1823 - Using the AAPM&R Self Assessment Exam (SAE) to Assess the Effectiveness of a New Structured Board Review Curriculum

Friday, February 20, 2026

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM AST

Presenting Author(s)

JR

Joseph Ruiz, MD

Resident Physician
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital / Harvard Medical School
SOMERVILLE, Massachusetts, United States

Co-Author(s)

GS

Grant Schleifer, MD

Resident Physician
Mass General Brigham
Somerville, Massachusetts, United States
GG

Gregory Galeazzi, MD

Resident Physician
Spaulding Rehabilitation/ Harvard Medical School
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
HR

Hye Chang Rhim, MD, MPH

Sports Medicine Fellow
Mass General Brigham/Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital/Harvard Medical School
Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States
SK

Shannon Killeen, MD

Resident Physician
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital PM&R Residency
Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States
TH

Tracey Hunter, MD

Fellow
Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, New York, United States
ME

Marissa Eckley, MD

Physician
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States

Submitter(s)

JR

Joseph Ruiz, MD

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital / Harvard Medical School
Somerville, Massachusetts, United States

Objectives: The AAPM&R Self-Assessment Examination (SAE) is offered yearly to PM&R residents to evaluate their knowledge in key domains of rehabilitation medicine. This helps residents address gaps in their clinical knowledge and assess preparedness for the ABPM&R board examination. A trend of declining SAE scores and resident concerns of ineffective board exam preparation prompted the creation of a new board review curriculum. Review content was assembled based on major categories in Physiatry (Brain Injury, EMG, etc.). This curriculum was implemented in the 2024 - 2025 academic year. The primary objective was to improve the overall SAE scores of residents and their self-perceived preparedness for boards.

Design: This QI project was conducted at an academic residency program. Weekly board review curriculum delivered to all PM&R residents during regularly scheduled didactics from 08/2024 - 01/2025. A voluntary redcap survey assessing various self-reported measures was administered to all residents who completed the 2025 SAE following its completion. SAE Score data was anonymized and analyzed by a third party.

Results: 22 residents completed the 2025 SAE. The mean score of all residents in 2025 was 77.4% which was significantly higher compared to a mean score of 48.4% in 2024 (p = 0.0005; Δ = 29.0; 95% CI: 13.4–44.7). 19 residents scored above the 50th percentile in 2025 compared to 7 residents who scored above the 50th percentile in 2024 (p = 0.0005). 10 residents scored above the 90th percentile in 2025 compared to 1 resident in 2024 (p = 0.0039). Survey data showed that residents generally felt well prepared for the 2025 SAE, found didactics more helpful compared to prior years, and found the specific board review curriculum to be effective.

Conclusions: The use of a standardized board review curriculum across our existing didactics sessions was effective at improving program average SAE scores and resident self-perceived preparedness.