Taking the Fellowship Exam: Taking the Fellowship Exam:

Myths from FactsMyths from Facts

ObjectivesThe Fellowship Exam is one of the requirements to obtain the Fellowship Award. This exam has been around forever but is often misunderstood. Today’s webinar was designed to debunk the myths from facts. Objectives include: • Exam Construction and Development•Factual Information regarding the exam•How to prepare for the exam•How to prepare yourself for testing day

Background•Kristine Abed-Canchola – 16 years with the AGD as the Manager of Examinations and recently Self Instruction•Doctoral candidate at Loyola University in Statistics/Research with an emphasis in Test Development.•Work with the Examinations Council and Committees to develop and score the Fellowship Exam annually in addition to developing the Fellowship Exam Study Guide.•Work with the Self-Instruction Committee develop exercises for the journal as well as support the program’s day-to-day activities.•Work with Region 17 for the development of the Fellowship Review Course for the AGD annual meeting and fall course.

Exam Construction and Development

•The Fellowship Exam is developed by a team of general dentists who represent the broad spectrum of the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) membership. •A total of 16 members serve on three Fellowship Exam Committees. •Using a combination of clinical and academic experience, knowledge in various areas of expertise, and reference books and periodicals, the committees begin work on the next edition of the exam just weeks after the previous exam is administered.

Exam Scoring

•The Fellowship Exam is initially offered at the AGD Annual Meeting. •Scoring of the exam is a four-step process in which: 1) the answer sheets are scored; 2) Exam Committee A reviews the statistical results and makes recommendations to the council to remove items from scoring based on their performance in addition to an official passing score; 3) the Examinations Council chooses an official passing score and determines if an item or items should be removed from scoring; and 4) the answer sheets are rescored based on the council’s scoring decisions.

Myth vs Factual Exam Information

Myth:Members have to complete their 500 hours of continuing education before they are eligible to sit for the exam. Fact:•Members can sit for the Fellowship Exam approximately 90 days after becoming an active member in the AGD.

Myth vs Factual Exam Information

Myth:Members are penalized for guessing on the exam. Fact:•Members are NOT penalized for guessing on the exam and therefore should take every precaution to answer all of the test questions.

Myth vs Factual Exam Information

Myth:•The Fellowship Exam consists of 400 questions.

Fact:•As of 2009, the Fellowship Exam was reduced to 252 questions.

Myth vs Factual Exam Information

Myth:•Members need to correctly answer 75% of the exam questions in order to pass the exam.

Fact:•The Fellowship Exam passing score is a raw score and varies year to year based on the statistical analysis of the exam questions.

Myth vs Factual Exam Information

Myth:•Member can earn up to 25 hours of continuing education (CE) by passing the exam.

Fact:•No CE is awarded for passing the exam.

Myth vs Factual Exam Information

Myth:

•The Fellowship Exam is offered once a year at the AGD Annual Meeting.

Fact:

•The Fellowship Exam is actually offered throughout the year in two formats – paper/pencil and computerized.

•The paper and pencil version is offered at AGD Annual Meeting and at the Fall National review course. In addition, some constituents offering a review course may in fact host the exam during the year.

•The computerized version of the exam is offered throughout the year through the AGD contract vendor SMT.

Myth vs Factual Exam Information

Myth:

•A member’s Fellowship Exam score will expire after three years if that member has not earned his/her Fellowship Award during that three-year time period.

Fact:

•The Fellowship Exam results do not expire. Once a member has passed the Fellowship Exam, he/she has fulfilled one of their requirements for Fellowship. A member should take the test whenever they are ready, but it is recommended that members sit for the exam the earlier the better, because once they pass, it is forever.

How to Prep for the Fellowship Exam

•The National AGD as well as several AGD Constituents offer review courses that are designed to provide a refresher in 17 different dental disciplines as well as to assist members in preparing for the Fellowship Exam.

•Utilize the AGD study guide by taking the practice exam offered in it. Members can score their exams and breakdown their score to show their strengths and weaknesses with the disciplines.

•Review dental texts in those areas where a member needs a refresher.

•Dental Decks are dental flashcards developed to prepare for the National Board exam and a good source for refresher information.

•Study with a friend or a study club.

How to Prepare Yourself for Testing Day

•Do Not Walk into an Exam UnpreparedAverage preparation time for the Fellowship Exam is approximately 40 hours per the preparation survey given at the end of the paper/pencil Fellowship Exam at the AGD Annual Meeting.

•Nourish Your Mind as Well As Your BodyBased on industry standards, it is never recommended to sit for an exam when you are hungry or overfull.

How to Prepare Yourself for Testing Day

•Follow Your HunchIt has been proven that 85% of the time your first answer is the correct answer. Don’t second guess yourself; stick with your first answer.

•A Frazzled Mind is a Cluttered MindBased on industry standards, it is never recommended to cram the last 30-60 minutes before an exam begins. Crammers tend to panic and that contributes to forgetting or doubting what you have learned. Deep breaths and remaining calm is the best practices before an exam starts.

Before You Sit for the Fellowship Exam…• You must have a government-issued picture ID to check

into the exam.• Electronic equipment is strictly prohibited in the testing

room.• Bring earplugs if extraneous noise is bothersome.• The AGD will provide pencils• Read/List to all instructions.• Sign your honor code. • Breathe

During the Fellowship Exam…• The are only 4 answer choices per question – Do Not

Choose E.• There is only one correct answer per question.• You can write in the booklet but only the answer

sheet is scored.• There is no penalty for guessing – take advantage.• Move on – don’t linger.• Comments/questions are encouraged – let the council

know what you are thinking.

After the Fellowship Exam…• Please don’t linger outside the testing room.• Results from the Annual Meeting exam take 8-10

weeks, review course results take 4-5 weeks while computerized testing results are immediate.• Results are only sent to the member who took the

exam.• No results are given over the phone, faxed or emailed.• Extra score reports require a written request by the

member.

Questions?Comments?Additional Information?

Kristine Abed-Canchola,Manager, Examinations and Self-Instruction312.440.4336 888.243.3368 (ex. 4336)Kris.abed-canchola@agd.org