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Putting yourself to the test
J Oral Maxilloinc 3x287, 1998
Surg
Putting
Yourself
to the Test recertification examination before the certificate expiration date to maintain their hoarded status. Certainly, the need for our specialty to be consistent with the standards that have been developed by other surgical and medical specialties was a powerful motivational factor in establishing the recertification process. But, if this were the sole reason, one might possibly question its ultimate value. However, if one looks more closely at the other potential benefits that can be derived, it is clearly a much needed process. One of the major benefits of the recertification process is the determination of current competency in the specialty, and to accomplish this presents a challenge to both the diplomate and the board. For the board, it is an issue of selecting the appropriate testing format: for the diplomate it is an issue of prepaxedness. Because there is no need for the board to test for technical skill, but only for cognitive ability and clinical acumen, the written examination format selected by ABOIMS provides a proper testing vehicle. The bigger challenge is the method by which the candidates prepare themselves for this examination. To be truly effective, this must be different from what was done for the original board examination. Whereas, the proximity of the initial test to completion of the residency program made last minute “cramming” an acceptable process, the true benefits of recertification will only be achieved if one makes reading the literature and engaging in continuing education an ongoing activity and not a last minute endeavor. Although the current recertification process does not affect the many diplomates who currently hold unlimited certificates of board certification, they too should consider p~cipation. If for no other reason, continued demonstration of current competency may soon become a requirement for participating in many third-party reimbursement programs, but more importantly, there are the significant benefits to patients and the satisfaction of a life-long devotion to learning. It is probably those who fear the retesting process most who would derive the greatest good from such pa~cipation.
Examinations have always been a part of the educational process. From the time we were in grade school until we completed dental school, we came to expect constantly being quizzed; nevertheless, we did not learn to relish it. When we Anally graduated from dental school we thought that we were finished being tested, but then we did not know about the OMSITE and mock board examinations, or the frequent interrogations by the various members of the attending staff during our residency. We did know about board certification, which was originally a distant goal, but we realized the value of being boarded and saw this as t.he final academic hurdle of our career. Can you imagine- no more examinations! Although this was true for many, it changed for others when the American Board of Oral and Max~lo~d~ial Surgery (BOMS) decided that all diplomates who submitted applications for board certification after August 1, 1988 would have to be recertmed by the IO-year anniversary of their original certificate and every 10 years thereafter. As an issue that was first considered by medical specialties more than 50 years ago, the idea of recetication is certainly not new. However, it was not until 1973 that the American Board of Medical Specialties adopted a resolution to urge all member boards to develop a policy of voluntary, periodic recertification as an integral part of their specialty certification programs. Over the intervening yeUS all 24 primary and conjoint medical specialty boards have endorsed the principle of recertification and 22 have implemented recertification programs. Moreover, the other eight recognized specialties of dentistry are currently also in various stages of consideration, development, or implementation of such examinations. Recognizing the challenges that oral and maxiIlofacial surgery faces as a dental surgical specialty closely allied with medicine, ABOMS realized that it had a commitment to the profession to develop a recertifying process that was consistent with that of other surgical specialties and their certifying boards. The result was their decision to issue the IO-year, timelimited certificates starting in 1990. Because it is a mandatory program, these diplomates must take the
DANIEL
287
M. LASKIN
Surg
Putting
Yourself
to the Test recertification examination before the certificate expiration date to maintain their hoarded status. Certainly, the need for our specialty to be consistent with the standards that have been developed by other surgical and medical specialties was a powerful motivational factor in establishing the recertification process. But, if this were the sole reason, one might possibly question its ultimate value. However, if one looks more closely at the other potential benefits that can be derived, it is clearly a much needed process. One of the major benefits of the recertification process is the determination of current competency in the specialty, and to accomplish this presents a challenge to both the diplomate and the board. For the board, it is an issue of selecting the appropriate testing format: for the diplomate it is an issue of prepaxedness. Because there is no need for the board to test for technical skill, but only for cognitive ability and clinical acumen, the written examination format selected by ABOIMS provides a proper testing vehicle. The bigger challenge is the method by which the candidates prepare themselves for this examination. To be truly effective, this must be different from what was done for the original board examination. Whereas, the proximity of the initial test to completion of the residency program made last minute “cramming” an acceptable process, the true benefits of recertification will only be achieved if one makes reading the literature and engaging in continuing education an ongoing activity and not a last minute endeavor. Although the current recertification process does not affect the many diplomates who currently hold unlimited certificates of board certification, they too should consider p~cipation. If for no other reason, continued demonstration of current competency may soon become a requirement for participating in many third-party reimbursement programs, but more importantly, there are the significant benefits to patients and the satisfaction of a life-long devotion to learning. It is probably those who fear the retesting process most who would derive the greatest good from such pa~cipation.
Examinations have always been a part of the educational process. From the time we were in grade school until we completed dental school, we came to expect constantly being quizzed; nevertheless, we did not learn to relish it. When we Anally graduated from dental school we thought that we were finished being tested, but then we did not know about the OMSITE and mock board examinations, or the frequent interrogations by the various members of the attending staff during our residency. We did know about board certification, which was originally a distant goal, but we realized the value of being boarded and saw this as t.he final academic hurdle of our career. Can you imagine- no more examinations! Although this was true for many, it changed for others when the American Board of Oral and Max~lo~d~ial Surgery (BOMS) decided that all diplomates who submitted applications for board certification after August 1, 1988 would have to be recertmed by the IO-year anniversary of their original certificate and every 10 years thereafter. As an issue that was first considered by medical specialties more than 50 years ago, the idea of recetication is certainly not new. However, it was not until 1973 that the American Board of Medical Specialties adopted a resolution to urge all member boards to develop a policy of voluntary, periodic recertification as an integral part of their specialty certification programs. Over the intervening yeUS all 24 primary and conjoint medical specialty boards have endorsed the principle of recertification and 22 have implemented recertification programs. Moreover, the other eight recognized specialties of dentistry are currently also in various stages of consideration, development, or implementation of such examinations. Recognizing the challenges that oral and maxiIlofacial surgery faces as a dental surgical specialty closely allied with medicine, ABOMS realized that it had a commitment to the profession to develop a recertifying process that was consistent with that of other surgical specialties and their certifying boards. The result was their decision to issue the IO-year, timelimited certificates starting in 1990. Because it is a mandatory program, these diplomates must take the
DANIEL
287
M. LASKIN