Timing of Boards and Residency Length

[johnangles]

hi all, looking for advice. So I'm a resident and ever since i started it has been terrible. program is good and we aren't abused but I've never been more depressed and hopeless about the future. Im too pot committed to leave now. I realize the grass is greener but if everything is really worse than this then I'm in trouble. I just have not been satisfied or interested in the work; we aren't supposed to be technicians but thats all it feels we are. none of our attendings seem happy or enthusiastic, very few of our residents seem so. Same with all the non-physician staff. Maybe its an academic thing? I feel stripped of my enthusiasm, creativity, youth. I understand the utility of finishing, though I can not see myself practicing at this point, but is there any way to decompress how long it takes to finish all the certifications?

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[Gfunk6]

So sorry you are feeling this way. I think Rad Onc is a wonderful field though it clearly is not a fit for everybody.

The most expedient way to get certified is like so:

1. End of PGY-4: take Clinical Physics and Radiobiology Written Boards
2. End of PGY-5: take Clinical Oncology Written Boards
3. One year after graduation: take Oral Boards in Louisville, KY
4. MOC (maintenance of certification) exams every 10 years (Written)

If you'd like to delay your Clinical Physics and Radiobiology Written Boards, you can take them with your Clinical Oncology Written Boards at the end of residency. However, it would be challenging to study for all three exams simultaneously.

If you'd like to defer the Oral Exam, it's a bit more complex. The new ABR rules state that you remain "Board Eligible" for up to six years after graduation from residency. After that time, you essentially have to go back to residency for another year to "reset" your Board Eligibility.

Honestly though, delaying your oral boards is not a good idea. You will never be as well-prepared as x 1 year after residency. Also, you will tend to forget things that you don't routinely do in practice (e.g. pediatrics, brachytherapy).

 

[medgator]

If you'd like to delay your Clinical Physics and Radiobiology Written Boards, you can take them with your Clinical Oncology Written Boards at the end of residency. However, it would be challenging to study for all three exams simultaneously.

At one point they used to do it

 

[user_name]

Don't forget that EVERYONE was doing all three then. Unless ABR has changed, the pass rate is based on performance compared to peers. There is no reported cutoff where everyone will pass with a minimum number correct. If everyone else has studied for physics and radbio only OR clinical written only, I would be very fearful of not achieving a passing score COMPARED to the highly focused studying of the other 135 "peers" who all finished in the top of their medical school and/or have achieved multiple advanced degrees and only need to recall from half the information that you have crammed in your head.

 

[radiaterMike]

For the written boards, the pass rate is not based on a curve or based upon comparisos to peers (present or historic), but rather the Angoff method (limked on Wiki below) is used. This accounts for the year to year variability in pass rate (i.e. there is not a set 95% pass rate).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard-setting_study

Don't forget that EVERYONE was doing all three then. Unless ABR has changed, the pass rate is based on performance compared to peers. There is no reported cutoff where everyone will pass with a minimum number correct. If everyone else has studied for physics and radbio only OR clinical written only, I would be very fearful of not achieving a passing score COMPARED to the highly focused studying of the other 135 "peers" who all finished in the top of their medical school and/or have achieved multiple advanced degrees and only need to recall from half the information that you have crammed in your head.

 

[Scatter]

Don't forget that EVERYONE was doing all three then. Unless ABR has changed, the pass rate is based on performance compared to peers. There is no reported cutoff where everyone will pass with a minimum number correct. If everyone else has studied for physics and radbio only OR clinical written only, I would be very fearful of not achieving a passing score COMPARED to the highly focused studying of the other 135 "peers" who all finished in the top of their medical school and/or have achieved multiple advanced degrees and only need to recall from half the information that you have crammed in your head.

That's a good point. Studying for all three at once must be like the fifth circle of hell.

Re: Boards, I know people (and some from top programs) who've had to defer Orals for a year because of "life comes at you fast" type of things, and did fine. It's not the end of the world.