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Jessica Lewis

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Viewing 12 posts - 46 through 57 (of 57 total)
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  • in reply to: Last few weeks #470330
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    I would focus on the areas that you are less confident in. For example, if you practice in outpatient developmental pediatrics and 90% of your caseload is CP, that is your strength. You might want to put more effort in reviewing areas that you are less familiar with – cardiopulmonary, inpatient lab values, etc. I think our study guides are a nice overview of many of the texts and articles you might have already reviewed. Use them and questions you are consistently missing on practice exams to determine what your weaknesses are and then really focus on those areas when you are studying.

    in reply to: test taking strategies #470327
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    I would always go with your gut. You can typically eliminate one answer immediately, a second answer with a little bit of thought, and then finally trust your gut on the final two you have left. Flag questions that you aren’t sure about, but beware that you might not have the time to get back to those questions, so always at least make you best guess before moving on.

    In addition, don’t get stuck over analyzing the question. Read it for what it is and don’t second guess the intent behind the question.

    in reply to: Biggest bang #470324
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    I focused a lot on the outpatient developmental aspect of pediatric practice. I could have put some more focus on the other areas of pediatric practice that I was less familiar with – inpatient/acute, sports, etc. Maybe put some more effort into areas that you have not yet practiced in since that might be a little more rusty.

    in reply to: Testing specifics for the PCS. #470321
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    We know nothing more than what is on the ABPTS website about exam question specifics as we have no association with ABPTS. Our content is aligned with the percentages of different content areas stated in the DPS. The best information about test questions I can point you to is here: http://www.abpts.org/Resources/ExamOutlines/Pediatrics/

    in reply to: research articles #470313
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    Hi Ashley!

    In terms of how test questions are typically written, they should not be creating questions about specific research studies and the results. They will stick to overall themes and ideas.

    I would prioritize systematic reviews and articles that have high applicability to clinical practice – such as the CP motor curves or Novak’s stop light review. These are summarizing important bodies of literature so they are able to get more information to you in just one article than all of the articles they are summarizing.

    in reply to: #64 case based exam #332358
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    For an L4, possible muscle function includes: medial knee flexors (3/5) and ankle dorsiflexors (3/5) as well as all levels from L3 (knee extensors 3/5) and L2 (hip adductors 3/5, hip flexors 3/5), L1 (lower trunk, hip flexors 2/5), and above. For an L5 lesion, possible muscle function includes: hip abductors (2/5), lateral knee flexors (3/5), ankle invertors (3/5), toe extensors (palpable at ankle). L5 clues in this patient are the hip abductors, foot inversion, and toe extension. We would expect stronger muscle groups if the child was S1-3 as well as hip extension and ankle plantarflexion present to some extent.

    Here is a resource I find helpful: https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/HOW%20SB%20LESIONS%20IMPACT%20DAILY%20FUNCTION.pdf

    in reply to: case based exam #35 #332355
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    For Assessment 6 the patient had a GMFM-66 score of 53.09 (CI 50.68-55.50) and for Assessment 7 the patient had a GMFM-66 score of 55.92 (CI 53.63-58.21). The confidence interval takes into account the possibility for test error and gives a range for what numbers we can be 95% confident in that the patient’s score falls between. Since the patient’s confidence intervals from Assessment 6 and 7 overlap (between the scores of 53.63-55.50) it is possible that the patient’s scores actually did not really change if we consider that there could have been test error that is causing the score to be higher or lower than it really should be. So, yes, the patient had a positive change score of 2.83 (measurable change), but since the confidence intervals overlap the scores did not exceed the threshold for test error. Does this help?

    in reply to: Stats questions #328577
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    Hi Kasey!

    In terms of construct validity, construct is referring to something that can’t be directly observed but measured by observing other things that are associated with it. In order to measure the construct validity of a test, we are determining if the test as a whole measuring the concept that it is intended to measure. An example would be a test measuring quality of life. Quality of life is more of an abstract construct and not a specific, black and white, construct. Construct validity makes sure that the test is actually measuring quality of life as a whole and not just the child’s pain, social economic status, level of mobility, etc. Most research looks at construct validity because you can do a comparison with a “gold standard” test and if there is an association then we can typically say that the tests are measuring the same construct.

    Content validity is measuring whether or not the test is representative of all aspects of the construct. We determine if there are any aspects missing from the test or if there are irrelevant aspects included in the test.

    As for p-level vs p-value, I believe these are the same thing. The term p-value is more commonly used and it determines the level of significance. Are you thinking about alpha level vs p-value? The alpha level is the number we choose to evaluate the p-value against. Typically, the alpha level is set at 0.05. You compare the p-value with the alpha level to determine whether or not the data are statistically significant.

    Let us know if you have any other questions about this!

    Jessica

    in reply to: Question 76 on Case-Based Exam #323963
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    Hi Amy!

    Thank you for pointing this out to us. When we originally designed the questions and answers, we did not take into account that the answers would be scrambled each time. We thought we caught all of the questions, but we missed this one! We will make sure to correct this as soon as possible for the future. For now, here are the correct descriptions of each gait pattern:

    Equinus gait pattern: ankle plantarflexion (equinus) during stance phase with full hip extension and full knee extension during stance
    Jump gait pattern: ankle plantarflexion during stance with hip and knee flexion in early stance followed by extension to a variable degree in late stance
    Apparent equinus gait pattern: normal ankle range of motion throughout the gait cycle with hip and knee flexion throughout stance
    Crouch gait pattern: ankle in excessive dorsiflexion, hip flexion, and knee flexion throughout stance

    A really great reference for this is: Papageorgiou E, et al. Systematic review on gait classifications in children with cerebral palsy: an update. Gait Posture. 2019;69:209-223. It gives more description for each pattern and has pictures.

    Let us know if you have any other questions about this one!

    Jessica

    in reply to: number 20 stats question #321616
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    In a multiple baseline study, the “baseline” state of a patient is recorded before the experimental treatment is completed. Changes between the baseline and then the response to treatment are then evaluated. The baseline for the patient is then recorded again before another experimental treatment is completed. This allows the experimenter to account for change over time and change due to the first experimental treatment without it affecting the second treatment they are implementing.

    Sackett 1996
    Level of Evidence Study Design/Methodology of articles
    I Systematic reviews, meta-analysis, randomized controlled trials
    II Two groups, non-randomized studies (ex. cohort, case-control)
    III One group, non-randomized (ex. before and after, pretest and post-test)
    IV Descriptive studies that include analysis of outcomes (ex. single subject design, case series)
    V Case reports and expert opinion, which include narrative literature reviews and consensus statements.

    in reply to: Lab values #321614
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    Which values were you wanting to be posted in a table?

    in reply to: Lab values #317255
    Jessica Lewis
    Participant

    If you are looking for the reference for the exercise recommendations for children with leukemia, that information can be found in the Effgen text.

    Other references used for questions with lab values are:

    Academy of Acute Care Physical Therapy, Laboratory Values Interpretation (2017); and

    Adel K, Raizman J, Chen Y, et al: Complex biological profile of hematologic markers across pediatric, adult, and geriatric ages: establishment of robust pediatric and adult reference intervals on the basis of the Canadian Health Measures Survey. Clin Chem 2015;61:8.

    Let us know if you have any questions about these!!

Viewing 12 posts - 46 through 57 (of 57 total)