39. REACHING 100%: STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN GENERAL PEDIATRICS BOARD EXAMINATIONS

Residency programs are challenged to develop unique and engaging strategies for achieving academic excellence. In-training exams (ITEs) provide formative assessments throughout residents’ development in preparation for the board examination. With an 82% first-attempt board pass rate in 2011, the University of Florida Pediatric Residency program sought to develop novel interventions to reach a pass rate of 100%. Initial strategies included the use of board individualized learning plans (ILPs), designed by each resident to target areas for improvement. While the intervention's intent was to create individualized study curricula, the resultant exam pass rate showed no improvement. In July 2014, team-based learning (TBL) board study groups were formed, demonstrating positive results from 2015 onwards. In 2016, an 18-month didactic curriculum was instituted in Academic Half Day (AHD) as a weekly forum for knowledge building, simulation exercises, and team-building events. These sessions improved the culture of the residency program and provided practical knowledge in a collaborative setting. In 2017, a multimedia bundle, MedStudy, was purchased for the pediatric residents as a tool for board preparation. Following this intervention and the longitudinal AHD curriculum, the Class of 2018 achieved a 100% board examination pass rate. This increase also correlated with an increase in median board examination scores from 194 to 211 (2012 to 2018, see Figure). Overall, a significant improvement in board pass rate was seen from 2012-2018 using a Kruskal-Wallis Test (p