Department of Radiology, University College Hospital, London, UK.
Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK.
Clin Radiol. 2014 Jul;69(7):750-7. doi: 10.1016/j.crad.2014.03.007. Epub 2014 May 20.
To assess factors that influence pass rates and examination scores in the Fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists (FRCR) 2B examination.
2238 attempts at the FRCR 2B examination were evaluated between Spring 2006 and Spring 2010. Pass rates and examination scores were analysed by gender and ethnicity, and the influence of factors such as radiology training (UK versus non-UK), sitting (Spring versus Autumn), and the presence of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree were examined.
1571 candidates made 2238 examination attempts, with an overall pass rate of 59.4% (63.1% at first attempt). 66.2% entrants were male; 48.8% attempts were by candidates from a UK radiology training scheme. UK candidates were significantly more likely to pass than non-UK candidates (p < 0.0001). White candidates were more likely to pass at first or second attempt than non-white candidates (p < 0.0001), but when restricted to UK entrants ethnicity did not influence success at first attempt. Overall, females were more successful than males (p < 0.001). Presence of an undergraduate (p = 0.19) or postgraduate (p = 0.80) degree did not affect pass rate at first attempt for UK candidates. However, logistic regression demonstrated that the only significant factor influencing pass rates at first attempt was whether radiology training was undertaken in the UK (p < 0.0001). A trend towards increased pass rates in autumn sittings was seen (p = 0.06), but ethnicity (p = 0.99) and gender (p = 0.41) were not significant factors.
The FRCR 2B examination is non-discriminatory for UK candidates with respect to gender and ethnicity. Poorer performance of non-UK trained candidates is a consistent outcome in the literature.
评估影响皇家放射学院院士（FRCR）2B 考试通过率和考试成绩的因素。
评估了 2006 年春季至 2010 年春季期间 2238 次 FRCR 2B 考试尝试。按性别和种族分析通过率和考试成绩，并检查了放射学培训（英国与非英国）、考试时间（春季与秋季）以及是否具有本科学位或研究生学位等因素的影响。
1571 名考生进行了 2238 次考试尝试，总体通过率为 59.4%（首次尝试通过率为 63.1%）。66.2%的考生为男性；48.8%的尝试者来自英国放射学培训计划。英国考生的通过率明显高于非英国考生（p<0.0001）。白人考生首次或第二次尝试通过的可能性高于非白人考生（p<0.0001），但仅限于英国考生时，种族并不影响首次尝试的成功率。总体而言，女性比男性更成功（p<0.001）。英国考生是否具有本科学位（p=0.19）或研究生学位（p=0.80）并不影响首次尝试的通过率。然而，逻辑回归表明，影响首次尝试通过率的唯一重要因素是放射学培训是否在英国进行（p<0.0001）。秋季考试的通过率呈上升趋势（p=0.06），但种族（p=0.99）和性别（p=0.41）不是显著因素。
FRCR 2B 考试在性别和种族方面对英国考生没有歧视。非英国培训考生表现较差是文献中的一致结果。
