2024 APCCMPD Leadership
Call for Nominations

In-service Exam Writing Committee

 
NOMINATION DEADLINE: MARCH 15, 2024 

The Association of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Program Directors (APCCMPD) is now accepting nominations for volunteer positions on the APCCMPD In-service Exam Writing Committee (ISWC).

Value Statement

The APCCMPD Pulmonary and Critical Care In-service Exam and APCCMPD Critical Care In-service Exam are the only nationally standardized, psychometrically-validated tests that evaluate a clinician’s knowledge of pulmonary and critical care medicine. Each exam is a 150-question, computer-based exam. Content is based on the respective ABIM Pulmonary Disease MOC Exam Blueprint and ABIM Critical Care Medicine MOC Exam Blueprint.

Committee Charge

Every year exam items are developed by the ISWC, a group of physician content experts who create these items to reflect the knowledge and skills identified as necessary for competent trainee progression through pulmonary, critical care, and combined subspecialty training. Once assembled, the tests then undergo a holistic review by a psychometrician and the ISWC who examine the tests for accuracy, significance, fairness, and conformity to test specifications. Exam items are then placed through a rigorous item-analysis adhering to psychometric industry standards to detect any questionable item performance. The results are reviewed so that item ambiguities are detected and the necessary adjustments made before administration and scoring.

The ISWC goes to great lengths to ensure that the exams are an accurate reflection of the most current evidence and practice in pulmonary and critical care medicine, and that it is administered in a way to protect the integrity of the resulting scores. This requires vigilance in both exam analysis and proctoring efforts. The APCCMPD In-service exams are annually reviewed and updated, including regular item-analysis to determine that all items are performing as originally intended. The extensive psychometric process is necessary not only to verify each item as reliable and an appropriate representation of pulmonary and critical care medicine, but also to determine that all questions are written in an accurate and fair manner. 

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Annually review, revise, and write questions to be included in the Critical Care and Pulmonary Critical Care In-service Exam question bank.  
  • Identify opportunities and provide strategic direction to the APCCMPD Board of Directors (BOD) on issues regarding the Critical Care and Pulmonary Critical Care In-service Exams.
  • Set policy regarding taking the exam.

Composition

The ISWC, when fully constituted, shall have 12 members. Each member shall be a current or former Training Program Director (TPD); or Associate Program Director (APD). An APD with at least three years of experience as a fellowship APD is strongly recommended for this position. Applicants with less than three years of APD experience will be considered if they demonstrate a major role in curriculum development at the GME level. Collectively, the ISWC shall possess expertise in each of the exam content areas (see below).

Once constituted, vacant seats shall be filled by nominations from the current members of the ISWC or by a call for nominations to the membership. Upon a vacancy, the remaining ISWC members will determine which exam content areas require expertise and nominate individuals to fill the vacant seat(s) based on the expertise area required. All nominees must be a current or former TPD or APD and a member in good standing of the APCCMPD.

ISWC Members: shall serve a 2-year term and be eligible for reappointment every two years, for an unlimited number of 2-year terms. ISWC members will be notified, in writing, of completion of their service to the committee.

Chair: The Chair shall serve a 4-year term independent from any term served as a member of the committee. The Chair shall be eligible for reappointment every four years, for an unlimited number of 4-year terms. The Chair’s reappointment is at the discretion of the BOD. The Chair serves as liaison between the full committee and BOD.

Vice-Chair: Once convened, the Vice-Chair shall be recommended by the Chair from among ISWC members who have served for at least one year. At termination of the Chair’s term, the Vice-Chair shall assume the position of Chair, pending approval of the BOD. In the Chair’s absence, the Vice-Chair will serve as Chair.

Eligibility Criteria for the Position of In-service Exam Writing Committee Member

  • Be a current or former TPD or APD of a pulmonary, critical care, or pulmonary critical care medicine APCCMPD member fellowship program.
  • Preferably possess expertise in content areas covered in the APCCMPD In-service Exams, especially (although not required) in sleep, transplant, or non-medical critical care medicine. 
  • Preferably (although not required) possess knowledge and/or experience in item writing.

Attendance and Participation Policy

  • ISWC members will be expected to attend every exam writing conference and the majority of any scheduled calls. The exam writing conference typically occurs over 2 days each November. The meeting is usually scheduled one year in advance.
  • The APCCMPD will cover all travel expenses to and from each exam writing conference and provide a daily honorarium of $1,000 for participation in the 2-day exam writing conference.
  • Meeting attendees will be awarded 20 ABIM MOC points for their participation in question writing.
  • ISWC members will be expected to participate in all preparatory work associated with the development of the annual in-service exams. This includes, but is not limited to, review of exam questions and drafting new exam questions prior to each question writing conference and completion of exams prior to testing to ensure appropriate functionality and content of the exam. This typically occurs every year between the months of June and September.

Nomination Process

ISWC vacancies shall be filled in the following manner:

  • Vacant seats shall be filled by nominations from the current members of the ISWC or a call for nominations to the APCCMPD membership. Upon a vacancy, the remaining ISWC members will determine which exam content areas require expertise and nominate individuals to fill the vacant seat(s) based on the expertise area required.
  • All nominees must be a current or former TPD or APD. An APD with at least three years of experience as a fellowship APD is strongly recommended for this position. Applicants with less than three years of APD experience will be considered if they demonstrate a major role in curriculum development at the GME level. Nominees must be from within an APCCMPD member program.
  • Once nominations are received, the ISWC Chair and Vice-Chair will review all nominations and make a recommendation to the APCCMPD BOD. Final appointment of the candidate is at the discretion of the APCCMPD BOD.
  • New members may be required to participate in a question writing workshop. The APCCMPD ISWC will recommend to the BOD whether the newly-appointed member should participate in a question writing workshop. Final determination of the new member’s participation in a question writing workshop is at the discretion of the APCCMPD BOD. 

Required Nomination Material to be Submitted for the In-Service Exam Writing Committee

  • Up-to-date Biosketch or CV
  • Completed Online Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (view APCCMPD Leadership COI Policy)
  • Statement of Commitment and Purpose describing their:
    • Knowledge and/or experience in item writing (preferred but not required).
    • Expertise in content areas covered in the APCCMPD In-service Exams, especially (although not required) in sleep, transplant, or non-medical critical care medicine.
    • Statement of willingness to participate in all face-to-face meetings, the review and drafting of exam items, and completion of the exams for beta testing purposes.

Submit Your Online Nomination