Passing Your Pediatric Boards
In 2004 the Department of Pediatrics made major revisions in the rotations to make certain that the learning objectives for each rotation were clear. Board preparation prior to 2004 had consisted of monthly assigned readings for all residents from Nelson's Textbook of Pediatrics with a monthly test to help the residents monitor the progress they were making toward acquiring the medical knowledge needed to pass the pediatric boards. Now each rotation has a pre-test and a post-test to help the residents focus on the readings for their specific rotations. These tests are tied directly to topics that need to be mastered prior to taking the certifying examination by the American Board of Pediatrics. We believe that clear objectives, a pre-test to help identify knowledge deficits and a post-test to provide feedback regarding the effectiveness of resident study will give everyone the best opportunity to pass their boards while continuing to focus on the learning objectives for their rotation.