More cardiologists are failing to pass their boards, and COVID-19 disruptions could be the main reason why, Medscape reported Jan. 23.
A recent report from the American Board of Internal Medicine showed pass rates for many specialties were lower in 2023 than in 2019. Candidates testing in cardiovascular disease and adult congenital heart disease each saw a decrease of six percentage points in five years.
The decline could point to a gap in training. The exam had remained unchanged for six years, so the most likely factor driving the change is the "educational fallout" in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, one expert told Medscape.
Typical cardiology fellowships take three or more years, and candidates taking the exam in 2021 had 18 months of training overlap with the pandemic while those taking the exam in 2023 had about 36 months affected by the pandemic.
Here are the pass rates for first-time candidates in cardiology specialities in 2019 vs. 2023:
Adult congenital heart disease: 87% (2019), 81% (2023)
Cardiovascular disease: 92%, 86%
Clinical cardiac electrophysiology: 92%, 95%
Interventional cardiology: 87%, 93%