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gas4lyfe

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Failed the Basic Exam, is this the end of fellowship hopes and will i have a hard time getting jobs. What can/should i do from here on out. Any advice please.
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gas4lyfe said:
Failed the Basic Exam, is this the end of fellowship hopes and will i have a hard time getting jobs. What can/should i do from here on out. Any advice please.
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Wow. what were your ITE percentages/ nothing to do at this piont but to pass it next time. Job wise? I dont think so. as long as you end up passing.. fellowship will probably be impacted
 
anbuitachi said:
Wow. what were your ITE percentages/ nothing to do at this piont but to pass it next time. Job wise? I dont think so. as long as you end up passing.. fellowship will probably be impacted
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i was in the top 50 percentile for ITE...
 
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don't worry about it at all, test is bs. it really has no impact on your future as long as you pass the next time. no one outside of your program will know, I am currently in process of fellowship, no application asks for that info just as long as you passed it. I have friends who are now in competitive fellowships (pain, peds) that failed their first time.

keep your head up and pass next time.
 
DilaudidDreams said:
don't worry about it at all, test is bs. it really has no impact on your future as long as you pass the next time. no one outside of your program will know, I am currently in process of fellowship, no application asks for that info just as long as you passed it. I have friends who are now in competitive fellowships (pain, peds) that failed their first time.

keep your head up and pass next time.
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Won't fellowship programs see all my exams including the failed Basic?
 
If its any consolation, I heard pain programs put some emphasis on step scores. Which if true kinda blows, my steps were below avg but my ITEs are >75th %tile.
 
IkeBoy18 said:
If its any consolation, I heard pain programs put some emphasis on step scores. Which if true kinda blows, my steps were below avg but my ITEs are >75th %tile.
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Yeah that's what most of the pain pds that I met at asra told me. Which sort of blows cuz I'm in the same boat too.


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Robotic Wis-Hipple said:
I cannot believe they look at step scores. You have ITEs if they want recent tests. And if we are talking about Regional they just want to fill or get enough people to sign up to be half attendings.
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well no more, since regional is now acgme accredited and they want every program to be accredited. no more half attendings
 
I was beyond devastated on Monday to find out I also failed. I've never failed an exam in my life, much less a board/USMLE/ITE exam. My ITE's PGY1 and PGY2 were 50th percentile, and I left the basic exam feeling confident. It was a huge shock, mainly because I'm not sure what else to do differently this time around.

Mainly my concerns are the same as OP... future fellowship and job search. How will this affect me? Do employers/programs find out about the first failed attempt? Need something to help me get through November.
 
anbuitachi said:
well no more, since regional is now acgme accredited and they want every program to be accredited. no more half attendings
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First, only a handful got accredited for this cycle. Second, I think they're gonna see they lose a pool of applicants now that it is going the accredited route.
 
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I understand your concern, but it should be placed more on actually passing the test. Unlike USMLEs, a centralized service (ABA) doesn't send transcripts of ITE and Basic exam results to ERAS/SF Match. Instead they ask you for scores and some programs ask you for transcripts to verify such.

Really, only your home program should know about a BASIC failure. It will be a red flag of sorts if you don't have a pass by the time applications go out for fellowship (I sent mine around Christmas for cardiac fellowship), but the November date should have results back by then.

Jobs won't care, they just want you board eligible. Let this be a wake up call, pass next time!
 
Robotic Wis-Hipple said:
First, only a handful got accredited for this cycle. Second, I think they're gonna see they lose a pool of applicants now that it is going the accredited route.
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Yes, regional programs don't have to have ACGME accreditation yet and won't for a few years. Many programs are reticent since they lose partial attendings which hurts the bottom line, my home program paid those fellows appropriately as well so they expect the interest to plummet once this happens.
 
AdmiralChz said:
I understand your concern, but it should be placed more on actually passing the test. Unlike USMLEs, a centralized service (ABA) doesn't send transcripts of ITE and Basic exam results to ERAS/SF Match. Instead they ask you for scores and some programs ask you for transcripts to verify such.

Really, only your home program should know about a BASIC failure. It will be a red flag of sorts if you don't have a pass by the time applications go out for fellowship (I sent mine around Christmas for cardiac fellowship), but the November date should have results back by then.

Jobs won't care, they just want you board eligible. Let this be a wake up call, pass next time!
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thanks for your insight, its really been helpful. But if they ask for transcript to verify your BASIC, wouldn't that showed the fail even if you pass the second time?
 
gas4lyfe said:
thanks for your insight, its really been helpful. But if they ask for transcript to verify your BASIC, wouldn't that showed the fail even if you pass the second time?
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There is no real "transcript" it's just a sheet of paper similar to the ITE with missed subject areas. You'd only upload the file from the passed exam. It might be possible to see that you took that second attempt in November, but it would take a keen eye looking at things VERY closely - I'd be surprised if anyone noticed.
 
I work at several different facilities, both hospital and freestanding surgery centers. Lots and lots of non-boarded anesthesiologists. Malpractice insurance, DEA, Medical License, ACLS... all current and you are 90% good to go. Having said that, yes, SOME hospital groups will require BC either at hiring or a few years after hire. Kaiser requires BC to become partner (in California). Currently there is no State or Federal requirement for BC to practice medicine apart from groups that have self-imposed rules. Some insurance companies will not contract with you if you are not BC, but that does not apply to Anesthesiologists, only to surgeons and primary care. Not sure what the future holds but that is the current state of affairs.

gas4lyfe said:
Failed the Basic Exam, is this the end of fellowship hopes and will i have a hard time getting jobs. What can/should i do from here on out. Any advice please.
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What was the passing score this year? I got 65% and failed...
 
anon36524 said:
What was the passing score this year? I got 65% and failed...
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How did you know what percentage you got correct?

EDIT: Never mind got my letter today. But, damn the curve must be steep. On the TrueLearn Qbank a 65% was 50th+ percentile.
 
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gas4lyfe said:
Failed the Basic Exam, is this the end of fellowship hopes and will i have a hard time getting jobs. What can/should i do from here on out. Any advice please.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately every ***** and his brother gets to do an anesthesia residency and fellowship nowadays, so I wouldn't worry.

What I would worry about would be the patients. Our written exams are laughable, at least at the passing level. So failing them should be a huge red flag for yourself. Also, if you don't have the extra medical knowledge, what's the difference between you and a CRNA?
 
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Anybody got a top 10 letter and what was your number of missed kw?
 
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I calculated the percent based on number of keywords assuming each keyword was 1 question (I got 70 keywords).
 
anbuitachi said:
they should do away with this exam. it's like a repeat ITE
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but how else will they make $775 x (# of CA-1s) each year in revenue?

Has anyone see anyone fail the basic twice? i wonder what happens if someone fails in nov, for example if someone had to miss the test the first time due to emergency or something and they fail the nov test. Or simply fail the test twice.
 
Nivens said:
I've heard murmurs they did away with the top 10% designation this year.
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Yes, there's a strong movement within the ABA to do away with this - the point of the test is to provide a "check" beyond the ITE to make sure people are on track with their knowledge base. The bottom 10% of passers are at increased risk of failing the Advanced exam so it's important to let them know to study up, and since you alert the bottom 10% might as well alert the top 10%.

The problem is that certain fellowships or even jobs could use that as a benchmark to judge applications, which is exactly NOT what the ABA had in mind (it's already being done for the ITE). We had a high-ranking ABA official at my residency who was sure the top 10% letters would be tossed within the next 3 years as there was growing resentment against it
 
Did they really get rid of the top 10% letter this year? I screwed up my ITE and scored somewhere in the 30th percentile and my PD probably thinks I'm a total idiot. Studied pretty hard for the BASIC in hopes of getting top 10% to redeem myself..got 32 keywords noted on my performance report, which last year was good enough for a top 10% letter. Anyone actually call the ABA yet to ask about it?
 
My fellowship looks at all your test scores and you could be impacted at a very competitive program. It depends on your letters. We get way more applications than we can interview. >3x. So you use any red flags to cull the herd.


--
Il Destriero
 
IlDestriero said:
My fellowship looks at all your test scores and you could be impacted at a very competitive program. It depends on your letters. We get way more applications than we can interview. >3x. So you use any red flags to cull the herd.


--
Il Destriero
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I did well enough on the ITE, but a 10% letter would've be nice, but I don't think I'll be getting one.
 
FFP said:
Unfortunately every ***** and his brother gets to do an anesthesia residency and fellowship nowadays, so I wouldn't worry.

What I would worry about would be the patients. Our written exams are laughable, at least at the passing level. So failing them should be a huge red flag for yourself. Also, if you don't have the extra medical knowledge, what's the difference between you and a CRNA?
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You are a miserable person. Please stop demeaning people who actually enjoy their chosen profession. And honestly, don't you have anything better to do than spend years on this forum posting irrelevant replies to med students and residents?
 
0kazak1 said:
I did well enough on the ITE, but a 10% letter would've be nice, but I don't think I'll be getting one.
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ITE scores much more important and readily comparable amongst applicants for competitive fellowships. Many applicants didn't even take the basic so it's hard to make comparisons.

You'll find that scores mean less and less as you go along overall - LORs and field interest (meaning research, even if just posters) go much farther than previous.

So didn't get a 10% letter? It doesn't matter, passing is what is way more important (and the point of this entire thread, actually).
 
Quixotic2501 said:
I'm going to go out on a limb and agree that there is no top 10% recognition this year. I had 15 keywords and no indication.
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I think last year they told the PDs in early August (not in the same mail that the keywords came on), so if they are doing it this year it is still too early to tell. I might be wrong, but that's what I can remember.
 
MikeMerk-MtS said:
You are a miserable person. Please stop demeaning people who actually enjoy their chosen profession. And honestly, don't you have anything better to do than spend years on this forum posting irrelevant replies to med students and residents?
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I've been asking myself the same question for a while, hence my recent absence for a few months. Except I'd put the word miserable next to some med students and residents. 😉
 
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For those taking this exam in the future, I actually just focused on questions for the ITE and basic this year. Reading to me just doesnt stick until i figure out whats important, at least whats important to the test makers and once Ive gotten some basic OR experience under my belt.

I used truelearn, finished the ITE qbank 3x, made >75th %tile, and the truelearn Basic qbank 1.7x, had 34 keywords or abt 83% correct.

Now that I have these two exams and a year of anesthesia under my belt I plan reading much more, focusing on Big blue and anesthesia for coexisting disease. Plus once again hammering out questions.
 
This might be a silly question, but if we all had different exams (... right?) then how can you compare keyword lists? For instance, if resident X had a more difficult exam by random draw than resident Y, 35 keywords for resident X might be a top 10% but for resident Y might not. No? Unless we all had the same questions on our exam.
 
MikeMerk-MtS said:
This might be a silly question, but if we all had different exams (... right?) then how can you compare keyword lists? For instance, if resident X had a more difficult exam by random draw than resident Y, 35 keywords for resident X might be a top 10% but for resident Y might not. No? Unless we all had the same questions on our exam.
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You can't easily, which is another reason the top 10% letters are going away.

Some of the tests vary from person to person, but part of the reason why it takes more than a month for scores is the ABA goes over all the performances on individual questions to determine suitability afterwards.
 
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