Abfas 2019

[Deadtalus14]

Hey everyone any thoughts on how to prepare for board qualification exam in March?. I read through old threads but thought I’d start a new one for 2019 to keep it fresh. I’ve taken the in-training exams and have not been doing too well on them. At least the didactic part. I have great training in my residency but I feel like I can’t figure this test out, just a lot of obscure answer choices, I feel like I’m doing great until I get my actual score. My coresdients act like they just guessed through the exam and got an amazing score which is really frustrating.

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[hypermobility]

dont choose the answer that is most appropriate. Choose the answer that is a guaranteed TFP move. You'll knock it out of the park.

 

[dtrack22]

guaranteed TFP move

 

[air bud]

I took both exams last year. Didn't study one bit. I thought both were a joke. I thought I killed both of them. I passed rearfoot and didn't pass forefoot. I was shocked about not passing forefoot. I answered every question confidently based on how I was trained and what I studied in the past. I graduated near the top of my class. I did a well known residency with very high surgical volume. I did enough surgery as a first year grad to have enough cases to sit for boards. I passed both BQ first time. I always was in the highest percentile testing that you take in residency compared to peers.

Don't study, its a waste of time. There are no questions on is this a sanders 3a or 3bc. It is clinical, just like the BQ test. In the end, you may pass or you may not. Take it again and try and pass again. At some point if this becomes a re-occuring theme, maybe I just don't have it....

Now the case review, thats a different story for a different time....

 

[hypermobility]

I find TFP offensive sir. It diminishes some of our profession. However if you want to use the term WOP - wanna be ortho pod - I encourage that wholeheartedly

Yeah, your suggestion probably not gonna do so well out there, given it’s a racial slur and all

 

[air bud]

Yeah, your suggestion probably not gonna do so well out there, given it’s a racial slur and all

technically that word includes an "A" as in anglo-saxon

 

[hypermobility]

technically that word includes an "A" as in anglo-saxon

Might want to recheck your sources
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wop

 

[air bud]

Might want to recheck your sources

Back to ABFAS - don't study. Maybe I am now not the best model for this approach, but seriously don't study.

 

[GreenHousePub]

So in terms of the in-training exam it has very little actually outcome on how you will do. If anything it's a good opportunity to just see the test format and get practice or the CBPS. I scored way below all the averages each year and passed all 4 sections, while others in my residency that did above the averages didn't pass the a lot of the sections.

I suspect this is because either arrogance in general or false confidence bestowed by the practice exams. It's actually good that you did poorly on practice because now it will scare you to study - which you should. When I took the exam a few years ago I did the Goldfarb course, which I found to be pretty helpful. I took notes on the lectures and used each section to breakdown what I had forgotten about and expanded on the topics. I didn't bother reading the Goldfarb actual textbook because it's too dense and you won't be able to remember all the tiny details, but I just expanded on the topics taught in the course and flushed them out with things from McGlamry or other sources. I set aside time each day to go over things and drilled them because this is a serious exam and it gets harder every year you are out of residency.

An important thing I would say to remember is indications for procedures, knowing the pros/cons of each procedure and common complications of each procedure as well as management. As an example for a bunion, in residency lets say the IM angle was a little larger so you were comfortable with a base wedge. However if the angle is more consistent with a midshaft procedure choose that as an option - not just what you fell back on during residency.

It's a hard exam and if you prep for it you will succeed. I wouldn't take advice from anyone who says to not study and wing it, especially if they didn't even pass the first time.

 

[air bud]

So in terms of the in-training exam it has very little actually outcome on how you will do. If anything it's a good opportunity to just see the test format and get practice or the CBPS. I scored way below all the averages each year and passed all 4 sections, while others in my residency that did above the averages didn't pass the a lot of the sections.

I suspect this is because either arrogance in general or false confidence bestowed by the practice exams. It's actually good that you did poorly on practice because now it will scare you to study - which you should. When I took the exam a few years ago I did the Goldfarb course, which I found to be pretty helpful. I took notes on the lectures and used each section to breakdown what I had forgotten about and expanded on the topics. I didn't bother reading the Goldfarb actual textbook because it's too dense and you won't be able to remember all the tiny details, but I just expanded on the topics taught in the course and flushed them out with things from McGlamry or other sources. I set aside time each day to go over things and drilled them because this is a serious exam and it gets harder every year you are out of residency.

An important thing I would say to remember is indications for procedures, knowing the pros/cons of each procedure and common complications of each procedure as well as management. As an example for a bunion, in residency lets say the IM angle was a little larger so you were comfortable with a base wedge. However if the angle is more consistent with a midshaft procedure choose that as an option - not just what you fell back on during residency.

It's a hard exam and if you prep for it you will succeed. I wouldn't take advice from anyone who says to not study and wing it, especially if they didn't even pass the first time.

well I didn't study for the rearfoot part and passed which has a much higher fail rate - so which approach was right?

Look, if you are one of those nervous nellie's who over prepares for stuff then sure do goldfarb and study and you will do fine. If you are one of the people that doesn't want to study and says maybe they will look at something a few hours a day a few weeks before the test....don't bother.

 

[GreenHousePub]

It's an exam that costs a few thousand dollars to take and can determine the quality of jobs you can take in the future. It would be foolish to not prepare, whether or not there are anecdotes of some people who did poorly but went to the Harvard of podiatry schools.

My anecdote is this: The people that I know that did well prepared for it, the people that did poorly just said they prepared for it but only did a few hours a day a few weeks before the test.

 

[air bud]

It's an exam that costs a few thousand dollars to take and can determine the quality of jobs you can take in the future. It would be foolish to not prepare, whether or not there are anecdotes of some people who did poorly but went to the Harvard of podiatry schools.

My anecdote is this: The people that I know that did well prepared for it, the people that did poorly just said they prepared for it but only did a few hours a day a few weeks before the test.

If nothing else I hope that I am known for developing this phrase. And being really good at basketball. For a dog.

 

[malleolusman]

Hey everyone any thoughts on how to prepare for board qualification exam in March?. I read through old threads but thought I’d start a new one for 2019 to keep it fresh. I’ve taken the in-training exams and have not been doing too well on them. At least the didactic part. I have great training in my residency but I feel like I can’t figure this test out, just a lot of obscure answer choices, I feel like I’m doing great until I get my actual score. My co residents act like they just guessed through the exam and got an amazing score which is really frustrating.

This is the way of the world. People talking a good game, and studying in the closet. Everyone wants to act like they didn't study, and just passed off their own brilliance. This is stupidity at its finest if you believe the hype. This isn't a common sense exam. This is an exam like every other exam you have taken in your life . . . which you studied for. Last time I checked, most people didn't pass the anatomy exam unless they studied for it.

The better question for your co res -- what major exam do you know of that people don't study for, and still pass?

My 2 cents - study your a$$ off. I failed foot didactic and rearfoot didactic after studying for a solid 2-3 month time frame. I'm an excellent surgeon, no malpractice cases, and consider myself probably in the top 5 percent of podiatrists in terms of surgical volume - and yet I still failed a portion of the exam. Had to throw down some more cash for some retake action.

This exam is a huge money making scheme, but unfortunately if you in the podiatry game, you will need to play this game. . .unless you wanna be mister chip n clip in Alabama.

You need to study for this exam like your life depends on it. Take time off work, study, don't talk to your girl, your man, your kid, your grand kid, your momma, your daddy, whoever. Lock yourself up and study. Just study, and even then - you may fail...because. . .this is podiatry, and you aren't Dr. Chang.

 

[AttackNME]

I recommend studying during your years in residency, if you see something in clinic you never heard of or not sure how to work up, do your due diligence and read up on it that night. The more you can keep this up, the easier it is to remember and the more prepared you'd be for boards and for real life. I know how busy and exhausting residency can be but you gotta do this to keep up.

 

[ROCKsteady24]

what are your thoughts on the board prep pay stuff that is out there? I want to limit the amount of dough im spending

 

[malleolusman]

what are your thoughts on the board prep pay stuff that is out there? I want to limit the amount of dough im spending

Use the search function, you'll find tons on info on this subject.

For the pay stuff, online question banks are helpful -- although just like actually studying for boards, no one will admit to using them. You definitely shouldn't be relying on them to pass though. Like I said - this exam is a ball buster. You need to study, that means intensive reading, and even despite your best efforts - you can fail. Its cray to quote Kanye.