Anesthesia Board Pass Rates

[DO4lifer]

As I figure out the rankings of these great programs, I'd like to take into account the board pass rates of these programs. Is there a place to find this information? I checked the packets and went through the websites. I have a friend doing IM that was able to locate it on the ABIM website.

I sure love 4th year med school. My rank list is the only thing i stress about nowadays.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DO4lifer]

Bump, bump, bump
That's the sound of the 15's while they hittin in my trunk.

 

[bubalus]

Ask the programs. They should be forthcoming with the info, and if not, I'd be a little concerned.

 

[RxBoy]

Ask the programs. They should be forthcoming with the info, and if not, I'd be a little concerned.

Happened at one of the programs... Someone asked the PD during the introduction lecture....

PD says usually above average but last year it was much much worse... and goes on a rant explaining how they are revamping the didactics.

Did it just like a true politician, gave a bunch of rhetoric with no direct answer.

 

[panetrain]

Board pass rate should be way down on your list of things to consider when ranking a program. Passing the boards is up to you. Didactics have little to nothing to do with the pass rate at the program. I don't know of one resident that actually likes didactics. Most if not all anesth residents would rather skip didactics if given the opportunity. You learn anesthesia in the OR and by self study. Anesthesia is a Ball-Busting-Residency, it is a working mans/womans residency [60 hours in the box (OR) feels like 160 hours on the wards]. You are always way too tired to listen through an early morning or late afternoon lecture. If you want to pass the boards there are two key books out there that will basically guarantee a pass is you memorize them (Faust and Big Blue). Just pick one and memorize it over the course of 4 years. Picking a residency comes down to a few things: Location, cool residents, clinical experience (peds is most important), internal moonlighting and LOCATION!

Happened at one of the programs... Someone asked the PD during the introduction lecture....

PD says usually above average but last year it was much much worse... and goes on a rant explaining how they are revamping the didactics.

Did it just like a true politician, gave a bunch of rhetoric with no direct answer.

 

[DO4lifer]

Board pass rate should be way down on your list of things to consider when ranking a program. Passing the boards is up to you. Didactics have little to nothing to do with the pass rate at the program. I don't know of one resident that actually likes didactics. Most if not all anesth residents would rather skip didactics if given the opportunity. You learn anesthesia in the OR and by self study. Anesthesia is a Ball-Busting-Residency, it is a working mans/womans residency [60 hours in the box (OR) feels like 160 hours on the wards]. You are always way too tired to listen through an early morning or late afternoon lecture. If you want to pass the boards there are two key books out there that will basically guarantee a pass is you memorize them (Faust and Big Blue). Just pick one and memorize it over the course of 4 years. Picking a residency comes down to a few things: Location, cool residents, clinical experience (peds is most important), internal moonlighting and LOCATION!

yeah i figured board pass rates would also show whether residents had time to study. didactics are great if residents had time to reflect and study. i noticed at some places, residents get worked so hard, its basically OR learning and thats it.

 

[Bertelman]

... Anesthesia is a Ball-Busting-Residency, it is a working mans/womans residency [60 hours in the box (OR) feels like 160 hours on the wards]. ....

I would offer a different opinion. You do as much in 60 hours in the OR as you do in 160 on the wards. For me, 8 hours on the wards is like 24 hours in hell. I don't know which circle of hell your 160 hours represents.

 

[panetrain]

I would offer a different opinion. You do as much in 60 hours in the OR as you do in 160 on the wards. For me, 8 hours on the wards is like 24 hours in hell. I don't know which circle of hell your 160 hours represents.

160 hours of wards =100 hours in call room/resident lounge + 30 hours of lectures catered + 10 hours of BS with coffee in hand + 10 hours of work.

60 hours of anesthesia =60 long hours of just you and the box.

 

[CambieMD]

I would offer a different opinion. You do as much in 60 hours in the OR as you do in 160 on the wards. For me, 8 hours on the wards is like 24 hours in hell. I don't know which circle of hell your 160 hours represents.

I find being in the OR much less taxing than being on the wards. There is so much less "noise," to deal with in the OR. There are no sociaomas to deal with in the OR.

Cambie

 

[DO4lifer]

my thread got hijackeD!!

 

[panetrain]

Final thought. Don't worry about the program's board pass rate. If you were competitive enough to interview for anesthesia, chances are you have never failed a board exam. What makes you think you will fail this one?

my thread got hijackeD!!

 

[DO4lifer]

Final thought. Don't worry about the program's board pass rate. If you were competitive enough to interview for anesthesia, chances are you have never failed a board exam. What makes you think you will fail this one?

i guess it was more a way to see if residents had enough time to study so they pass the first time through. unfortunately, the best way to judge a program is to do an away rotation...but there just isnt enough time to do that with all the various programs.

i guess i'll roll with the dice

 

[panetrain]

Don't use the board pass rate as a gauge for a residency's work hours. If you interviewed at the program and want to rank them simply e-mail the chief and ask them how many hours they work. I received several such e-mails this year and replied with honest answers. If the chief thinks this is an inappropriate question (which they wont) then I would not want anything to do with the program anyway. The average program will work 65 hours per week. Anything more will be physically and mentally demanding. Anything less will be yummy candy.

i guess it was more a way to see if residents had enough time to study so they pass the first time through. unfortunately, the best way to judge a program is to do an away rotation...but there just isnt enough time to do that with all the various programs.

i guess i'll roll with the dice

 

[Bertelman]

160 hours of wards =100 hours in call room/resident lounge + 30 hours of lectures catered + 10 hours of BS with coffee in hand + 10 hours of work.

60 hours of anesthesia =60 long hours of just you and the box.

You must have had a cush ward month. Mine was more like 1-2 hours of sleep punctuated by another dialysis admit for pneumonia, MI, nurse page for diet orders, tylenol, "fever" to 100.1, ambien, etc. Followed by a nice morning of rounding and note writing until 1200.

I find being in the OR much less taxing than being on the wards. There is so much less "noise," to deal with in the OR. There are no sociaomas to deal with in the OR.

Cambie

I absolutely agree, which is why I'm an anesthesiologist. Hell, I find being in the OR more relaxing than time at home with my two kids. I love the OR, I'm far more relaxed there. I never get the scaredy feeling Pane has. I'm not sure if that's a bad thing yet. We'll see.

 

[kellycola]

I think you have received some poor advice. Yes, you were competitive enough to get accepted into an anesthesiology residency, but you learn a LOT in residency and boards are difficult!

The program I was in went from a very high in-training exam and written board pass rate, to a very low one, with a new chairman. Under the first chairman, almost nobody failed written boards. the first chair emphasixed didactics and study time. The 2nd chairman emphasized just work, no teaching, no didactics, and under the new chairman, pass rate went to 3 out of 9 passing, and this year "up" to 4 of 9 passing.

For studying for written boards, I would highly recommend "Anesthesia HQ" by Dr. Mike Loushin and for oral boards I would highly recommend "Ultimate Board Prep" for oral boards.

 

[bluewater]

Gotta go with the peeps above.

Board passage rates (unless really crappy) are generally a reflection on the residents. Look for programs that do not have glaring deficiencies---"we go here for trauma and there for peds and to hospital x for neuro." This means that you will have gaps in your training and that equalls less experience and less preparation for the real world.

Boards are not that bad. Good preparation and daily review will provide what you need to pass boards.

Look at location, hours and resident happiness. You'll be there for 4 years- make it count.