ABEM raised standards for examiner training, as well as expectations for the reliability and validity of examiners’ efforts administering examinations.

Dr. Reinhart oversaw the research and development project to create “The Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine” (EM Model), a scientifically based practice analysis of clinical emergency medicine.

In 2001, the six sponsoring organizations approved the EM Model, which ABEM then adapted for use as an examination blueprint for all future written certification and recertification examinations.

Dr. Reinhart is “a very intelligent, charming, warm individual who works tirelessly to promote the specialty of emergency medicine,” said the current ABEM president, Dr. Debra Perina.

She recalled just how critical Dr. Reinhart’s admirable people skills were to the EM Model’s approval.

“Mary Ann is quite skilled at negotiations and is able to, through open discussions, bring consensus to a group that’s quite disparate in the beginning,” Dr. Perina said. “I remember this specifically with the development of the EM Model, which is one of the accomplishments that I think stand out during her tenure as executive director.

“No other specialty has a written model that is data driven and reflects the actual practice of that specialty,” she added. “That emergency medicine has it is largely through the collective efforts of multiple organizations, led by ABEM. Mary Ann was instrumental in helping to bring those parties together to reach consensus.”

Dr. Reinhart’s interest in examinations extended to each test question, and thus she developed ABEM’s Item Writers Workshop for volunteers who help write ABEM’s test questions.

“This is an opportunity for us to help train our item writers to a comfort level that feels good to them and that works for the board, and it’s also an opportunity for them to bring their families and for all the writers and their families to get to know each other,” Dr. Reinhart said. “It’s truly been a lot of fun over the years.”

“This workshop is a wonderful chance for our item writers to get feedback and further education on how to write a good test item,” Dr. Perina said. “The science behind the writing that our item writers learn is something that Dr. Reinhart taught initially, and she has since passed on this legacy by teaching others to do the same. I believe it’s been the pivotal point in terms of our development of such a valid exam.”