The ABR 2021 Radiation Oncology Remote Examinations: Development, Administration, and Implications for the Future.

With the onset of the global coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in early 2020, it became apparent that routine administration of the ABR Qualifying and Certifying Exams would be disrupted. Initial intent for postponement was later altered to a recognition that replacement of the existing delivery methodologies was essential. Herein, the authors describe the conceptualization, development, administration, and future implications of the new remote examination delivery platforms.

A Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Pivot: Development of the American Board of Anesthesiology's Virtual APPLIED Examination.

In 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic interrupted the administration of the APPLIED Examination, the final part of the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) staged examination system for initial certification. In response, the ABA developed, piloted, and implemented an Internet-based "virtual" form of the examination to allow administration of both components of the APPLIED Exam (Standardized Oral Examination and Objective Structured Clinical Examination) when it was impractical and unsafe for candidates and examiners to travel and have in-person interactions. This article describes the development of the ABA virtual APPLIED Examination, including its rationale, examination format, technology infrastructure, candidate communication, and examiner training. Although the logistics are formidable, we report a methodology for successfully introducing a large-scale, high-stakes, 2-element, remote examination that replicates previously validated assessments.

Outcomes of the First Virtual General Surgery Certifying Exam of the American Board of Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To Study the Outcomes of the First Virtual General Surgery Certifying Exam of the American Board of Surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The ABS General Surgery CE is normally an in-person oral examination. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the ABS was required to reschedule these. After 2 small pilots, the CE's October administration represented the first large-scale remote virtual exam. The purpose of this report is to compare the outcomes of this virtual and the previous in-person CEs. METHODS: CE candidates were asked to provide feedback on their experience via a survey. The passing rate was compared to the 1025 candidates who took the 2019-2020 in-person CEs. RESULTS: Of the 308 candidates who registered for the virtual CE, 306 completed the exam (99.4%) and 188 completed the survey (61.4%). The majority had a very positive experience. They rated the virtual CE as very good/excellent in security (90%), ease of exam platform (77%), audio quality (71%), video quality (69%), and overall satisfaction (86%). Notably, when asked their preference, 78% preferred the virtual exam. There were no differences in the passing rates between the virtual or in-person exams. CONCLUSIONS: The first virtual CE by the ABS was completed using available internet technology. There was high satisfaction, with the majority preferring the virtual platform. Compared to past in-person CEs, there was no difference in outcomes as measured by passing rates. These data suggest that expansion of the virtual CE may be desirable.

Pearls and Pitfalls of the Virtual Interview: Perspectives From Both Sides of the Camera.

As the SARS-COV-2 pandemic created the need for social distancing and the implementation of nonessential travel bans, residency and fellowship programs have moved toward a web-based virtual process for applicant interviews. As part of the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons 5th Annual Meeting, an expert panel was convened to provide guidance for prospective applicants who are new to the process. This article provides perspectives from applicants who have successfully navigated the surgical subspecialty fellowship process, as well as program leadership who have held virtual interviews.

General surgery chief residents' perspective on surgical education during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has negatively affected the training of general surgery chief residents during the last trimester of their residency. Our goal was to evaluate the educational concerns of graduating general surgery chief residents during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. METHODS: An anonymous web-based survey was distributed between March 31 and April 7, 2020 to all current general surgery chief residents from 6 academic medical centers in Boston, Massachusetts. Interviews were also conducted with attending surgeons from participating institutions. RESULTS: A total of 24 of 39 general surgery chief residents participated in our survey (61.5% response rate). General surgery chief residents were most concerned about the potential delay in the date of board examinations, followed by not feeling adequately prepared for the board examinations and a possible delay in the graduation date. Whereas not having enough cases to feel ready for fellowship or job and not achieving a sufficient number of cases to meet the requirements for graduation were only moderately concerning to chief residents, attending surgeons stressed a greater importance on the loss of the operative experience as nearly all (93.3%) of them suggested a personalized approach for additional general surgery training during fellowship or job onboarding. CONCLUSION: In addition to the dramatic impact on public health, the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak has also caused unprecedented changes to surgical education. Therefore, creative interventions are needed to help general surgery chief residents successfully transition into the next phase of their surgical career.