Annals of surgery
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Historically, the American Board of Surgery required surgeons to pass the qualifying examination (QE) before taking the certifying examination (CE). However, in the 2020-2021 academic year, with mitigating circumstances related to COVID-19, the ABS removed this sequencing requirement to facilitate the certification process for those candidates who were negatively impacted by a QE delivery failure. This decoupling of the traditional order of exam delivery has provided a natural comparator to the traditional route and an analysis of the impact of examination sequencing on candidate performance. ⋯ This important study suggests that preparation for the QE increases the probability of passing the CE and provides evidence that knowledge may be foundational for clinical judgment. The ABS will consider these findings for examination sequencing moving forward.
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To examine time from injury to initiation of surgical care and association with survival in US military casualties. ⋯ Rapid handoff to the surgical team within 1 hour of injury may reduce mortality by 66% in US military casualties. In the subgroup of casualties with indications for emergency surgery, rapid handoff with timely surgical intervention may reduce mortality by 60%. To inform future research and trauma system planning, findings are pivotal.