Update from the Professional Educational Committee/Exam Subcommittee
Phyllis Kozarsky, on behalf of the Exam Subcommittee
As you are aware from NewsShare and other communications, the Exam Subcommittee has been investigating the concept of setting an international standard for the practice of travel medicine. The Body of Knowledge for travel medicine has been completed and will be published in the near future in our journal, The Journal of Travel Medicine. It is in outline form and represents the hard work of a number of people in our Society who took the time to think about the topics that comprise our new subspecialty. Furthermore, experts from around the world have weighed the various topics in terms of their importance in our daily practices. This Body of Knowledge will be useful to anyone considering practicing travel medicine, and for those developing courses or other teaching tools.
The more challenging issue before us is whether to pursue the development of an exam that, if successfully completed, would result in the awarding of a Certificate of Knowledge in travel medicine. Many who have responded to our surveys have shown support for this concept, and enthusiasm for an international undertaking—the first in any medical field. There is natural concern about cost, venue, study materials, language, cultural differences, and other issues.
If an exam is developed, it would certainly not be forced upon anyone and it would not seek to override any national society's initiatives. It would be aimed at nurses and physicians alike, and cover the basics of the practice of travel medicine. The cost of the development of such an exam, its ongoing maintenance, as well as other key issues are being actively discussed among the Executive Board at this time. We will keep you informed of any news as it becomes available. In the interim, if there are questions, suggestions, or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly.
Here is a more detailed chronological summary of the history of this endeavor:
Initial Planning Meeting
In 1999, the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) began to explore the possibility of developing a certificate of knowledge in travel medicine. The credential would be international in scope and designed for physicians and nurses who practice travel medicine.
The first step in investigating the feasibility of a certificate program was an orientation to the certificate development process. An international panel of 15 travel medicine experts participated in the orientation session, which was conducted April 12-13, 1999. Topics discussed during the orientation included:
- types of governance and committee structures needed to support a certificate of knowledge program;
- business aspects of the proposed program (e.g., pricing and financing);
- psychometric issues (e.g., methods for determining what is to be assessed, and strengths and weaknesses of various assessment measures);
- legal concerns pertaining to credentialing programs;
- issues related to marketing and strategic planning.
Based on discussions that occurred during this meeting, ISTM elected to continue to investigate the feasibility of developing a certificate of knowledge program. Specifically, it was decided that a needs assessment survey would be conducted.
Needs Assessment Survey
A cover letter and a 1-page needs assessment survey were distributed to ISTM members and meeting attendees at the Montreal meeting in the summer of 1999. Four hundred seventy-nine professionals returned the completed survey. Overall, the respondents reported a substantial level of interest in the program; 52% indicated that they were very interested in obtaining the credential and an additional 27% reported moderate interest. The most common benefits of the certificate, as reported by the respondents, were: professional development/personal satisfaction and enhanced professional credibility. The most notable concerns regarding the credentialing process were: a potential lack of study materials, the possibility that there would be no economic benefit to becoming credentialed, and the specific country in which the examination would be administered.
Given the apparent level of support for a certificate of knowledge program, the ISTM Executive Board decided to continue to explore the feasibility of the program and concurrently, launched a body of knowledge survey.
Financial and Strategic Planning Meeting
On October 18, 1999, members of the ISTM Executive Board and Phyllis Kozarsky MD, Chair of the Certificate of Knowledge Committee, met to discuss a proposed budget for the program, possible sources of program funding, and a timeline for a May 2001 inaugural examination administration. In addition, the participants engaged in some preliminary strategic planning to define the potential benefits of the credential for travel medicine professionals and their employers, potential obstacles to program development, and strategies for enhancing the success of the program. At the conclusion of the meeting, the participants agreed that the program concept was potentially feasible and that ISTM should proceed with investigating sources of funding.
Body of Knowledge Study
In September 1999, the ISTM Executive Board commissioned a study to identify the scope of knowledge for professionals working in the field of travel medicine worldwide. It was expected that the findings of the body of knowledge study would be used to guide the development of curriculums and training programs in travel medicine and the professional development of individuals practicing travel medicine. In addition, if ISTM were to develop a certificate of knowledge in travel medicine, the body of knowledge study would serve as a vehicle for establishing the content validity of the credentialing process.
A 15-member committee, composed of representatives of the ISTM Board and membership, was selected to oversee the body of knowledge research. These travel medicine experts met on April 12, 1999 to draft a core body of knowledge for the global practice of travel medicine. After undergoing additional reviews by the committee, the body of knowledge was converted to survey format. The survey was mailed to a panel of 110 experts who were representative of the diversity within the profession. Sixty-eight surveys were returned, resulting in a return rate of 62%. Results of this survey can be used to determine the level of importance that various topics play in the daily practice of travel medicine.
Program Development Schedule
If ISTM decides to proceed with the development of a certificate of knowledge program, it will be necessary to complete the following tasks:
- Conduct a question-writing drive to obtain questions for the certification examination.
- Review the body of knowledge survey data and develop the examination specifications based on these data and the consensus of experts from the examination development committee.
- Review the "raw" questions obtained from the question-writing drive and revise and delete as necessary.
- Assemble, review, and finalize the examination.
- Develop program procedures and materials, including eligibility requirements and candidate bulletin of information.
- Administer examination, scan answer sheets, and determine passing score.
It is assumed that ISTM will print and mail all program materials, conduct the question-writing drive, process candidate applications, respond to candidate inquiries, and arrange and supervise the test administration.
Budget estimates for the project and the means of financing it remain to be worked out, but these costs will be considerable. Moreover, once the certificate program is developed, the consulting costs associated with maintaining the program will depend on whether a new examination form is developed for each biannual administration or the initial examination form is used for subsequent administrations. Given the high costs associated with the development of the program and the fact that the credential will be relatively low stakes (i.e., not for purposes of licensure or primary specialty board certification), the latter option may be the more desirable.
