The inaugural administration of the Hematology In-Service Examination will be offered for U.S.-based internal medicine subspecialty training programs and Canadian programs on March 31 and April 1, 2009. Programs can test on either day or on both days; fellows must complete the exam on the day on which it is begun. Testing will begin at 9:00 a.m. local time. Online registration is now open.
All registration will be handled through the training program; individual registration is not permitted. You must be enrolled in a U.S. or Canadian hematology or hematology/oncology fellowship in order to take the Hematology In-Service Examination.
Key Events in Exam Administration
| Mid-late November | Online registration opens for ASH’s Hematology In-Service Exam |
| Mid-January 2009 | Registration closes Chief Proctor information to ASH Programs invoiced for registered fellows IT Readiness Survey completed |
| February 2009 | Practice test available Chief Proctor Manuals distributed |
| Mid-late March 2009 | Systems certification for IT |
| March 31/April 1 | Test administration |
| Mid-May | Score reports sent to program directors |
Benefits of an In-Service Exam
As the requirements for evaluation and documentation of a trainee’s competency increase, ASH is pleased to offer this valuable tool to training programs.
The exam is designed to provide feedback about the fellows’ knowledge of hematology, will help establish consistency in educational standards, and serve as a tool to improve the training of hematology fellows. Through summary reports that will compare trainees’ progress within their training program and against national outcomes, the exam will be a valuable tool to help identify areas of strength and weakness in a training program.
Score reports will be sent to program directors approximately six to eight weeks after the exam dates.
Exam Content Development
ASH’s Test Materials Development Committee, working under the auspices of the Committee on Training Programs, wrote the questions for the exam. All questions were created especially for this exam. ASH is working with the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) on test development and administration.
The exam will cover the core medical knowledge areas for hematology, including hematologic neoplasms, disorders of hemostasis and thrombosis, red and white blood cell disorders, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, transfusion medicine, and coagulation. The comprehensive review of hematology will be a valuable tool for all training programs.
Administering the ISE
- The cost of the exam will be $250 per fellow. ASH will bill programs once registration is complete.
- The exam will be available to first-, second-, and third-year fellows; it is the decision of each training program director as to which fellows will sit for the exam.
- The exam is comprised of 180 single-best-answer, multiple-choice questions.
- The Web-based exam can be administered at the institution in a secure site such as a computer lab where there are enough computers available for each test taker.
- Laptop computers can be used, but each computer will need to have hard-wired Internet access (no WiFi).
- A chief proctor from each institution will oversee the administration of the exam. The NBME is working with a number of medicine subspecialties for in-service/training examinations, so it is likely that the tech requirements for the exam will already be known at your site. Oncology and rheumatology programs have already administered exams. Infectious disease and nephrology will have exams in 2009. These experienced proctors are a great resource and may be just down the hall from you.
Technology Requirements
Hardware: IBM PC with Intel P3 1GHz or higher processor. (MACs are not supported.)
Memory: 512M or higher
Operating System: Windows Vista, XP, or Windows 2000
Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 6.0 or higher. Do not use beta versions. Other browsers are not supported.
Internet Connection: Broadband (DSL, Cable, or T1)
Network Bandwidth (including Internet access): 256Kbps or higher per workstation
Wireless Network Connection: Not supported
Monitor: 17” or larger color monitor recommended
Resolution/Color Setting: 1024 x 768 / 32-bit
Pop-up Blocker: Disabled
Cookies: Enabled
Adware/Spyware: Disable if possible to prevent slowness
Administrator Rights for Setup and Configuration: Required
Dedicated Test Lab With Locked Down Workstations: Required: NBME provides testing utility that checks the workstation and installs a plug-in that secures the browser. This must be run on every workstation prior to the test date.
Personal Laptops: Each laptop must be pre-configured using the workstation utility described above. Candidates using their personal laptops must run this utility prior to test day in order to avoid problems on test day.
Dedicated Technical Support: Required