5% of candidates who took L2-CE during the complete 2019–2020 test cycle. We calculated disattenuated correlations between the total score for L2-CE, the L2-CE scores for the seven competency domains (CD1 through CD7), and the L2-PE scores for the Humanistic Domain (HM) and Biomedical/Biomechanical Domain (BM). All scores were on continuous scales. Results Pearson correlations ranged from 0.10 to 0.88 and were all statically significant (p<0.01). L2-CE total score was most strongly correlated with CD2 (0.88) and CD3 (0.85). Pearson correlations between the L2-CE competency domain subscores ranged from 0.17 to 0.70, and correlations which included either HM or BM ranged from 0.10 to 0.34 with the strongest of those correlations being between BM and L2-CE total score (0.34) as well as between HM and BM (0.28).The largest increase between corresponding Pearson and disattenuated correlations was for pairs of scores with lower reliabilities such as CD5 and CD6, which had a Pearson correlation of 0.17 and a disattenuated correlation of 0.68. The smallest increase in correlations was observed in pairs of scores with larger reliabilities such as L2-CE total score and HM, which had a Pearson correlation of 0.23 and a disattenuated correlation of 0.28. The reliability of L2-CE was 0.87, 0.81 for HM, and 0.73 for BM. The reliabilities for the L2-CE competency domain scores ranged from 0.22 to 0.74. The small to moderate correlations between the L2-CE total score and the two L2-PE support the expectation that these examinations measure related but distinct constructs. The correlations between L2-PE and L2-CE competency domain subscores reflect the distribution of items defined by the L2-PE blueprint, providing evidence that the examinations are performing as designed. Conclusions This study provides evidence supporting the validity of the blueprints for constructing COMLEX-USA Levels 2-CE and 2-PE examinations in concert with the purpose and nature of the examinations.


Author(s):  
Matthew W Parker ◽  
Diana Sobieraj ◽  
Mary Beth Farrell ◽  
Craig I Coleman

Background: Little has been published on the practice of echocardiography (echo) in the United States. We used the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission-Echocardiography (IAC-Echo) applications database to describe the personnel in echo laboratories seeking accreditation. Methods: We used de-identified data provided on IAC-Echo applications to characterize facilities by hospital association, census region, annual volume, number of sites, previous accreditation, and numbers of physicians and sonographers as well as National Board of Echocardiography (NBE) testamur status of physicians and registered credential status of sonographers. We categorized Medical Directors by board certification in cardiovascular diseases, internal medicine, other specialty, or none. Medical Director echo training could be formal Level 2 or 3 or experiential by ≥3 years of practice. Frequencies, means, and medians were compared between groups using the chi-square test, t-test, or Mann Whitney test, respectively. Results: From 2011 to 2013, 1926 echo labs representing 10618 physicians and 6870 sonographers applied for IAC-Echo accreditation or re-accreditation. The majority of medical directors were board certified in cardiovascular diseases and 34.1% of medical directors and 27.2% of staff physicians held NBE testamur status; 79.5% of sonographers held registered credentials. Most echo labs were in the Northeast or South census regions, have an average of 1.75 sites, and are based outside of hospitals (Table). Compared to nonhospital echo labs, medical directors of hospital-based echo labs were more likely to be Level 3 trained (19.8% versus 30.8%, p<0.01) and be NBE testamurs (28.9% versus 45.6%, p<0.01). Markers of echo lab size, region, previous accreditation, and credentialed sonographers were associated with accreditation versus delay decisions; there was a trend toward accreditation among facilities with NBE medical directors. Conclusion: Among facilities seeking IAC-Echo accreditation, the minority of echo physicians hold NBE testamur status. Hospital and nonhospital facilities are different in the credentials of their personnel.


Author(s):  
Drew Polly

Performance-based assessments are assessments in which learners complete a complex task or series of tasks in order to demonstrate their learning. Originally designed and used with school-aged learners (ages 5 through 18), the use of performance-based assessments gained popularity in the early 2000s as a way to deeply assess learners’ knowledge and skills. The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards has been using performance-based assessments, which include video evidence of teachers, artifacts of student work, and teachers’ written reflections as part of their credentialing process. For individuals seeking their initial teaching license or teaching credential, in the past decade in the United States, teacher education programs have started to use performance-based assessments. The most widely used performance-based assessment in teacher education in the United States is edTPA, an assessment that was either required or used as an option in 37 states at the time this chapter was written. The edTPA assessment, similar to the National Board portfolio, includes video evidence from the teacher candidate’s instruction, lesson plans, artifacts of student learning, and the teacher candidate’s written reflections about their planning, teaching, and assessment of their students. This chapter describes performance-based assessments in teacher education programs, and focuses on how faculty members in one elementary education (students age 5–11) teacher education program revised its curriculum to support teacher candidates’ completion of the edTPA performance-based assessment.


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