ABSITE Blues

[SLUser11]

tomorrow!

As SLUser notes, please do not post questions or even topics from the exam here.

The ABS is very serious about protecting their product, and we may not be able to protect your privacy if supoenaed by them.

Took the senior exam.....I thought there were more "gimmies" this year, which might make for a tighter curve.

Last year, I felt that it was more clinical than I expected, and this year it seemed more basic science-y than I expected, which is probably more of a reflection on my changing knowledge base than a true change in exam content.

Either way, I'm glad it's over, and I'm off tonight, so....

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[mosfet]

I took the computer version of the exam....I personally felt it to be more convenient and easier to navigate between questions than the paper exam I took last year.

 

[Khirurg]

took a last one in my residency!!!!
was a fair exam for the most part, but what is the deal with all the Gyn questions?

 

[maverick_pkg]

took a last one in my residency!!!!
was a fair exam for the most part, but what is the deal with all the Gyn questions?

yeah I was reminded of med school seeing so much GYN

 

[Buzz Me]

Too much H&N for me! Yikes!

 

[blue2000]

yeah I was reminded of med school seeing so much GYN

Yep, I agree. I thought the senior exam was more basic sciency than I expected and more than last year, though that may reflect my lack of knowledge on that end and my greater comfort with the clinical questions.

 

[dpmd]

I was surprised by a couple of questions that I wouldn't think anybody would have come across in their usual review habits. I had to hit up google after the test to find the answer to one, and I still haven't found the answer to the other. Other than that I thought there were some really easy basic science questions, some questions right out of the score portal absite prep site, and enough trauma to make me feel good about my score. I didn't have nearly as many "who the hell would know that" moments and I am convinced it is because of the shift in focus to more clinical stuff. I still might have gotten things wrong, but at least I had some rationale for my answers.

So glad it is over, and I actually am looking forward to seeing my score this time.

 

[ilikescut12]

FWIW, from someone who recently took the written and oral boards-

the absite is as close to the ABS written exam as you can get.

write down the questions from each absite you take as soon as you are done. and study the concepts. you will see them again.

disclaimer- reproducing and sharing the questions may be against ABS policy- but i dont believe there is a rule against using them for your own use.

good luck all

Is the ABSITE closer to the written exam than SESAP?

 

[Buzz Me]

Agreed with ESU's advice - right after the exam, write down all the questions you can remember. You'd be surprised how often the same topics pop up, as well as how many questions you can actually recall.

 

[Apollyon]

Agreed with ESU's advice - right after the exam, write down all the questions you can remember. You'd be surprised how often the same topics pop up, as well as how many questions you can actually recall.

Just don't tell anyone or give them to anyone, because reproduction, including memorization, is a violation, and the ABS could block one from EVER sitting for the exam to become board certified (as has been mentioned prior in this and many other threads).

 

[Buzz Me]

All my recalled questions are for my own use only.

 

[SLUser11]

They're back.

I hope everyone did appropriately well.

I definitely recommend SESAP for the senior exam, and to go ahead and burn any copies of the Johns Hopkins ABSITE review or anything by Surgisphere.

 

[dynx]

They're back.

I hope everyone did appropriately well.

I definitely recommend SESAP for the senior exam, and to go ahead and burn any copies of the Johns Hopkins ABSITE review or anything by Surgisphere.

99th percentile again. Same advice. Absite review by Fiser and read all year round. Can't cram. I thought the johns hopkins review was worthless.

 

[filter07]

99th percentile again. Same advice. Absite review by Fiser and read all year round. Can't cram. I thought the johns hopkins review was worthless.

Nice job. Did you take the senior exam this year?

 

[opr8n]

first time taking the senior exam
score ok but not great, worse than junior exam, but i guess that can be expected
i made alot of dumb mistates this year
also i was thrown by a few very odd questions

well the upside is, i get to take it again next year!! yeah!

 

[kiernin]

Took the junior exam (pgy2). My raw score is better than last year but the percentile SUCKS something awful. It's really bad. What a rude awakening.

Does anyone who scores well on this thing have any advice? I focused on Fiser but obviously that was insufficient. Maybe I need to put myself on a remedial year-round reading program?

 

[dynx]

Nice job. Did you take the senior exam this year?

yep. I thought Fiser was still the way to go...with added notes from reading through the year (notes pretty much done in prev. years). There's always things that pop up in the test from out of left field but I'm not sure there's any way of preparing for that except reading broadly and hoping you hit that detail by luck.

to kiernin....you should have a year round reading program. I think every general surgery resident should. Pick one of the big three texts as a junior and read it from start to finish over the year. write notes in Fiser as you go. you can't cram, the test is just to broad.

 

[opr8n]

Maybe I need to put myself on a remedial year-round reading program?

this made me think of one of my friends in residency
one of our attendings told him he needed to take 3months off to just read
ouch!
i have found that reading year rounbd is a good goal to have, albeit very unrealistic

 

[SLUser11]

this made me think of one of my friends in residency
one of our attendings told him he needed to take 3months off to just read
ouch!
i have found that reading year rounbd is a good goal to have, albeit very unrealistic

It can be tough to read sometimes, but I've used a few techniques to help maximize my free time:

1. You can have journal table of contents emailed to you.

2. Keep journals you have copies of near the dinner table or whatever spot you'll be at for a few minutes a day.

3. Your time in the car is free learning time. I use lots of audio resources, such as SESAP, Audio Digest, burndoc.net, etc.....a lot of which is available free if you know where to look, like the library....

4. I've always made sure to confirm whatever people have told me....not taking attending/senior resident practices and patient care at face value, but instead researching the topics.....this helps keep me from practicing voodoo or anecdotal medicine.

 

[toxic-megacolon]

This was definately a Fiser year. Used that crappy little book, and doubled my percentile from last year! Its too bad, I think the ABSITE rewards a very superficial understanding of surgery.

Now I wonder how well I would have done if I would have studied the ENT/Oral cancers a little bit

 

[opr8n]

This was definately a Fiser year.

thats interesting, i didnt find that to be true this year
funny how people see things differently
but as the days go on im forgetting more of that dumb test

 

[deleted89854]

Using the following I've always managed to stay above the 90th percentile:

1) Fiser (duh) for downtime. I usually only make it through once or twice prior to the test. Perfect for cramming in some detail about stuff you don't regularly see, like gyn or GU. This only works if you have background (textbook, reading for cases, etc). You can't just pick it up and read it.

2) Rush has been huge for me. For the junior exam if you can complete the first half, you're golden. I take notes when I don't know the answer, and by now I've filled a notebook with random trivia. For those who don't know, it's a question book with exhaustive explanations for the answers. Some don't like it because the questions are not in ABSITE format. ABSITE questions are direct and short, whereas RUSH uses stuff like all of the following are correct EXCEPT, more than 1 correct answer, matching, etc. The main problem is that you can't go through it quickly like Fiser or SESAP. I like that it's divided by organ system (liver, spleen, esophagus, etc) and each chapter has anatomy, basic science, and clinical.

3) SESAP - Very helpful for clinical judgement sections. I like the computer quiz format, and it keeps score. It's also easy to go over things you got incorrect.

4) ABSITE killer - purchased for PDA on iPhone. Can run though it 2 or 3 times the couple of days before the exam.

- I've tried a bunch of other stuff. The Hopkins question book is crap (limited explanations, not enough questions. Haven't tried their study quide. The Fiser question book sucks. Michigan review (or whatever it's called now) is written by residents and varies widely in quality depending on whether the resident writing the answer gave it 100%. Uses actual ABSITE topics.

 

[toxic-megacolon]

.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Actually, am I allowed to ask this question? I'm sure WS will let me know if I'm out of line

Seriously dude...delete your post above or I can edit it for you.

I am NOT kidding when I say that SDN has been subpeonaed for contact information for this type of thing and those members have never posted on SDN again. The ABS takes posting of questions and question topics very seriously and will contact us and your residency program. A physician selling the questions lost his BC and his medical license over it.

 

[MediCane2006]

Scores are back!!! Hope everyone did well....

 

[SLUser11]

Scores are back!!! Hope everyone did well....

Bump for 2011.

Now that I'm a chief resident, and I've already matched for fellowship, this test means almost nothing to me, and the ABSITE blues have permanently gone away. Still, due to my ultra-competitive nature, I doubt I'll let myself do too bad on the test.

Just to add something useful: I bought SESAP 14 at the DC meeting, and I've read through most of it...it's pretty good and definitely up to date. Of course, there are some questions that seem more like an author's soapbox than anything else, but those same authors probably write the board Qs, so I guess I'll have to go along with it....

Good luck to everyone in the weeks ahead, and don't forget just how important Fiser's book is to doing well on this test.

 

[Musashi450]

Bump for 2011.

Now that I'm a chief resident, and I've already matched for fellowship, this test means almost nothing to me, and the ABSITE blues have permanently gone away.

As a new intern, this is the written version of cutting me with a knife, rubbing salt in the wound, then kicking me in the balls... Someday I suppose....

Speaking of Fiser what chapters do we need to focus on for the junior exam (I'm assuming anything basic science ish) I only ask because I have the newer adition which is a bit bigger and the book is pretty dense so I doubt I'll make it through the entire thing before end of Jan. Thoughts?

 

[SLUser11]

As a new intern, this is the written version of cutting me with a knife, rubbing salt in the wound, then kicking me in the balls... Someday I suppose....

Speaking of Fiser what chapters do we need to focus on for the junior exam (I'm assuming anything basic science ish) I only ask because I have the newer adition which is a bit bigger and the book is pretty dense so I doubt I'll make it through the entire thing before end of Jan. Thoughts?

The Fiser book shouldn't be too big....perhaps you're talking about the Comprehensive Fiser book, which is too dense. If so, it's worth buying the smaller version very soon.

Anyway, you have to read all the chapters for the junior exam. The first 80 pages or so are probably the highest yield....but if you want to do well, you have to basically memorize this book as best you can.

 

[SLUser11]

Bump for 2011.

Now that I'm a chief resident, and I've already matched for fellowship, this test means almost nothing to me, and the ABSITE blues have permanently gone away.

Well, even though I promised myself that I wouldn't study for the ABSITE this year, it's now a week away and I have to admit that I'm starting to read Fiser. I know that it means very little to me this year, but it's my last chance to get a free taste of what the boards are going to be like, and I can't go in there without a little preparation.

For the junior residents, I hope studying is going well. By this point, you may have more questions than answers.....this is my 5th time taking the test, and I still don't know when the right time is to transfuse platelets when doing splenectomy for ITP....the real answer is only if necessary, but who knows what the ABSITE answer is....

 

[LucidSplash]

Our chiefs aren't even taking it...

 

[ESU_MD]

but it's my last chance to get a free taste of what the boards are going to be like, and I can't go in there without a little preparation.

FWIW, I thought the real written boards was pretty similiar to the "senior" absite, and not much like any book I had bought or course I went too.

Too bad it's illegal to memorize and copy down the questions from the absite............................ im sure they would help you prepare for the real boards.

 

[Smurfette]

I thought you transfused platelets immediately after the spleen is in the pan....if needs transfusion at all.

I am very glad I didn't completely blow off my last ABSITE. I admit I didn't study as hard, but I didn't want to embarass myself with a low score. Some of my classmates who did blow it off, and scored in the single digits (percentile-wise...ouch!), realized when August rolled around that they had done themselves a disservice for the real thing since they didn't do a good thorough review back in January (there is something to be said about studying some of the random stuff that you otherwise don't study during rotations...). Some of them felt a little more pressure since they had just moved, started fellowships, etc. which was distracting as well, increasing the time crunch to review things thoroughly.

Treat it like a board practice exam. The real thing WAS like a longer version of the ABSITE....but by the end of it, it seemed like you couldn't find a single clinical topic, obscure or obvious, that wasn't made into a question. And none of those "see it every year" type of ABSITE basic science questions made it on the real deal as far as I can remember.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Our chiefs aren't even taking it...

Wow...not required to huh? I think that's a mistake (as Smurfette notes).

 

[SLUser11]

I thought you transfused platelets immediately after the spleen is in the pan....if needs transfusion at all.

That's kind of my point. Depending on which reference you use (Michigan State, Fiser, old questions, etc), the answer ranges from at the time of incision, after ligation of the artery, once the spleen is out, etc. To me, it represents the classic frustrating ABSITE question, where there is conflicting info, and the "test answer" may be different from the real answer.

In truth, I have only done a few spleens for ITP. They were all laparoscopic, none got platelets, and they all did well. Most of my splenectomies have either been trauma-related or gigantic lymphoma spleens...I've never given platelets during a splenectomy.

 

[Buzz Me]

Also depends on if they're bleeding or not pre-op, right? Then you'd give the platelets during induction. If not, then I agree, after clamping the vessels...

 

[SLUser11]

Also depends on if they're bleeding or not pre-op, right? Then you'd give the platelets during induction. If not, then I agree, after clamping the vessels...

Ok, so there's another answer. Also, I noticed in Fiser yesterday that it says transfuse 1 hour before incision.

So here's how the question will likely look:

When should you transfuse platelets when doing a splenectomy for ITP?

A. 1 hour prior to incision
B. With induction of anesthesia
C. Immediately prior to incision
D. After clamping the vessels
E. Only if necessary for bleeding

This question, while overall not a big deal, is a great example of some of the frustrating questions we see every year on the ABSITE. It's best to just let it go, though.....

 

[45408]

Seriously dude...delete your post above or I can edit it for you.

I am NOT kidding when I say that SDN has been subpeonaed for contact information for this type of thing and those members have never posted on SDN again. The ABS takes posting of questions and question topics very seriously and will contact us and your residency program. A physician selling the questions lost his BC and his medical license over it.

I'm surprised they pulled his license, but that was pretty dumb on his part. I'm just envisioning some guy selling stuff out of the back of a station wagon in an alley next to a big academic medical center though

 

[Guile]

Seriously dude...delete your post above or I can edit it for you.

I am NOT kidding when I say that SDN has been subpeonaed for contact information for this type of thing and those members have never posted on SDN again. The ABS takes posting of questions and question topics very seriously and will contact us and your residency program. A physician selling the questions lost his BC and his medical license over it.

What control does the ABS have over a medical license? I thought those were administered by the state. I can understand board certification since that is run by the ABS but his medical license?

 

[Winged Scapula]

What control does the ABS have over a medical license? I thought those were administered by the state. I can understand board certification since that is run by the ABS but his medical license?

The ABS has no control over licensing. I didn't say that ABS was responsible for loss of a medical license.

However, clearly the act of selling copywritten material became a matter of public record and in some cases, can be a criminal offense. The state which awarded the license must have felt that such behavior violated the right to hold such a license.

 

[Smurfette]

Also, you have to disclose if you've ever had board certification ever sactioned or revoked as an "adverse action" on many forms---privilege applications, malpractice applications, and potentially state licensing and renewals---may specifically ask that question.

Maybe ABS reported it to the NPDB? That could do it....

 

[Winged Scapula]

Also, you have to disclose if you've ever had board certification ever sactioned or revoked as an "adverse action" on many forms---privilege applications, malpractice applications, and potentially state licensing and renewals---may specifically ask that question.

Maybe ABS reported it to the NPDB? That could do it....

That might have been enough.

The culprit may have had other issues which were questionable enough as well.

Bottom line is: the ABS is serious about this stuff guys. Don't post questions today/tomorrow, don't discuss passages here on SDN.

Good Luck!!!

 

[SLUser11]

That might have been enough.

The culprit may have had other issues which were questionable enough as well.

Bottom line is: the ABS is serious about this stuff guys. Don't post questions today/tomorrow, don't discuss passages here on SDN.

Good Luck!!!

On that note, what did you guys think about that one question on the....



j/k

Seriously, though, the test is over. While I used to have ABSITE blues, now all I see are blue skies.

As a PGY-3, I felt the senior exam had no basic science at all, as a 4, I felt there was a lot more basic science. This year, I felt like the exam was almost all basic science. I think it's interesting how my knowledge base must have changed/evolved over the last 3 years, while the actual % of basic science questions remained constant.

Since it meant so little this year, and since I'm working today, I'm not participating in the usual post-test drinking games. If I can stomach it, though, I'll try to watch the Creighton game tonight.

 

[Sarcoidosis]

Hi, all

Curious to know what percentage translates to what percentile?

I know it varies based on the questions that are right or wrong.

But indulge me...
Thanks

 

[Smurfette]

The percent corresponding to a given percentile change every year. Sometimes there is not a big change from year to year, and other times the average can shift several percent up or down and make the percentiles significantly different. It also depends on how many questions the throw out every year (I think one year they threw out like 10, other years just a couple...).

 

[45408]

Way too much stuff about narrow topics, and way too many questions asking the same thing in different ways.

 

[Musashi450]

It wasn't quite as bad as i had imagined it would be but felt like most I could get down to 2 answers than it was just an educated guess. Still wasn't sure on plenty but I guess we'll see in March.

 

[Guile]

So who covers the services today? I'm sure there's variability among institutions, but do attendings actually carry the intern pager for a few hours?

 

[Winged Scapula]

So who covers the services today? I'm sure there's variability among institutions, but do attendings actually carry the intern pager for a few hours?

Ours did, but in the end, the nurses would only page them for true emergencies so you could expect a flurry of pages about trivial **** after 2 or 3 pm.

 

[dynx]

On that note, what did you guys think about that one question on the....



j/k

Seriously, though, the test is over. While I used to have ABSITE blues, now all I see are blue skies.

As a PGY-3, I felt the senior exam had no basic science at all, as a 4, I felt there was a lot more basic science. This year, I felt like the exam was almost all basic science. I think it's interesting how my knowledge base must have changed/evolved over the last 3 years, while the actual % of basic science questions remained constant.

Since it meant so little this year, and since I'm working today, I'm not participating in the usual post-test drinking games. If I can stomach it, though, I'll try to watch the Creighton game tonight.

Man. I felt this year was the worst.
"which of these things helps reduce trauma deaths the most:
a. speed limits
b. air bags...etc etc

jesus.
Am I making public policy? I thought the surgery questions were pretty easy but damn...lots of questions I couldnt care less about. Lucky for me my fellowship apps are in and Im not all that concerned about my score this year.

 

[Guile]

Countdown until the copyright police show up (aka Kim)...