Analysis of the foot and ankle section of the orthopaedic in-training examination (OITE)

Background: The Orthopaedic In-Training Examination (OITE) was first administered in 1963 to orthopaedic surgical residents. In 2007, an analysis of the OITE tumor-related questions was published. To our knowledge, no analysis of the foot and ankle-related questions is available in the literature. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the foot and ankle questions on the OITE over a 5-year period (2004 to 2008). The average number of foot and ankle questions, topics, specific imaging modalities, treatment options, and taxonomic classification were quantified and described. Results: Each year, approximately 38 of the 275 (14.2%) examination questions required knowledge of foot and ankle topics. Commonly tested topics include basic foot and ankle anatomy, the diabetic foot, ankle fractures, and calcaneus fractures. Approximately seventeen questions per year test simple recall of specific facts, while approximately sixteen questions test the examinee's ability to establish a diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan from clinical history and/or radiographs. Conclusion: Analysis of the OITE foot and ankle domain question content and type may aid test-writers when they write future OITE questions. This information can be used to ensure adequate coverage of the breadth of foot and ankle surgery on future OITE examinations.