1. American Board of Thoracic Surgery examination: Fewer graduates, more failures 
Susan D. Moffatt-Bruce, MD, PhD, Patrick Ross, MD, PhD, Thomas E. Williams, MD, PhD 
The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 
Volume 147, Issue 5, Pages (May 2014)
DOI: /j.jtcvs
Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions

2. Figure 1
Since 2006, a reduction in applications for cardiothoracic surgery training has been paralleled by a reduction in programs offering training. From 2006 through 2012, at no time did the number of applicants match the number of available training positions.
The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.jtcvs )
Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions

3. Figure 2
The number of successful examination certifications in cardiothoracic surgery decreased to only 92 in From 2000 to 2006, an oscillating pattern was seen, with ≤160 examination certifications awarded. The inflection point was 2006; since then, a steady decline has occurred in the successful examination certification process.
The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.jtcvs )
Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions

4. Figure 3
The success rate for oral versus written examinations was notably different after The written examination failure rate increased from 2006 to 2009 but has recently decreased to about the same level as in The oral examination failure rate started to increase in 2006 and has continued to increase. Only in 2003 did the written examination failure rate exceed the oral examination failure rate.
The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.jtcvs )
Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions

5. Figure 4
The success rate for the written examination differed in the 2 periods studied. From 2000 and 2005, 903 candidates took the written examination, with a 10.6% ± 3.7% failure rate. From 2006 to 2011, 672 candidates took the written examination, with a 17.4% ± 3.4% failure rate, significantly greater during the latter period, despite eventually reaching the success rates of the 2005 examination year (P < .01).
The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.jtcvs )
Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions

6. Figure 5
American Board of Thoracic Surgery oral scores for 2000 to From 2000 to 2005, 955 candidates took the oral examination, with a failure rate 14.4% ± 4.1%. The chi-square statistic was 5.92 (P < .02). From 2006 to 2011, 693 candidates took the oral examination, with a 28.1% ± 4.6% failure rate, a significantly greater rate (P < .001).
The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.jtcvs )
Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions