Mary Ann Reinhart

An Assessment of an Oral Examination Format for Evaluating Clinical Competence in Emergency Medicine.

No abstract available.

American Board of Emergency Medicine Longitudinal Study of Emergency Physicians

STUDY OBJECTIVE The American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) Longitudinal Study of Emergency Physicians (LSEP) was initiated to describe the development of a new medical specialty through the continuing study of the lives of representative emergency physicians. The study is designed to gather data periodically over many years to come. The primary purpose of this article is to provide a baseline for the information obtained and the methods used to develop the ABEM LSEP. METHODS Stratified, random sampling was used to select emergency physicians who represent different stages in the development of the specialty. Major data collections are conducted using a comprehensive questionnaire in 5-year intervals. Practice profiles were developed and analyzed. Homogeneous scales were created in 9 survey categories and analyzed. RESULTS The survey was returned by 95% (958/1,008) of the emergency physicians. They are primarily middle-aged, family- and community-oriented, satisfied with their careers, and find that work stress is not a serious problem. Those who are trained in emergency medicine are the most likely to be involved in academic emergency medicine. CONCLUSION The LSEP is a broad-reaching investigation of emergency physicians. Over time the study will describe (1) the individuals who move the specialty forward at different stages in the growth of the specialty, (2) the realities of practice in the specialty, (3) the relationship of the specialty to the personal lives and well-being of the specialty physicians, and (4) the changes seen in these factors over time.

Creating the model of a clinical practice: the case of emergency medicine.

Medical schools and specialty societies have struggled to define a core content for medical students and practitioners but, to date, have been stymied by both political considerations and the sheer burden of the innumerable decisions that must be made to define the essence of a medical specialty. Six professional organizations representing the field of emergency medicine recently collaborated with the National Board of Medical Examiners to accomplish this objective by developing a Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. This document will provide support for the development of medical school and residency curricula, training program accreditation standards, board certification test specifications, and organizational agendas for postgraduate education, research, and patient advocacy for the specialty of emergency medicine. The authors present a description of the model and the process that was used to develop it with the belief that other medical disciplines that face similar issues and challenges could benefit from a similar undertaking.

Testing for validity and bias in the use of GPA and the MCAT in the selection of medical school students [published erratum appears in Acad Med 1991 Jan;66(1):25]

In the 1988 study reported here, Medical College Admissions test (MCAT) scores and grade point averages for undergraduate science courses (S-GPAs) were examined for predictive validity and differential prediction of National Board of Medical Examiners Part I scores. Data from 579 medical students from the classes of 1979–80 through 1983–84 attending a midwestern medical college were analyzed via moderated multiple regression. The findings indicated that using the S-GPA and a composite MCAT score based on the Biology Knowledge, Chemistry Knowledge, Physics Knowledge, Science Problems, and Reading subtests was valid and equally predictive for the minority and majority groups studied. These results are discussed in terms of past findings on cognitive tests in general, and the MCAT and the S-GPA specifically.

A graphic approach for presenting expectancy of success based on two predictors

Expectancy tables are useful for presenting the likelihood of success on a criterion variable given an individuals score on a predictor. In many cases, valid measures in combination are more predictive than each of the measures individually. Unfortunately, it is difficult to present predictive information from multiple measures in a form that is easily interpreted. This article presents a procedure for developing a nomogram that depicts expectancy of success on a criterion from performance on two predictors.

The Future of the Certification System in Emergency Medicine

The heart of the specialty of emergency medicine, like all specialties and subspecialties, is training. The excellence in medical care that has accrued to the American public has proceeded from the belief that a well-defined and accredited program of education will produce the highest probability that a physician providing care will be competent. There is now a joint opportunity in emergency medicine to build a certification and recertification system that meets the criteria to provide the highest quality care for the public and to offer an efficient and effective system for the members of the specialty.