A Structured Educational Curriculum Including Online Training Positively Impacts American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination Scores

ObjectiveTo assess the effect of a structured postgraduate year 1 educational curriculum, including online surgical training, on American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) scores.DesignThis was a retrospective cohort study.SettingThe study was performed in an academic surgical residency program in a tertiary care hospital, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio.ParticipantsThe participants were 140 surgical postgraduate year 1 residents from 2000 to 2009. Interns from 2000 to 2004 were grouped together and completed a self-directed learning curriculum. Interns from 2005 to 2009 participated in a structured educational curriculum that included lectures and the use of an online program. Lectures were based on the American College of Surgeons curriculum. The online program consisted of 8 to 12 hours of assigned tutorials and quizzes that corresponded to the lectures and 3 multiple-choice (MC) examinations.ResultsUse of a structured educational curriculum led to improved ABSITE scores (66 ± 9%) compared with that of those who had no curriculum (55 ± 10%, p < 0.001). Several variables positively correlated with the ABSITE score: United States Medical Licensing Examination step 1 score (p < 0.001), monthly quiz scores (p = 0.003), average MC examination scores (p = 0.005), lecture attendance (p = 0.02), and time spent online (p = 0.04). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that the step 1 United States Medical Licensing Examination score, time spent online, and MC examination score are predictive of total the ABSITE score. When ABSITE subscores (basic science and clinical science) were compared, the online curriculum had a greater effect on basic science subscores, whereas lectures had a greater effect on clinical science subscores.ConclusionsProviding surgery residents a structured curriculum with lectures and an online component positively impacts ABSITE scores.