Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Why board exams are like Name That Tune

Corey Howard, MD
Physician
May 8, 2016
Share
Tweet
Share

The American Board of Internal Medicine has been under fire for the excessive testing requirements of physicians and they recently have been seeking clarity for the maintenance of certification process.  In my opinion, the answer is to eliminate the examination completely and create a better, ongoing assessment using CME chosen by the physician that meets their needs, especially in a time where medical knowledge changes so rapidly.

Doctors are essentially tested every day, and we are sick and tired of having to take a closed board examination that has never been proven to be meaningful. We are under the microscope more than anyone else, and we know it. It is time that physicians take control of this situation and work toward the abolishment of a secure test where you are treated like a criminal.

Testing centers are a terrible environment and not anything like the real world in which we work. It is exactly this kind of testing that creates the physician who interrupts the patient after 30 seconds. Think of it. You are trained to think of the answer within 2 minutes and move on. That is not good medicine in most cases. Yes, there are times we need to make quick, sound clinical judgment, but it is not because of a few buzz words that are learned to game a test, solutions are derived from factual and clinical data based not only on literature but experience to make a decision.

I believe the test needs to be eliminated in its entirety and let physicians expand their knowledge in areas they want to learn instead of relearning unless information that mostly will never be seen by the majority. Finally, board certification should never have been used for privileges and should never be used for licensure.

There used to be a show called Name That Tune where they would give you several measures of a song, and you would Name That Tune. The game was based on how few notes could be played so that you could name the tune. The person who could name the tune with the fewest notes wins. This is what the boards are like. It is game of “Name what I am thinking and how little information can I give you so you can get the answer that I am thinking about.” It is the dumbest thing we have ever done to ourselves as a profession. The test is not reflective of the practice of medicine, although it might be better suited for the academician, and should simply be eliminated. It is unnecessary, unwanted and unfair.

We know doctors training far exceeds every other health care professional in the depth and breadth of knowledge necessary to do a great job. This ongoing, money making and antiquated operation needs to stop and if anyone chooses to take a test, then make it something optional like becoming a Master of whatever organization you belong to and not mandatory.

Corey Howard is CEO, Physicians Life Centers.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Don't be ashamed to receive an epidural during childbirth. Here's why.

May 8, 2016 Kevin 10
…
Next

When practicing medicine is like running

May 8, 2016 Kevin 2
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Don't be ashamed to receive an epidural during childbirth. Here's why.
Next Post >
When practicing medicine is like running

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Corey Howard, MD

  • The AMA’s letter on the American Health Care Act was too narrowly focused

    Corey Howard, MD

Related Posts

  • Board reviews: How institutions can help students and residents pass their exams

    Sheryl Ramer
  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • Where are the nurses in the Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board?

    Yoo Jung Kim, MD
  • 3 reasons why smart doctors fail big exams

    Steve Blatt, MD
  • A medical student before exams: the danger of neglecting the people she loves

    Orly Farber
  • Why health care delivery is an exceptionally different industry: board of directors and CEOs

    Joe Mandato and Ryan Van Wert, MD

More in Physician

  • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

    Howard Smith, MD
  • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

    Kara Pepper, MD
  • How doctors took back control from hospital executives

    Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD
  • How art and science fueled one woman’s path to medicine

    Amy Avakian, MD
  • In a fractured world, Brian Wilson’s message still heals

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • How locum tenens work helps physicians and APPs reclaim control

      Brian Sutter | Policy
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How Mark Twain would dismantle today’s flawed medical AI

      Neil Baum, MD and Mark Ibsen, MD | Tech
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

      Kara Pepper, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 18 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • How locum tenens work helps physicians and APPs reclaim control

      Brian Sutter | Policy
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How Mark Twain would dismantle today’s flawed medical AI

      Neil Baum, MD and Mark Ibsen, MD | Tech
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

      Kara Pepper, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Why board exams are like Name That Tune
18 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...