CORAL: Collaborative Online Oral Examinations [ID 1775]

INTRODUCTION: The pandemic affected U.S. medical education, prompting adoption of virtual platforms. However, faculty availability for resident didactics is limited. The CORAL project was undertaken by two residency programs. These programs developed a virtual faculty exchange program. The pilot project addressed faculty availability but also reduced bias and enhanced real-world applicability. The goals were to 1) assess feasibility of cross-institutional faculty conducting examinations, and 2) evaluate whether this experience is beneficial. METHODS: CORAL was exclusively for PGY4s. Three faculty members from the first program conducted examinations at the second program, and vice versa. These oral examinations were conducted virtually, with standardized questions and timing. Chief residents were surveyed before and after; faculty were surveyed only after the examination. RESULTS: Eighteen chief residents have completed the examination. One hundred percent found it helpful for oral boards. One hundred percent believed the examination was fair; 94.4% did not change preparation. Prior to the examination, 16.6% anticipated it would be helpful for written boards; this increased to 45.5% afterward. 66.6% initially felt it would be beneficial for oral boards, with this rising to 81.8% post-examination. All faculty found it to be fair and believed it would aid residents. Residents and faculty agreed oral examinations should continue in this format. 27.7% residents reported feeling more anxiety. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: The new format for oral examinations was well-received. Thirty percent experienced increased stress. All agreed future mock examinations should be conducted this way. Both programs required fewer of their own faculty. This project offers a model for collaboration between residency programs or the creation of a broader consortium.