ABSITE qbanks

[sm007thie]

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I know this is a tired topic in many ways. Our program uses SCORE year-round and TrueLearn specifically for ABSITE. The system is working ok. I find TrueLearn less helpful each year because of repeat questions I remember from the previous year. I'm trying to get our program to alternate qbanks each year. The scientific American surgery (SASS) qbank looks intriguing .Has anybody used it? Can anyone offer some insight to this product please?

 

[Jolie South]

I liked the Schwartz question book and the Surgery Illustrated Review is what I used for boards.

 

[SLUser11]

I know this is a tired topic in many ways. Our program uses SCORE year-round and TrueLearn specifically for ABSITE. The system is working ok. I find TrueLearn less helpful each year because of repeat questions I remember from the previous year. I'm trying to get our program to alternate qbanks each year. The scientific American surgery (SASS) qbank looks intriguing .Has anybody used it? Can anyone offer some insight to this product please?

I looked at TrueLearn this year because several residents had purchased subscriptions, and I felt that it was not representative of the actual test....at least not the colorectal questions.

SESAP is a great resource. SCORE questions are inconsistent, as they were initially purchased from a third-party vendor, but some of the older crappier questions are slowly getting phased out.

the Fiser question book is good for the "medical knowledge" questions, i.e. the one-liners.

DiVirgilio's question book is reportedly good, and I did use an old version about 5 years ago to help prep the residents, but in the end it's a single PD writing questions rather than something that's validated, etc.

There really is not one great resource, so I've always recommended going through several. I tend to go through and cherry-pick good questions from SESAP and SCORE when I do ABSITE review lectures.

Of note, I want to put a plug in for the great team at Behind the Knife, as my residents universally cited their podcast as an excellent high-yield resource for this year's ABSITE.

 

[sm007thie]

SCORE questions are inconsistent, as they were initially purchased from a third-party vendor, but some of the older crappier questions are slowly getting phased out.

Yeah, the third party that they were purchased from is Scientific American Surgery (SAS). I'm most interested in hearing what people that have used that qbank have to say. I like SCORE, except as mentioned, it's very dated and inconsistent. If SAS is similar to SCORE except more current and consistent, I imagine it would be an amazing resource. 3,500 questions in their bank !!!

Has anybody used or heard anything about the SAS qbank?

 

[SLUser11]

Yeah, the third party that they were purchased from is Scientific American Surgery (SAS). I'm most interested in hearing what people that have used that qbank have to say. I like SCORE, except as mentioned, it's very dated and inconsistent. If SAS is similar to SCORE except more current and consistent, I imagine it would be an amazing resource. 3,500 questions in their bank !!!

Has anybody used or heard anything about the SAS qbank?

How do you know that the SCORE questions were purchased from SAS? I'd never heard that before, but would be interested to know the background.

I looked at the editorial board, and there are several great question writers on there, e.g. Dr. Spain who also writes for SESAP.

I'm not sure that more is better when it comes to questions. The same concepts are tested every year, and I doubt there are 3,500 well-constructed questions out there...my fear would be that the quality of material is not high.

 

[khan99]

I know this is a tired topic in many ways. Our program uses SCORE year-round and TrueLearn specifically for ABSITE. The system is working ok. I find TrueLearn less helpful each year because of repeat questions I remember from the previous year. I'm trying to get our program to alternate qbanks each year. The scientific American surgery (SASS) qbank looks intriguing .Has anybody used it? Can anyone offer some insight to this product please?

What is a good ABsite score. is someone score 43 percent on exam, is it considered a good or bad score

 

[ACSurgeon]

What is a good ABsite score. is someone score 43 percent on exam, is it considered a good or bad score

Depends on the resident (ie fellowship aspirations) and the program (cutoffs for disciplinary action).

43 percentile isn’t terrible but not great either.

 

[MalibuPreMD]

Depends on the resident (ie fellowship aspirations) and the program (cutoffs for disciplinary action).

43 percentile isn’t terrible but not great either.

43rd percentile is fine - you are not in the "increased risk" group for failing boards. You're right in the middle of the pack of a very qualified and accomplished group! I think meeting all of the milestones of a surgical residency should be considered great.

 

[CBG23]

I know this is a tired topic in many ways. Our program uses SCORE year-round and TrueLearn specifically for ABSITE. The system is working ok. I find TrueLearn less helpful each year because of repeat questions I remember from the previous year. I'm trying to get our program to alternate qbanks each year. The scientific American surgery (SASS) qbank looks intriguing .Has anybody used it? Can anyone offer some insight to this product please?

For those that used Truelean, wondering roughly how much of the Qbank is just carried over from the previous year?

I looked at TrueLearn this year because several residents had purchased subscriptions, and I felt that it was not representative of the actual test....at least not the colorectal questions.

SESAP is a great resource. SCORE questions are inconsistent, as they were initially purchased from a third-party vendor, but some of the older crappier questions are slowly getting phased out.

the Fiser question book is good for the "medical knowledge" questions, i.e. the one-liners.

DiVirgilio's question book is reportedly good, and I did use an old version about 5 years ago to help prep the residents, but in the end it's a single PD writing questions rather than something that's validated, etc.

There really is not one great resource, so I've always recommended going through several. I tend to go through and cherry-pick good questions from SESAP and SCORE when I do ABSITE review lectures.

Of note, I want to put a plug in for the great team at Behind the Knife, as my residents universally cited their podcast as an excellent high-yield resource for this year's ABSITE.

Are SESAP questions similar in format and difficulty to the absite questions though?