Correlation of Residents’ Performance in Competency-Based Exams and Orthopaedic In- Training Examinations (OITE)

Abstract Background: The research team aimed to assess the relationship between performance in a competency-based curriculum (CBC) evaluation, and the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination (OITE) in the Postgraduate Year 1 (PGY1) cohort of 2016-2017.Methods: After development of the ‘Basic Trauma’ (BHT) and ‘Basic Arthroplasty’ (BA) CBC modules, assessment consisted of multiple-choice questions (MCQ), objective structured clinical evaluation (OSCE), structured oral panels, and the OITE were conducted annually. We collated MCQ and OSCE evaluations for BHT and BA, as well as the OITE result for the same cohort from PGY1 and the end of PGY2. We evaluated the OITE score difference for correlation with the scores attained for the two CBC modules.Results: Among all participants (n=9), there was a significant improvement in mean OITE scores from PGY1 to PGY2 (43.78% (±4.09) to 56.67% (±4.24); t-test p= 0.00). There was no significant correlation between OITE improvement, and scores attained in the BHT and BA modules, nor between BHT and BA results and the ‘Hip and Knee’ and ‘Trauma’ domains of the OITE exam.Conclusions: Improvement in OITE performance is not dependent on evaluated CBC modules. Further research to determine what factors play a role in trainee improvement in objective performance is required.