2005 Examination Committee Report

Phyllis Kozarsky

The second ISTM Certificate of Knowledge in Travel Medicine Examination was administered on May 1 in Lisbon, Portugal. In all, 254 applied to take the exam (16 did not take it) and 238 sat for the exam. The demographic breakdown of the applicants was as follows:

EXAM STATS: 254

PROFESSION:
Physician - 162
Nurse - 67
Nurse Practitioner - 10
Pharmacist - 6
Physician's Assistant - 6
Biologist - 1
Nurse Midwife - 1
Radiology Technician - 1

GENDER:
Male - 122, Female - 132

AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS IN PRACTICE: 7

COUNTRY BREAKDOWN:
Argentina - 1
Australia - 10
Austria - 1
Belgium - 9
Brazil - 4
Canada - 32
Chile - 1
France - 1
Germany - 1
Ghana - 1
Hong Kong - 1
Israel - 2
Italy - 13
Japan - 12
Laos - 1
Luxembourg - 1
Mauritius - 1
Mexico - 1
Mozambique - 1
Curacao - 1
New Zealand - 2
Norway - 5
Peru - 1
Poland - 1
Portugal - 2
Singapore - 1
Slovenia - 3
South Africa - 6
South Korea - 1
Spain - 14
Sweden - 3
Switzerland - 8
Thailand - 1
United Kingdom - 13
USA - 98

Examinees will receive their scores by July. As previously done in 2003 following the first exam, a statistical analysis of every question has already been performed by Knapp and Associates International, Inc., our professional testing firm. We are told that the test questions performed very well, which is critical to the validity of the process. Those examinees that pass the exam will receive a letter saying they have passed, along with a Certificate in Travel Health (CTH). In addition, they will be recognized in the next ISTM newsletter (unless we hear that they wish their name not to be listed). If he or she works in a travel clinic, an asterisk will also be placed beside their names in the online clinic register.

Those examinees who do not pass will receive a letter telling them of their score and a performance analysis of areas where they need improvement so that they may consider studying the topics of weakness and sitting for the next examination. After the results are disseminated to those who sat for the exam, the Exam Committee will then be reconfigured. Some members will be thanked and retired, and others from the pool of those who passed the exam will be asked to join the Committee. Geographic and practice pattern factors are taken into consideration when asking new members to participate so that there is a diversity of individuals from the Society represented. It is anticipated that with time the value of the Certificate of Knowledge will increase both within the ISTM and outside the Society as well. The Exam Committee is thus attempting to obtain a baseline of information from members as well as ISTM conference participants regarding their thoughts about the exam process. The Committee, in conjunction with the Executive Board, is considering a variety of options for making the exam more available in the future. One consideration is administering the exam annually, including during the regional conferences; another idea for future consideration is administration at various testing sites and/or electronic testing.

We therefore ask that all of you take the time to fill out the attached exam survey, which will aid us in determining future priorities. Please fax the completed survey to (01)1-770-736-6732 or send it by postal mail to: ISTM Administrative Director, PO Box 871089, Stone Mountain, GA 30087-0028 USA. Unfortunately, the survey cannot be completed and sent electronically. If you already filled out the survey in Lisbon, there is no need to do so again and we appreciate your time and effort. In addition, please feel free at any time to communicate with anyone on the Committee, with Brenda, Janet or me with regard to questions or suggestions so that we can improve this important initiative.

Phyllis Kozarsky
for the Examination Committee