MKSAP CLUB
Background:
The program takes seriously its responsibility of preparing all residents for the ABIM Certifying exam. Over the last 5 years we have explored a variety of methods for improving resident performance on the in-service exam (a surrogate for future performance on the ABIM exam). We have had curricula seminars at night by subspecialists and faculty, revamped the noon conference series to reflect relevant topics, added MKSAP practice exams to the ‘elective’ experience, added the assignment of test style questions to the daily work flow of residents, purchased question software (Exam Master and the Johns Hopkins Curriculum), revamped our morning report structure, etc.
Unfortunately, our qualitative performance on the in-service exam remains well below both your and our goal! Therefore, after feedback from residents, faculty and the Medical Residency Education Committee the program will be undertaking a new educational venue entitled “MKSAP CLUB.”
This Club will meet twice monthly and will be mandatory for all residents who score less than 40th percentile on the in-service exam (a score below 40th percentile is a red flag that the trainee is at high risk for failing the ABIM certifying exam). All residents regardless of in-service score will be strongly encouraged to attend. The rules for the MKSAP Club and the educational rational are listed below. We hope that this new educational venue will be fun, motivating and ensure improved performance for both in-service exam as well as ABIM certifying exam. The success and failures of this educational venue will be carefully reviewed and will be modified to meet ongoing educational needs – your feedback will be necessary to its success.
MKSAP CLUB is an educational venue designed to foster regular independent reading of an organized longitudinal medicine curriculum with the use of study questions to assess mastery of material. .
Educational Rationale: Regular reading of important topics in internal medicine, and the use of exam style questions to assess mastery of that knowledge, is essential to both the practice of medicine, and to the future success of an internal medicine trainee. Success in self study is a major component in the core competencies of Medical Knowledge and Practice Based Learning and Improvement. Additionally, it has great impact on the competency of Patient Care.
Methods:
ü Course Materials: MKSAP has been chosen as the syllabus because of its national recognition by the American College of Physicians and because of its content which contains core knowledge across the various medicine disciplines.
· All residents in the internal medicine program are required to purchase the latest version of MKSAP (currently MKSAP 14). They may choose to utilize their institutional book money for this purchase or to purchase out of pocket.
· **The residency does not permit photocopying of MKSAP materials for distribution and recognizes it as a copyright violation.
ü Schedule:
· Every two weeks the residents will be assigned a reading excerpt from the MKSAP syllabus and questions related to that excerpt (approximately 20 pages and 20 questions per week). It is expected that the residents will master this material and use the assigned questions to assess that mastery.
· At the end of the two week assignment there will be a one hour review session. This will occur the first and third Thursday of every month from 7:30 until 8:30 in the evening and will begin on March 6th (PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDERS).
· Sessions will occur from 7:30-8:30 pm in the morning report room with snacks and drinks provided by the department of medicine.
· Sessions are mandatory for all residents scoring below 40th percentile on the previous years in-service exam and optional (though strongly encouraged) for residents scoring above the 40th percentile.
· There is a ZERO tolerance policy for unexcused absence from this meeting. Absence is excused for residents on Evening Float, On-Call in the ICU, and on Night Float. These are the ONLY residents excused without permission. Lack of attendance is a failure in the competency of Professionalism and will be subject to disciplinary action. Repeated violations will be brought to the Clinical Competency Committee for formal departmental action.
· Residents on away elective are responsible for the assigned material and may be subject to testing by the Chief Resident or the Program Directors upon return to Berkshire Medical Center.
ü Assessment
· Review session will be moderated by a faculty member.
· Faculty member will ask random residents during the session to review topics and questions which contain key and relevant material from the assigned readings.
· If a resident is unprepared for the session (demonstrates when answering questions that they have not read the material) this is a failure in the competency of Professionalism and that resident will be subject to disciplinary action. Repeated violations will be brought to the Clinical Competency Committee for formal departmental action.
· Questions and content covered will be tested during the end of month Board Review Exam (administered by the chief resident). Please see Board Review Curriculum for further details.