A Closer Look at the Board of Certification: An Overview for New Program Directors and Faculty February 23, 2017
CLEC 2017 Presenters: Karen A. Brown, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM Immediate Past Chair, BOC Board of Governors Patricia A. Tanabe, MPA, MLS(ASCP)CM Executive Director, BOC Susan J. Beck, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CMBBCM Member, BOC Board of Governors
Ensuring that Examinations Remain Current Part I Ensuring that Examinations Remain Current
Committees and Work Groups At the heart of the BOC Credentials are the Examination Committees and Qualification Work Groups.
Examination Committees Committees and Work Groups Examination Committees Blood Banking Clinical Chemistry Cytogenetics Cytotechnology Hematology Histotechnology Joint Generalist Laboratory Management Medical Laboratory Assistant Microbiology Molecular Biology Pathologists’ Assistant Phlebotomy
Qualification Work Groups Committees and Work Groups Qualification Work Groups Apheresis Cytometry Immunohistochemistry (Histology Exam Committee) Laboratory Informatics Laboratory Safety
Committee and Work Group Composition Committees and Work Groups Committee and Work Group Composition Include technicians, technologists, laboratory scientists, supervisors, educators, and physicians Geographic distribution considered Work setting important
Committees and Work Groups Composition The dedicated volunteers on these committees and work groups are appointed based not only on their clinical competence, geographic location and work setting, but most of all by their desire to improve the profession through credentialing of laboratory professionals
Committees and Work Groups Generally 6-8 people per committee Members serve two, 3 year terms Theoretically 1-2 people rotate off or their first term expires each year Guests can be invited An educator is always on a committee if there is an educational program associated with the discipline One member from the blood bank, chemistry, hematology, microbiology and molecular biology committees comprise the Joint Generalist committee
Committees and Work Groups Responsibilities Meet annually Plan, develop and maintain examination databases Determine accuracy and relevancy of test items Confirm and set standards for each examination Perform job or practice analyses
Committees and Work Groups About Exam Databases Most BOC exams consist of 100 questions. Each exam database contains hundreds of items. Thus, the number of different 100 question exams that can be administered from a 300 or greater question database is countless.
Committees and Work Groups Examination Items Write examination items -assign classification according to content outline -determine taxonomy -provide references Review examination items provided by each committee member -assess clarity, accuracy, content, structure and appropriate classification -determine if references are listed
Accuracy and Relevancy of Exam Items Committees and Work Groups Accuracy and Relevancy of Exam Items Review statistics to evaluate how each item performed on the exam Assess items that do not adequately differentiate high and low ability examinees Revise or delete items as necessary Review performance of experimental (field test) items for inclusion in the exam database
Standard setting or Benchmarking Determine pass point for the examination (standard setting) Standard Setting activity
Perform Practice Analyses Committees and Work Groups Perform Practice Analyses Practice Analysis is performed to define the practice and to validate the certification program Define questions to be on a survey -Two sections on survey: knowledge questions and testing (task) questions Evaluate and discuss survey responses -Suggest theories or tasks to retain or remove
Practice Analyses & Exam Content Committees and Work Groups Practice Analyses & Exam Content Knowledge questions ask how significant is knowledge of the “following” to effectively perform a job Task questions assess if the test is currently performed/used, not performed/used and whether or not knowledge (basic or advanced) is needed of the concept /protocol to perform the job
Practice Analysis Example Committees and Work Groups Practice Analysis Example Survey question asks if respondents perform peripheral blood smear evaluations to describe and grade red blood cells according to size, color, shape and inclusions.
Practice Analysis Example - continued Committees and Work Groups Practice Analysis Example - continued Hematology Content Outline lists “Differentials and Morphology Evaluation” as a subtest area BOC Study Guide includes the question: A red blood cell about 5 μm in diameter that stains bright red and shows no central pallor is a: Spherocyte Leptocyte Microcyte Macrocyte
Committees and Work Groups Example of topic removed from exam because of the practice analysis results: A screening test for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria is: heat instability test sucrose hemolysis osmotic fragility dithionite solubility (BOC Study Guide, hematology #118, pg. 164)