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
75 Shares
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

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 gems of health care: Unlocking the potential of narrative medicine

    Dr. Najat Fadlallah
  • The dark side of immortality: What if we could live forever?

    Ketan Desai, MD, PhD
  • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD
  • From rural communities to underserved populations: How telemedicine is bridging health care gaps

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • From solidarity to co-liberation: Understanding the journey towards ending oppression

    Maiysha Clairborne, MD
  • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

    Dympna Weil, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

      Mohammed Umer Waris, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why it’s time to question medical traditions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden gems of health care: Unlocking the potential of narrative medicine

      Dr. Najat Fadlallah | Physician
    • The realities of immigrant health care served hot from America’s melting pot

      Stella Cho | Policy
    • The dark side of immortality: What if we could live forever?

      Ketan Desai, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

      William Lynes, MD | Conditions
    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

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

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Doc Moms, Mind the Gap -- $3M Earning Difference by Sex
  • Clinical Note Writing App Powered by GPT-4 Set to Debut This Year
  • Helping Patients Get Fit -- One Walk at a Time
  • TB Cases Rebound to Near Pre-Pandemic Levels, CDC Data Show
  • Marginalized Groups May Benefit More From Decreasing Air Pollution

Meeting Coverage

  • Switch to IL-23 Blocker Yields Deep Responses in Recalcitrant Plaque Psoriasis
  • Biomarkers of Response With Enfortumab Vedotin in Advanced Urothelial Cancer
  • At-Home Topical Therapy for Molluscum Contagiosum Gets High Marks
  • Outlook for Itchy Prurigo Nodularis Continues to Improve With IL-31 Antagonist
  • AAAAI President Shares Highlights From the 2023 Meeting
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

      Mohammed Umer Waris, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why it’s time to question medical traditions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden gems of health care: Unlocking the potential of narrative medicine

      Dr. Najat Fadlallah | Physician
    • The realities of immigrant health care served hot from America’s melting pot

      Stella Cho | Policy
    • The dark side of immortality: What if we could live forever?

      Ketan Desai, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

      William Lynes, MD | Conditions
    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • 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...