ASA/ABA Joint In-training Examination

The ASA/ABA In-training Examination is given to all residents each year on the 2nd Saturday in July. This day-long examination has 2 purposes.  The first purpose is to assess your knowledge level and compare that to other anesthesiology residents at your same level of training. The second purpose for the exam is practice / preparation for the ABA Written Examination. The actual ABA written examination is a subset of the In-training examination. You have NO way of knowing which questions have been selected for the actual ABA written examination, but approximately 200 questions of the total exam will comprise the actual written exam. Thus, for the interns in the group, you will get a chance to take this exam 4 times before it will actually count for the written examination! 

When you get your score, it will be reported as a “Scaled score” (see below). This scaled score takes into account the difficulty of the exam and is comparable year to year. For purposes of your analysis, your level is considered to be at the level you JUST COMPLETED. Thus, all current interns would be considered PGY0. All CA-1 residents would be considered CB (clinical base). All CA-2 residents would be considered CA-1 residents, etc. As an example, a resident who just finished internship training and scored a scaled score of 20 would score in the 76th percentile for year group (CB). 

If we analyze the data over a long time, the “average” resident improvement in scaled score from year to year is between 5 and 6 points. You can thus project if an “average” amount of work will produce a passing score on the ABA exam as follows:

Over the past 5 years, the scaled score on the In-Training examination correlating to a passing score on the ABA written exam appears to be between 32 and 34. If you score a 20 after your clinical base year, you need only improve 14 points over the next 3 years (you take it for real after your CA-3 year is finished). Thus, an average improvement should do it. If, however, you score 11 points after your internship, you need to improve 23 points over the next 3 years or nearly 8 points per year. Thus, more than usual effort will be needed with respect to studying. 

The ABA also provides you with a study guide to help you. They will give you a list of keywords describing topics that you answered incorrectly that at least half of the American Medical Graduate CA-3s taking the test for the first time answered correctly. You can use this report as a guide for your studying. Those of you with particular difficulties in this area will be given a specific reading list (by Dr. Mahla) to assist your studying. A keyword listing example from a former resident in the program is included to show you how this works.

The In-training exam is always administered on the 2nd Saturday in July. Those of you with call duties Friday night will be relieved by faculty by 10 pm (or sooner). Those will call duties on Saturday need to report back to work no later than 6 p.m. Good luck!

Specific instructions for the In-training Exam follow:

    The location for the examination is Carlton Auditorium, University of Florida.  It can be found on the main campus behind Tigert Hall.  The easiest entrance to UF Campus to use would be the first main entrance on 13th St., just SOUTH of University Avenue.  Tigert Hall is right there, and you can park in the lot behind that building and walk to Carlton Auditorium.  Refer to the campus map or the detailed map for more instructions.

Registration will begin at 7:45 a.m. - be on time.  There is a one-hour break for lunch. 
Please bring the following:

PLEASE DO NOT BRING ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

PLEASE NOTE:  The proctors cannot control the temperature of the room.  The room is often VERY cold.  Please dress accordingly.

Revised 5/2007