Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39633102›Full record

ReviewJournal of general internal medicine2025

USMLE Performance, Subsequent Standardized Testing, and ABIM Certification Exam Preparation for Internal Medicine Residency Programs: A Narrative Review.

Dustin T Smith, Alexander T Matelski, Mary Ann Kirkconnell Hall, Varun K Phadke, Theresa Vettese, Karen Law, Reena Hemrajani

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of general internal medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Dustin T SmithDivision of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. dtsmit2@emory.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-0763-0422
Alexander T MatelskiDivision of General Medicine and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Mary Ann Kirkconnell HallDivision of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Varun K PhadkeDivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Theresa VetteseDivision of General Medicine and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Karen LawDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Reena HemrajaniDivision of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Standardized examinations measure progress throughout medical education. Successful completion of the American Board of Internal Medicine Certification Examination (ABIM-CE) benchmarks completion of internal medicine (IM) residency training. Recent declines in initial ABIM-CE pass rates may prompt residency programs to examine strategies to improve learner performance. We synthesized published literature on associations between the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), in-training examination (ITE), and board preparation to support residents for ABIM-CE. We searched MEDLINE for test performance and preparation strategies for IM board certification during training. Relevant articles published until March 15, 2024, were screened using pre-defined criteria for narrative review, then codified into three domains (USMLE, ITE, curriculum/program strategies). Findings were grouped by theme into considerations for training programs seeking guidance on learning augmentation plans to improve resident performance on ABIM-CE. Themes drawn from articles focused on USMLE include validity in predicting CE performance, noting (1) failing USMLE Step 1 is associated with failing ABIM-CE, (2) any USMLE score < 220 increases failure probability, and (3) a mean USMLE ≥ 250 approximates ~ 100% pass rates on board examination. Inferences from ITE-focused articles support use as a predictive tool; specifically, a score < 35th percentile signals a resident at risk for failing the ABIM-CE while > 70th percentile is predictive of passing. Lastly, inferences from curriculum- and program-focused articles suggest standard contents (conferences) do not correlate with CE passage, while targeted clinical reasoning and remediation plans do. IM residency programs should consider adopting learning augmentation strategies targeted to at-risk residents to support CE passage.

Indexed as

CertificationClinical CompetenceEducational MeasurementInternal MedicineInternship and ResidencyLicensure, MedicalHumansSpecialty BoardsUnited Statescertificationcognitive remediationeducational measurementinternship and residencymedical licensure

Identifiers

PMID39633102
PMCPMC11914679

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.