The use of national board scores in selecting residents for obstetrics and gynecology.

The performance of 29 residents in obstetrics and gynecology on parts 1 and 2 of the national board examinations, which they had taken to graduate from medical school, was compared to their performance on the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology in-training examination taken during the third year of residency. There was a statistically significant correlation between results of part 1 of the national board and results of the Council on Resident Education examination (r = 0.45, p less than 0.05) and between part 2 of the national board and results of the Council on Resident Education examination (r = 0.67, p less than 0.001). Those scoring "low" (less than fiftieth percentile) on the Council on Resident Education test all had scores less than 500 on part 2 of the national board, whereas those scoring "high" on the Council on Resident Education test (greater than ninetieth percentile) scored about 600 or higher on part 2 of the national board. These data suggest that results of part 2 of the national board can be useful in the resident selection process and that the performance of residents on in-training examinations relates more to resident selection than to the residency educational programs.